Barbell Incline Row

Setup

1. 01Set an incline bench to roughly 30 to 45 degrees.
2. 02Lie chest-down on the bench with the barbell on the floor or a rack beneath you.
3. 03Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width, palms down.
4. 04Plant the feet and press the chest into the pad.

Execution

1. 01Pull the bar up toward the bottom edge of the bench.
2. 02Drive the elbows back and squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top.
3. 03Lower the bar under control to a full arm hang.
4. 04Keep the chest glued to the pad the entire set.

Checkpoints

• -The chest never lifts off the pad to help the pull.
• -The shoulder blades protract fully at the bottom and retract at the top.
• -The bar rises in a straight vertical line.
• -The neck stays neutral, eyes down rather than craned forward.

Common mistakes

• -Bouncing the chest off the pad to cheat the weight up.
• -Cutting the bottom range and never letting the shoulder blades open.
• -Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears during the pull.
• -Setting the bench so low the plates hit the floor at the bottom.