Bent over rows are one of the most effective exercises for working the upper back. According to the American Council on Exercise, the bent-over row is one of the best exercises for working the major muscles in the back. Plus, rows are a compound exercise that works more than one muscle group at the same time. That means rows, like other compound exercises, are more of a calorie burner than isolation movements, like leg extensions or triceps kickbacks that work one muscle group. Not every exercise is suited for everyone. If you have orthopedic issues or have had them in the past, you may need to modify some movements or pay extra attention to your form. Since you’re in a bent-over position when you row, you might wonder whether this exercise is safe for your back. What’s the verdict?
The Muscles that Bent Over Rows Work
Before doing any exercise, understand what muscles the movement works. You may have heard that bent over rows work the muscles in the upper and middle back. That’s true! When you row in a bent-over position, the largest muscle in your back, the latissimus dorsi, does the bulk of the work, but other muscles in your back including the rhomboids, teres major and minor and the smaller, supportive muscles such as the erector spinae and rhomboids activate too. However, this movement recruits all the muscles in the posterior chain, including your glutes and hamstrings. Even the back of your shoulders, biceps, and forearms are called into play. Therefore, you’re working a lot of muscles when you do this exercise.
The Impact of Bent Over Rows on the Back
Bent over rows are an effective exercise for working the posterior chain. However, the exercise puts your back and torso in a precarious position. For one, you’re in a bent-over position and in this position, your torso lacks support. To add insult to injury, when you do the exercise, you move your arms while holding a weight and you do it without torso support. To do the move safely, form is critical! Flexing your back when you lift in this position can lead to a serious back injury.
Why is the risk of injury rate so high? It’s difficult not to use your back and torso to help you get the weight up, especially if you’re using a heavy barbell. What often happens is people arch their back when they row, and this creates a higher risk of a back injury. Rounding the back places pressure on the discs in your back and can leave you with an unpleasant side effect, a herniated disc.
How can you avoid rounding your back? Pull in your core muscles, keep your head up, and hold your chest high, and make sure you’ve developed a baseline level of strength and flexibility. You’ll have a hard time doing this exercise if you have tight hamstrings or haven’t mastered the hip hinge movement. Many people try to turn a hip hinge into a squat. Before doing bent-over rows, learn how to do a proper hip hinge. They shouldn’t be the first or only exercise you do for your upper back as the risk of injuring your back is higher with bent-over rows.
On the plus side, strengthening the muscles in your back can lower your risk of future lower back pain. Plus, you work your entire posterior chain when you row from a bent-over position. The key is to do the exercise without rounding your back and be sure you have the needed hamstring flexibility and the ability to do a hip hinge.
Is There a Safer Alternative?
You can work your upper and middle back along with your biceps and shoulders with less risk doing chest-supported rows. One way is to lie face down on an inclined bench and hang both arms down with a dumbbell in each hand. From this position, row toward your chest. Why is this variation safer? The bench supports your torso and back, so there’s less need to round your back.
Another safe option is to do single-arm rows with a dumbbell and your arm supported on one side. To do this variation, place the hand and knee of the side not holding the dumbbell on a knee-high bench for support. Plant the other foot (on the side holding the dumbbell) firmly on the floor and let your arm hang down while holding the dumbbell. Holding your torso tight, row the dumbbell up toward your torso until it reaches your abdomen. Pause for a second and lower it back down. That’s one repetition. Start by doing 8 to 10 reps. Then switch sides and repeat.
Do You Need to Do Bent Over Rows?
If you’ve built up baseline strength, mastered a hip hinge, and have good hamstring flexibility, the bent-over row might be a safe move for you. But if you’re just starting out or have a history of back pain or back injury, it’s safer to do a chest-supported row or single-arms rows. These exercises work the muscles in your upper and mid-back in a safe and supported manner with less risk of injury.
If you include bent over rows in your routine, master good form first using a lighter weight. The heavier the weight, the easier it is to round your back. Avoid going to muscle failure and don’t advance the weight of the dumbbell too fast. Form is more critical than the amount of weight that you use. Take a selfie video of yourself doing the exercise or have someone critique your form. You may be rounding your back without being aware of it.
The Bottom Line
Bent over rows is an effective exercise for the upper and middle back and it also works the entire posterior chain. However, the unsupported position it places your torso and back in increases the risk of injury. If you can get similar benefits with chest-supported or single-arm rows, you might forgo the bent-over row and focus on these safer alternatives. These row variations will give your back an effective workout with a lower risk of injury.
References:
- com. “7 Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row Variations to Build a Bigger Back”
- American Council on Exercise. “Bent-Over Row”
- American Council on Exercise. “ACE-SPONSORED RESEARCH: What Is the Best Back Exercise?”
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