Exercise guide · Back
Barbell Pendlay Row
Pendlay row is a barbell row from the floor with a dead stop each rep. Your torso stays roughly parallel to the floor and the bar resets on the ground between every pull.
- Targets: Mid back
- Equipment: Barbell
- Type: Compound
Step by step
How to do the Barbell Pendlay Row
- Set a barbell on the floor with even plates and a grip slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Hinge at the hips until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, shins near vertical.
- Grip the bar, brace your core, and pull explosively to your lower chest.
- Lower the bar to a full dead stop on the floor—no bounce—before the next rep.
- Reset your brace and body tension at the bottom, then repeat for the next pull.
Form cues
- Torso parallel to the floor, not a 45° row angle
- Bar rests on the floor between every rep
- Drive elbows toward your hips
- Flat back and braced core before you pull
Common mistakes
- Hips rising too high, turning it into a standard bent-over row
- Bouncing the bar off the floor between reps
- Rounding the lower back before or during the pull
- Pulling the bar to your belly instead of lower chest
Muscles worked
Primary
Mid back
Secondary
Lats, Biceps, Lower back and Forearms
Safety: Use even plates so the bar sits level on the floor. Reduce weight if you cannot keep a neutral spine throughout each rep.
Alternatives
