Upper back exercise
T-Bar RowHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Main muscles
- Upper back, Lats
- Also works
- Biceps, Rear delts, Lower back
- Equipment
- Landmine
- Level
- Intermediate
How to do it
How do you do the T-Bar Row?
- Stand astride the bar facing the plates, feet about hip-width.
- Hook the V-handle under the bar and grip it, palms facing.
- Push your hips back until your chest leans forward, back flat, arms straight.
- Pull the handle to your lower chest, elbows driving back.
- Lower it slowly without letting the plates touch down.
Cues
- Keep your chest over the bar.
- Elbows back, close to your sides.
- Flat back, hips stay still.
Common mistakes
- Heaving with your hips: hold your trunk angle and use less weight.
- Rounding your lower back: brace and push your hips back before each set.
- Flaring your elbows: keep them close to your body.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Barbell with one end in a landmine pivot on the floor, plates on the free end. Stand astride the bar facing the plates, the pivot behind you, the bar running between the feet. Feet hip- to shoulder-width apart. V-handle hooked under the bar just behind the collar. Neutral grip (palms facing each other), hands about 15 cm apart, wrists straight. Knees soft (about 20°). Hips back until the trunk is about 45° from vertical. Back flat, chest proud, gaze at the floor about 1 m ahead. Shoulders sit slightly ahead of the handle.
The movement
Only the arms and shoulder blades move. Hips, knees, trunk and head stay still.
End position
Handle at the lower chest / upper abdomen (the plates may stop it just short of the chest). Elbows driven back past the trunk, staying within about 30° of the sides. Elbow flexion about 120°. Shoulder blades squeezed together and down. Trunk angle unchanged. Pause 0.5 s.
Tempo
Pull 1 s / squeeze 0.5 s / lower 2 s, then 0.3 s at arm's length.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stance width | hip width | hip to shoulder width | |
| Hand spacing (V-handle) | 15 cm | 12–20 cm | |
| Trunk angle from vertical | 45° | 40–55° | |
| Trunk angle change during the rep | 0° | under 5° | |
| Elbow flexion at the start | 0° | 0–5° | |
| Handle at the end | lower chest | lower sternum to upper abdomen |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The T-Bar Row is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
