Tip: Barbell Row – You're Doing It Wrong

What NOT To Do:

The first example shows chicken-wing elbows and a bar path that does little to work the lats. The upper back, traps, and biceps are doing all the work, minimizing the effectiveness of the exercise while putting a TON of shearing force on the anterior portion of the shoulders.

What To Do:

This is more like it. Angling the torso closer to 45-degrees instead of chest to floor. Moving the bar along the thighs, up and back into the hip pocket. Lead with the elbows and the arms and end with them flush on the side of the body. This maximizes the work the lats do and mitigates any excessive force on the front of the shoulders and biceps tendons. This is how you build thick, powerful lats.