How important are barbell rows?

The barbell row is a fundamental exercise that will pack serious meat onto your back — and it does more than that, too. It also helps bulletproof your shoulders, building the back muscle needed to prevent your shoulders from rolling forward when you stand up, a common issue for lifters who bench press often.

What does the barbell row work?

As for muscles worked, barbell rows mainly work your lats and your biceps, as well as your rear delt (the back of the shoulder) and upper back muscles (the muscles around your spine at the base of your neck). It also works the hamstrings and your core (you have to stabilise yourself, after all).

What’s better barbell row or T-Bar row?

The t-bar row is an exercise that can increase the depth and thickness of the back. This is due to the close neutral hand position and ability to leverage more weight. The barbell row is an exercise that can increase the width of the back. Additionally, the barbell row has direct carry over to the bench press.

Where should you feel barbell rows?

The barbell bent-over row works the whole back. But the main muscles activated will be the latissimus dorsi (lats), the traps (both middle and lower), and the rear deltoids. If you execute the bent-over barbell row with proper form, you should mainly feel these areas of your back working as you pull the weight.

Why are rows so important?

Rows primarily work and strengthen the the rhomboids, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi. Because they’re large, compound exercises that move not only the shoulder joints but also the elbows, rows also train the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis to help sculpt and strengthen your arms — no curlsrequired.

What do rows help with?

The dumbbell row targets the back, grip muscles, and arms. Those muscle groups are responsible for assisting in movements like squats, deadlifts, bench pressing, and maintaining positional strength in Olympic lifts.