Pendlay Row
BarbellStrength
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The Pendlay Row is a barbell back exercise where you start each rep from a dead stop on the floor, explosively pulling the bar up to your lower chest while holding a hinged, parallel-to-the-floor torso position. Its primary purpose is to build explosive pulling power and posterior chain strength, targeting the lats, rhomboids, traps, and rear delts in the back, with the shoulders and erectors working secondarily. It requires a barbell and plates, and is best suited for powerlifters, athletes, and lifters looking to improve deadlift and rowing mechanics.
How to Perform Pendlay Row
- 1Load a barbell on the floor. Stand over it with feet hip-width apart, shins close to the bar.
- 2Hinge at your hips and bend your knees slightly to grip the bar with hands just outside shoulder-width, torso bent forward until it's roughly parallel to the floor, back flat.
- 3Brace your core and keep your head in a neutral position, arms hanging straight down to the bar.
- 4Inhale, then pull explosively — drive your elbows back and up to bring the bar to your lower ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
- 5Exhale forcefully as you reach the top position, holding the contraction briefly for maximum back engagement.
- 6Lower the bar back to a dead stop on the floor under control, letting it settle completely before the next rep.
- 7Reset your hip hinge and back position fully before pulling again — do not bounce off the floor.
- 8Key form tips: Keep your back flat and torso angle fixed throughout the pull; keep the bar close to your shins and let it touch the floor completely between reps. Common mistakes: Using hip momentum to heave the bar up, letting the torso rise during the pull, or not fully resetting the bar on the floor.
