T-Bar Row

​The T-Bar row is a great exercise for the back. A  benefit of the exercise is that keeping the chest on the pad ensures your form is strict and consistent. Like many other rowing exercises, people often cheat and change their form as they start adding weight. With the T-Bar row, you know you’re getting stronger if you’re adding reps or weights, as the pad prevents people from cheating. It also takes any pressure off the lower back and prevents it from being a limiting factor, like with dumbbell or barbell rows.

​Primary Back Muscles

• Latissimus Dorsi (Lats)
• Rhomboids
• Trapezius (Traps)

Secondary Muscles

• Rear Deltoids
• Biceps 
• Forearms

How to do the T-Bar row

• Adjust the platform so that when your feet are on there, your chest is against the pad, and your head hangs over the edge. 
• A wider grip with your elbows high and wide will bias the mid and upper back, while a narrower grip, keeping your elbows tucked to the sides, will bias the lats. In general, I aim for the arms to be at 45 degrees from the body.
• Don’t relax into the pad. You still need to brace and keep tension in your legs
• Reach down and grab the handles. Lift of the pin into the midline.
• Pull the handles up hard towards your body without lifting your chest.
• Always lower with control.  Don’t just let the weight drop, as this puts a lot of pressure on your shoulders. 
• You want the reps to be consistent with tempo and range of motion.
  

Common errors

• Not doing the full range of motion. This is often caused by using too heavy a weight.
• Lifting your chest off the pad to try and get extra weights or reps. This defeats the whole point of the exercise being chest-supported.
• ​Letting the weight drop suddenly when lowering the weight. This puts pressure on the shoulder joint.

Common errors

• Not doing the full range of motion. This is often caused by using too heavy a weight.
• Lifting your chest off the pad to try and get extra weights or reps. This defeats the whole point of the exercise being chest-supported.
• ​Letting the weight drop suddenly when lowering the weight. This puts pressure on the shoulder joint. Always control the exercise on the eccentric.

The T-Bar row is technically a very simple exercise to do correctly.
Just make sure you’re using the correct weight for your strength, you're controlling the weight, and you’re not lifting your chest off the pad