Worst Mistake When Performing The Bent-Over Row

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The difference between a successful lift and injuring yourself is a very fine line for some exercises, especially as you begin to lift heavier.
The Bent-Over Row is not only one of the most commonly abused exercises in terms of using momentum / hip thrust to complete the lift, but you're also putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on your lower back if you don't have a proper stance.
In this video I will show you an easy tip to eliminate pressure in your lower back which as an added benefit will eliminate "hip thrusting" as well.
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[@P0ETICsin]

In my last attempt I could feel the unfamiliar pressure on my lower back and now I know why thanks. I may not have a personal trainer but this channel is year round!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Happy to help P0ETICsin , glad this trick worked for you!

[@snake10566]

Hey Scott, I really liked this shorter video. Time is usually an issue for me, so this quick video was awesome! As always, thanks for the training tips!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks for the feedback Alex S. , glad the content was useful to you!

[@OGKiid94]

I'm new to working out >.< but my friend told me to check your channel. I'm learning so much from watching your videos!! Now I won't look like an idiot when I head to the gym. Thanks!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

OGKiid94 happy to hear that my friend! My channel is all about education, community support and going Super Saiyan from time to time haha.. You should make a profile on my website. Our community is constantly growing and you can get even more help in my forums. About 70,000 members now. check it out! www.MuscularStrength.com

[@akshayreddy3398]

ɷ Youuuu Wontt Beliveee Guysss H0wwww I Losttt Fatt Fasttt In Justt 3 Weeks With Thiss Weight Loss Diet Visitt : - t.co/Ferq3Um6eA

[@chriszo111]

Funny thing is you will look like an idiot to most of the gym-goers because the majority does train wrong or unhealthy but they think what they are doing is right. However, this applies to my own experience. But at least you have proof you are heading towards a right direction :)

[@daniellawrence909]

I am definitely going to implement this into my training, I've noticed that this has affected me as well because my lower back does tend to take a lot of the load. Thanks for the help Wise Beast! Learning something new everyday to help me become the best version of myself.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

hey man, just here to help you make those gains Daniel Lawrence !! #HTH If you ever need more help join the community and I in the forums on www.MuscularStrength.com, we will help you out! #HTH

[@esco900k]

Scott's vid quality has only gotten better over the years. My fav fitness KZbinr.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks esco900k ! I do my best to always improve! Have a great week!

[@Zoney06]

+esco900k Plus he brought himself a shirt.

[@Fitnessoriented]

Mr. Herman that is definitely solid advice you give on not only isolating your lats, but protecting your lower back as well. I think a HUGE cause of lower back injuries are people move their torso forward by bending at their lower back, rather than hinging at their hips. This could be especially bad if one not only bends forward at their lower back to pick something up off the floor, but rotates their torso while doing that....as that will increase pressure in their vertebral discs even more and in a worst case scenario cause a disc herniation.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks Fitness Oriented and well put solid advice. There is much more that goes into exercises than just lifitng things up and putting them down. thanks for the added feedback! :)

[@trexbattle]

Tons of people at my gym need to see this haha

[@ScottHermanFitness]

haha 100% of gyms need this video. Except mine, we got this down! lol

[@mason2450]

Why don't u help them

[@LegionWolves]

Bent over row is always a tough one for me to master. I wanna have a strong foundation while getting the maximum range of motion in. Good video! Thanks Scott!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

well then this will definitely help you Evan Ray ! #HTH

[@MrJimiHendrix69]

Awesome tip Scot! People use wayyy too much momentum on this exercise; I try not to but when I near fatigue my form starts to slip a bit. Sitting back into the hips more makes it much harder to "cheat". Great vid

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks Dharma Young , yeah as long as 90% of the reps are good.. a little momentum on the last few to squeeze out a bit more isnt bad :)

[@AnabolicAliens]

2:43 collab skills

[@ScottHermanFitness]

haha subtle collab skills :-P

[@souvikkundu808]

I see you man 😁

[@ColossusFitness]

Rows for the broos, helping the homies out with this knowledge. Great video as always Scott :)

[@ScottHermanFitness]

thanks Colossus Fitness , and not sure if you saw my last comment on one of your videos. shoot me an email when you have a chance. [e-mail]

[@ColossusFitness]

ScottHermanFitness sent a few e-mails to you brother. not entirely sure if they've gone through though? e-mail is [e-mail]. im sure you get tons of e-mails but it should be there!

[@gottfriedosterbach3907]

The momentum is what actually lets you fully contract your target area as well as overload. Pendlay rows have their place, but so does English so long as you are driving with the elbows and not short arming. This is one rare case where strict form icsn be more of a detriment than benefit and it is pretty rare that I see a competitive strength athlete pulling with strict form when doing bent over rows.

[@randygodshall2508]

That's exactly what I was thinking. I just did pendlay rows today as an accessory to my deadlift for the first time and definitely used some momentum. I still sat back and kept my abs tight like I was doing a deadlift, but I feel like strict form is more for hypertrophy rather than helping with the deadlift.

[@yoshioi]

Oh man.... back days just got a lot better!!! Thanks Scott!!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Anytime yoshioi !! #HTH

[@RealExperienceReviews]

Favorite fitness channel! Thanks Scott!

[@quanle724]

Personally, on heavy sets, I start this movement by doing 1 rep of deadlift, then slowly lower the bar into the starting position of the Bent Over Row and begin performing the set.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

That works too. Just make sure you sit back :)

[@181pottsy]

Quan Le Yep I do exactly that, as the starting position is pretty much a dead lift.

[@AutomaticDuck300]

Quan Le thanks, I was wondering why my back was bent over when doing this exercise and your solution corrected that problem.

[@user-mk8ch1ew6k]

Thats somewhat of a pendlay row buddy

[@jjwp-ql5rv]

@@user-mk8ch1ew6k there's a big difference. A pendlay has no negative, and starts from a dead stop on every rep.

[@PROJECTHULK1]

I used to feel im my lower back and hamstrings too but now with this tip is my just back, thanks a lot Scott.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

anytime PROJECTHULK1 !

[@DefeatLust]

Solid tip brother. i'm doin these next week anyways so i'll definitley try it that way. Lookin swole as always, Scott. Thanks man

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Awesome JoMomma239 , let me know how you do! #HTH

[@profitfever]

I've watched loads of videos on KZbin and nobody seems to talk about doing this. It makes perfect sense though. i wonder why more trainers don't discuss this leg placement and position. whenever I did this exercise i always felt it was putting alot of pressure on my back. This is a good way of making my base more solid and feeling more in control.thanks.

[@TheGooker4lyfe]

Dude, just changed my life with this.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Cong Ha happy to hear that. This tip will change a lot of exercises for you. Use the same technique for bent over flys. It's like a whole new exercise. For more help, come to the forums man! www.MuscularStrength.com/forums

[@zack_120]

Good tip! 👍 I'll try right away. Back: indeed the load on sacroiliac joint (lower back) is released quite a bit. That joint is the lifeline of whole body movements, so nurture, protect it at all cost.

[@hakimihkm9005]

Thank you I didn't know it was a problem, no wonder my lower back hurts, I will try to input your advice.

[@angadiabhi057]

Thanks scott for this video. I have mild back pain(at my right lower back) and i think video has saved me from injuring my back further.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Awesome Abhishek Angadi ! Happy to help you out bro! For more help and support with your routine and meal plan join us on www.MuscularStrength.com in the forums! #HTH

[@Stifmeister1]

Great tip Scott, I'll definitely keep this in mind on my next back day, as I really like to do bent-over row

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks Stifmeister1 ! You will add more weight to your first set I bet!

[@Stifmeister1]

ScottHermanFitness I hope so! :)

[@travismichel9221]

thanks for all the help you have givin me man. i look up how to do all excersizes from you. you explain things really well

[@LewisCampbellTech]

Really helpful video. Sometimes when I do a lift I can tell something is off, but can't put my finger on what. This was definitely what was wrong with my rows.

[@coldbrewfinance]

damn i did this mistake just today, def lower back felt it, now i know ! ty!

[@williamarmstrong3242]

That explanation helped my lower back so much!! Thank you!!

[@alexmitchell4748]

Great advice man. Currently in rehabilitation from a back injury due to this exercise. Will be sure to implement this when back in the game!!:)

[@ScottHermanFitness]

sorry to hear that Alex Mitchell , hope you heal up soon bro!

[@ColossusFitness]

loved this video scott! i spy with my little eye, mike from Anabolic Aliens in the background at the end :D

[@michaelkachel9390]

Thank you! I'm a new lifter and everytime I did rows my lower back hurt and this made that go away completely

[@andregomes3317]

I'm happy that I do that technique of locking hips in place naturally without thinking. My hips dont move a single pixel when I'm rowing, and yeah it just feels... effortless. They're just locked. Obviously if I sit there for 30 minutes my lower back starts to fatigue, but for a set of 5-20 reps that never happens. All the tension is on the lats , and may be other muscles of the upper back depending on how wide the grip is. This is actually THE cue on this exercise. Everything else is just basic that you do on everything else. Good video

[@egyptian420]

Thanks man....I was destroying my left shoulder when I used to do this exercise. Thanks to your video I now know to keep my hand grip essentially in front of my chins instead of a wider grip.

[@bolz37]

Great tip Scott, I think this will really help my back development. Thanks.

[@37Delan]

This lighting and video was awesome !!! You are the man :D

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks Delan Sarmad ! You rock man!

[@frankmaggio4328]

Scott, I've been video taping my form. Turns out, I do have little roll in my lower and yes the bar is away from my legs, arms vertical at the start of the movement. This is causing my back to arch upwards. Looking at other videos, the position is the same as your technique. Can't believe I've been doing it wrong all this time. I do mine like Franco used to do in Pumping Iron. Awesome video!!!

[@michaelh9251]

Very informative, my form improved enough to stop lower back discomfort as well as make more gainz haha thanks bro!! 👌👌

[@alexlevchuk493]

really noticed a difference in my form. thank you for the advice scott!

[@meganhawkins6845]

I'm guilty of the hip swing! Thanks for the tip!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Don't worry Megan Hawkins , we all do it from time to time!

[@braydenhaines5456]

Perfect timing! Today is back day :3

[@ScottHermanFitness]

#BackDay oh yeah!

[@jeffmarks3946]

+ScottHermanFitness You should make a video on different grip variation and different lengths on the bar, I feel like a supination during a row or pull up actually is better for me because I feel a stronger contraction in all my muscles in my back, and pronated grips dont work very well on the row for me? Is it just me? I do always switch things up though to train every little variation

[@seanj6333]

I literally JUST strained my lower back doing this exercise yesterday exactly the way you showed not to. And then you released this video. Thank you this is perfect. Going to have to rest a while before I attempt it again though!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Damn, 1 day too late. I hope it was only a minor strain my friend!

[@joshk7928]

Thanks Scott. This helped a lot. Cheers from Perth Western Australia ;)

[@neekrusher2085]

Thanks for this. I was in the gym today doing bent over rows. 155lbs. I figured I was doing them wrong. The hip momentum was happening to me. Thank you so much for this video.

[@tmh246]

Thanks for taking the time and showing us these tips Scott. Appreciate it. I'm getting my muscle genes done soon. How much did it Change your workouts and how much of a difference did it make. Hope you can answer. Thanks again man.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Awesome tom han ! My report helped me focus on what is most important. My meal plan and my workout type. Now that I know I respond better to high volume, that is all I focus on. No more switching plans or going for 5x5s. They just dont work for me. Let me know when you get your report and if you need help post in my forums! We got your back! www.MuscularStrength.com/forums

[@jussiwuoti4428]

Thanks Scott. This video made the exercise feel where it should be. Great advice.

[@futurealasd]

actually what u performed at 0:50 is the correct way to hit the lats more. Yes there is some kind of momentum, but as u bring the bar up, u must drive through the legs, arch your back and squeeze. For textbook form, yes remain stationary. But don't forget that standing t-bar or bb rows are power movements, so u go for a bit of momentum there.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Using momentum is never the correct way to perform this movement. You can still use this stand and stand up straighter if you want to.

[@rubenmycox]

Thanks, Scott! Did it wrong last night but I will have this corrected asap

[@cassandrahaeuber3383]

Wow thanks so much for this! It took so much pressure off of my lower back.

[@selftheory5401]

Scott, you are the best!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks Self Theory !! #HTH

[@Dippa1991]

2:47 well hello there Anabolic Aliens!

[@mohammedashraf6978]

This is sucha good tip man really appreciate the info

[@ryanc5681]

Awesome tip Scott love your channel

[@Nerdcrusher]

Jesus Christ, this video had an ad for Mike Chang, MAKE IT STOP!!!

[@DaveLotito]

great video like always scott!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks Pump Savages , was definitely worth the reshoot! haha

[@cooldevansh1]

Solid advice. Keep up the great work Scott :)

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks cooldevansh1 ! Means a lot bro!! more good stuff coming soon!

[@KidTheInk]

hey scott nice video as always, I have a question can you make a video in showing an exercise (at home) for the lower back? Maybe something with bands? That would be great.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks KidTheInk , check out my video "Alternating Superman" great exercise for lower back! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fabMZoennrCdkKs

[@KidTheInk]

ScottHermanFitness nice thanks a ton!

[@koolkev97]

Hey scott. I notice that you mention the 'pump' in some of vids. I know what the pump is but i dont know how to achieve it. What can i implement into my daily workouts to make my muscles feel pumped. Gr8 vid as usual keep em coming!!!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

KoolKev2000 if you are new to lifting maybe your intensity isnt high enough. Post for us your routine in my forums. We will take a look and see if we can help you master THE PUMP! www.MuscularStrength.com/forums

[@koolkev97]

oh kl

[@roberta6360]

My lower back thanks you for this tip!

[@weetbx]

Thanks mate, old video but this helped me correct some newbie mistakes

[@WicksTheMix]

Another great information filled video :)

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks WicksTheMix ! Appreciate the feedback!

[@scollinsfitness2494]

Thanks for the advice. Been doing it the other way (wrong) all this time.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Happy to help SCollinsFitness !

[@WeakToPhysiqueDavyGFitness]

Scott! Im researching into starting my own KZbin channel and this was gonna be one of my first videos! Haha, I see those mistakes way too often in the gym I work in in Ireland! P.S hope you're keeping well 😁

[@ScottHermanFitness]

thats awesome David Gould ! If you are looking to build a name you should check out my site. Lot's of opportunities for growth. We are hosting lots of content from members as well! www.MuscularStrength.com

[@8Baller1000]

Great video! Do you prefer barbell rowing right from the ground or the other way? I normally deadlift the weight from the ground stand up and then lower the bar down by my knees, is that incorrect?

[@ScottHermanFitness]

They are two totally different exercises. Barbell Row and Pendlay Row :)

[@AMindInOverdrive]

I have that exact problem...fighting gravity and the lift doesn't feel right. This is an excellent tip. Thanks!

[@jucalha01]

Thanks, Scott! Your videos help me a lot. =)

[@ScottHermanFitness]

happy to help bro!!

[@gutsthedon]

great tip scott

[@ScottHermanFitness]

gutsthedon Thanks bro!! Happy to help! Check out the community for more tips man! www.MuscularStrength.com/forums

[@SwevenHannibal]

Nice vid Scott, I can see I was doing my rows totally wrong. I could feel it on my lower back. Could you please give some tips about how much cardio can we do alongside our weightlifting so we don't harm our muscle growth?

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Happy to help SwevenHannibal and I wouldnt do more than 2 - 3 days of 20 minutes of HIIT.. but that highly depends on your meal plan... Join us here for more in depth health! www.MuscularStrength.com/forums

[@SwevenHannibal]

ScottHermanFitness Thanks man you're the best

[@ebiebertson7970]

Thanks for making this video without screaming. I can stand watching exercise videos that scream at the camera.

[@MrRoverman01]

I do rows similar to this. Great set-up to protect the lower back.

[@TomShufflebottom]

strong work scott, a lot of people do this

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks Tom Shufflebottom Fitness and yeah you are right. If you want a strong back you got to keep it steady and use only upper body to move the barbell!

[@TomShufflebottom]

Yeah, by the way I think I'll be switching to barbell rows from now on rather than pendlay rows. I can actually do a lot more weight with a barbell row personally

[@nanzNethan]

Thanks helps a lot because I pulled my lower back on this movement.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Happy to help efrain dominguez ! #HTH

[@___i3ambi126]

Thanks. I kept feeling this movement in my lower back but all the other advice kept just wanting to double check my back was arched correctly. It's really more the straight legs that was the problem.

[@Khaos969]

yea I agree I may have already had a weakness in back it may have been my cheap mattress which was soft causing an arch in lower back as hips sunk into bed for years , I spent £1000 on a new firm mattress which keeps back straight and doesn't allow an arch on lower back, and my back is as good as new literally ... people underestimate how much a shit bed can mess your back up... and delay recovery... Firm beds are the way forward ...

[@followerofgms8294]

Khaos969 sleep on the floor

[@christopherirving7685]

Thank you like many others i was doing exactly like you showed not to. cheers.

[@5thquad]

Great tip. I did these wrong yesterday and don't feel much in my lats. Moreso in my lower back and traps actually.

[@cam553]

Grip maybe too wide. I've seen other clips that say, as with other rows, to keep your elbows to your sides so your basically scrubbing your lats.

[@robertloop7847]

Just did my first set and it felt awkward and exactly as you described while doing it incorrectly. Thanks for the vid! My form feels much more effective.

[@TheBrick534]

Hey Scott. I've been trying to cut down to 10% body fat. Currently I weigh 159.5lbs and am 5'7, 17 year old male. According to some fancy shmancy scale I sued at my gym I'm at 16% and need to drop down to 150lbs to be at 10. I've been having trouble really trying to dial in how many calories I should intake a day. I was eating around 1700-2100 depending on how much activity I did that day but I've found myself becoming really tired and never feeling nourished during the day. My workouts and body have taken a toll and I really want to get a beach body for the summer. I workout on average about 5 times a week with strength training/calisthenics and sometimes 6 if work doesn't get in the way. Again I really just want to lose the weight permanently and start making lean gains.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Hey man, I know this stuff can be stressful at times, but we can help you out. check out the meal plan video I have on my site on this page www.MuscularStrength.com/mealplan... then.. make a new post in the forums under weight loss and let us know your current routine and daily macros and we will help you get that bodyfat down in no time! www.MuscularStrength.com/forums #HTH

[@mikevalenti8348]

Great tips Scott!

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks MVfitness ! If you are making videos you should check out the community in my forums! www.MuscularStrength.com/forums

[@mikevalenti8348]

Thanks Scott!

[@Bendos11766]

Hey Scott, could we get a tour of your gyms building, location, etc? That would make for an awesome video thanks man! LOVE THE VIDEOS! (:

[@ScottHermanFitness]

I have done one before, but can definitely do one again Aluph Twelve ! Thanks man!

[@111Holister]

Dude this just helped me out A LOT! thanks master scott (:

[@ScottHermanFitness]

anytime 111Holister ! Happy to help!

[@DjW1986]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS TIP!!!!!!!!

[@nathanmarineau3993]

This helped me out a lot. Thanks for the vid!

[@ba5sh]

Thanks man i needed this, i tend to rumple with the old technique

[@karlwills3549]

look straight ahead also & dont let the bar touch the ground..

[@bernlin2000]

Incredibly informative, thank you!! You've likely saved many lower backs from undue stress :-)

[@caiomotta7101]

Thanks man, I started to increase the weight and im feeling my lower back, i'll use this tip now

[@Amaranthe_1]

Excellent advice

[@ashconnor]

This is a big help because my row form sucks. Thanks!

[@MrUjum]

Those anabolic aliens live in your studio man

[@ScottHermanFitness]

haha, they came down for the day and we filmed a lot of stuff. Great guys MrUjum !

[@renzoarana3972]

Very nice tip man

[@chrisdodging]

Another hot tip for pendelays: dont let the weight bounce when you let it down or you might pop your shoulder resulting in a SLAP tear. ask me how I know...

[@Crabadab135]

Hey Scott, great video as always! Just wanted a quick piece of advice. I know you're against the whole bulking/cutting thing, and I've been following your lean muscle system program for some time now (and might I say it's helped me put on some serious muscle). I'm around 12% body fat, and I'm looking to cut down to below 10, because I want to look a bit more defined and 'cut up'. I've started going into a calorific deficit with my eating and essentially doing a 'cut'. I was wondering, would you recommend I follow through with the cut to get down a couple BF percentages, and then go back to focussing lean gains, or just go straight back into the lean gains routine. I know this is ideal for the forums, but I thought I'd try my hand and get some advice now 😜 Another thing to note is I'm only 17, so still growing, therefore cutting isn't recommended. Thanks, and keep up the good work :)

[@ScottHermanFitness]

I will tell you what, send me an email with a testimonial about the leanmusclesystem with some progress pics and I will walk you through what to do personally :) [e-mail]

[@Crabadab135]

Cheers brotha! Will get them to you asap

[@AydensGuitar]

Easily one of the best back exercises

[@ScottHermanFitness]

I agree!

[@Scouser7149]

I was so making that mistake!!! Thanks for the tip!

[@MrRyan1011]

Scott Herman’s a good dude.

[@justinengland9814]

Great advice sir. Can you do a bent over row where you are standing a little more upright? I was told you can but am unsure.

[@Whiteviper23]

Great video Scott! I have a question. I am making a home gym in my garage and was wondering where you got your flooring and what thickness it is.

[@ScottHermanFitness]

hey Cody Divelbiss , I got it from Rogue and it is 3/4 inch thickness I believe. Good luck with your home gym!

[@rikter22]

great video. people need to know this. love pendlay rows, btw

[@ScottHermanFitness]

Thanks rikter22 , I couldn't agree more

[@anshu89]

Thanks for the tip bro...I was wondering if I could substitute this exercise by doing it with some sort of machine instead of using barbells? This whole stance is awkward as fuck for me and I feel like I'm doing more harm than good everytime I do this exercise.

[@dan24ganoza1]

Do the seated cable row machine. Target your lower back instead of going at shoulder level, go as low as you can with it, brace your core, and make sure you only pull with your back, as if you're rowing a boat. Don't pull with your biceps either. Should have the same effect on your back. Worked perfext for me, doing 15 reps of 140 lbs currently and back is defined af. If you're going for power lifting.. Then I would do the exercise he's showing, machines are more for targeting specific areas

[@fuckfuckiluvesex]

Compound exercises ALWAYS beats machines, maybe only add it as assistance work.

[@13snert]

Great video Scott..remember when i screwed my back last year ...very strict on the form now..lol

[@ScottHermanFitness]

yeah man, happy to hear you are feeling much better 13snert !

[@dhirendulani]

Also while using the underhand grip in the bentover row ...some people are jus rocking back and forth its like they are humping the bar , and use upper back more than the lats

[@ScottHermanFitness]

very true!! need to keep that form!