Yates Row
Dorian Yates rows with a slightly more upright torso. It works mainly the lats, trapezius and rear deltoid, with help from the biceps, lower back and forearm flexors.
In Flawless, a man aged 23–39 reaches Gold, the third of eight ranks, at 1.1× bodyweight (87.5 kg at 80 kg). For a woman it is 0.75× (45 kg at 60 kg).
How to do Yates Row
- Stand holding the bar with an underhand grip about shoulder width and hinge forward only slightly, torso around 60–70 degrees to the floor.
- Pull the bar to your lower abdomen, driving the elbows back close to the body and squeezing the shoulder blades.
- Keep the torso angle fixed; the more upright stance lets you go heavier and loads the lower lats.
- Lower with control to straight arms; if the biceps give out first, the grip has taken over and the weight is too heavy.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Lats | Latissimus dorsi |
| Primary | Trapezius | Trapezius |
| Primary | Rear deltoid | Deltoideus posterior |
| Secondary | Biceps | Biceps brachii |
| Secondary | Lower back | Erector spinae |
| Secondary | Forearm flexors | Flexores antebrachii |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Back thickness, not just width
- Whole-body tension — legs, hips, spine
- Carries straight over to the deadlift
Strength standards for Yates Row
| Rank | Men | Women | Man, 80 kg | Woman, 60 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start | – | – |
| Silver | 0.7× | 0.5× | 55 kg | 30 kg |
| Gold | 1.1× | 0.75× | 87.5 kg | 45 kg |
| Platinum | 1.45× | 1× | 115 kg | 60 kg |
| Diamond | 1.8× | 1.25× | 145 kg | 75 kg |
| Obsidian | 2.25× | 1.6× | 180 kg | 95 kg |
| Painite | 2.7× | 1.9× | 215 kg | 115 kg |
| Antimatter | 3.6× | 2.5× | 287.5 kg | 150 kg |
Ratios are one-rep max ÷ bodyweight for ages 23–39; kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg.
Flawless takes your best set of Yates Row, estimates your one-rep max with the Brzycki formula (reps are capped at 12) and divides it by the bodyweight in your profile, so you never have to test a true max. Women’s limits are 30 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Yates Row work?
It works mainly the lats, trapezius and rear deltoid, with help from the biceps, lower back and forearm flexors.
How do you do Yates Row?
Stand holding the bar with an underhand grip about shoulder width and hinge forward only slightly, torso around 60–70 degrees to the floor. Pull the bar to your lower abdomen, driving the elbows back close to the body and squeezing the shoulder blades. Keep the torso angle fixed; the more upright stance lets you go heavier and loads the lower lats. Lower with control to straight arms; if the biceps give out first, the grip has taken over and the weight is too heavy.
What is a good Yates Row for my bodyweight?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 1.1× bodyweight for men aged 23–39 and 0.75× for women, Diamond at 1.8× and 1.25×. For an 80 kg man that is a 87.5 kg and a 145 kg one-rep max.
Try it free
Free on Google Play and the App Store. The whole log is free; PRO is optional.