Variations — what changes
Overhand grip
Palms facing down, a bit wider.
More upper back and rear shoulders.
Underhand grip
Palms facing up, about shoulder width.
More lats and biceps; elbows stay closer to your sides.
Pendlay row
Torso parallel to the floor, bar goes back to the floor every rep.
Strict and explosive — no lower-back cheating.
Single-arm dumbbell
One hand and knee on a bench, row with the other arm.
Longer range, no lower-back strain, fixes left/right differences.
Chest-supported
Lie face-down on an incline bench.
Takes the lower back out completely — pure upper back.
Setup
- Hinge forward to about 30–45° above parallel, knees soft, back flat.
- Arms hanging straight, grip just outside your knees.
Doing the rep
- Pull the bar to your lower ribs / belly button, driving your elbows back.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.
- Lower under control — don't let the weight yank your shoulders forward.
Common mistakes
- Standing more and more upright as the set goes on.
- Heaving the weight with your hips.
Stop if something hurts sharply. When you're learning a lift, start light and film a set from the side to check it.
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