Barbell Flexion Row

Technique

How to perform Barbell Flexion Row

1. Stand with your feet hip‑ to shoulder‑width apart and grasp a loaded barbell with a pronated (palms‑down) grip slightly wider than shoulder width. Hinge at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, knees soft, and let the bar hang at arm’s length beneath your shoulders.
2. Brace your core, then deliberately round (flex) your entire spine - upper, mid, and lower - while keeping your hip angle fixed. This fully flexed back position is your starting position.
3. Exhale as you row the bar toward your lower rib cage, simultaneously extending your spine into a proud‑chest arch at the top. Focus on driving your elbows back, lifting your sternum, and avoiding any hip movement.
4. Pause briefly when the bar touches or nears your tummy, maintaining the arch and squeezing your spinal erectors.
5. Inhale as you lower the bar under control, reversing the motion by flexing your spine back into the rounded starting position while extending your elbows.
6. Repeat for the prescribed repetitions, ensuring each rep cycles smoothly between full spinal flexion and extension without altering your hip hinge angle.

Programming relevance

Muscles involved

Primary targets: Rhomboid Major, Erector Spinae, Latissimus Dorsi, Posterior Deltoid, Trapezius.