Pendlay Row

Muscles Worked

How to Perform

1. 1

   Set up like a deadlift — bar over mid-foot, hip-width stance. Hinge forward until your torso is parallel to the floor.

2. 2

   Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width. The bar starts on the floor every rep.

3. 3

   Row the bar explosively to your lower chest, driving your elbows up and back. Your torso should stay parallel — no heaving.

4. 4

   Lower the bar back to the floor under control. Completely reset between reps.

Common Mistakes

• Using too much momentum and swinging the torso. If you cannot pull the weight without heaving, it is too heavy.

• Shrugging the shoulders up instead of retracting the scapulae back and down. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.

• Not achieving a full range of motion — cutting the pull short at the top or not fully extending at the bottom.

Pro Tips

• Initiate every pull by retracting your shoulder blades first, before bending your arms. This ensures your back does the work instead of your biceps.

• At the top of the movement, squeeze your shoulder blades together like you are pinching a pencil between them. Hold for a full second before lowering.

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