The bent-over barbell row with a supinated grip, also called an underhand or reverse-grip row, is a compound pulling exercise performed with palms facing up while hinged forward at the hips. The underhand grip shortens the bar path slightly and increases biceps and lower-lat involvement compared to an overhand row, while still building substantial back thickness. It is a staple back-builder for lifters looking to develop the lats, rhomboids, and mid-back musculature alongside arm strength.
Muscles Targeted
- Primary: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids
- Secondary: Biceps brachii, brachialis, trapezius (middle and lower)
- Tertiary: Rear deltoids, spinal erectors, forearms
Starting Position
Stand with feet hip-width apart, a loaded barbell on the floor in front of you. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees slightly until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, keeping your back flat and chest up. Grip the bar with palms facing up (supinated), hands roughly shoulder-width apart, and lift the bar off the floor to hang at arm's length below your chest.
Execution Steps
- Brace your core and set your hip hinge angle before initiating the pull
- Drive your elbows back and pull the bar upward toward your lower ribcage
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement, keeping the bar close to your body
- Pause briefly at peak contraction
- Lower the bar under control back to full arm extension, feeling a stretch through the lats
- Repeat for the desired number of reps while holding your torso angle constant throughout the set
Form Cues
- Keep your spine neutral and chest up: avoid rounding your lower back at any point in the set
- Pull with your elbows, not your hands: think about driving elbows toward the ceiling behind you
- Keep the bar close to your body, brushing along your shins and thighs as it travels
- Hold your torso angle steady: don't use body English or stand up to move the weight
- Fully extend your arms at the bottom of each rep to maximize range of motion
Common Mistakes
- Rounding the lower back: this increases spinal injury risk, keep the chest up and core braced throughout
- Standing up during the pull to use hip momentum: this turns the row into a partial deadlift and reduces back tension, keep the hip hinge angle fixed
- Using a shortened range of motion: not lowering the bar to full extension reduces lat stretch and stimulus, control the eccentric fully
- Pulling dominantly with the arms rather than the back: this reduces lat recruitment, focus on driving elbows back and squeezing shoulder blades together
- Using too much weight and jerking the bar off the floor: this increases injury risk and reduces control, use a weight that allows a smooth, controlled first pull
Variations
- Overhand (pronated) bent-over row: shifts emphasis slightly more onto the upper back and traps
- Pendlay row: bar starts from a dead stop on the floor each rep, building more explosive pulling power
- Dumbbell bent-over row: allows independent arm movement and a greater stretch at the bottom
- Chest-supported row: removes lower-back demand, isolating the back muscles for higher-volume work
- T-bar row: fixed bar path with a neutral grip, useful for loading heavier with less lower-back strain
Tips for Progression
- Add weight in small increments (5-10 pounds) once all reps are completed with strict form
- Build volume by adding sets before significantly increasing load
- Add a brief pause at the top of each rep to increase time under tension and improve the mind-muscle connection
- Train grip strength directly rather than relying on straps too early, so grip does not become the limiting factor
Training Notes
Program the supinated bent-over row one to two times per week as a primary back and biceps pulling movement, typically for three to four sets of six to ten reps. Rest 90-120 seconds between sets given the compound nature and lower-back demand of the exercise. It pairs well with vertical pulling movements like pull-ups or lat pulldowns in a balanced back-training session.