Barbell exercise

Pendlay Row (Barbell) form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The Pendlay row is a strict barbell row in which every repetition starts and ends with the bar dead on the floor, targeting the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, spinal erectors, and posterior chain. Strength athletes use it to build explosive pulling power for the deadlift and clean, because the dead-stop start removes stretch reflex and forces maximal force production from a static position.

Pendlay Row (Barbell) illustration

How to do Pendlay Row (Barbell)

  1. 1Stand over the bar with a hip-width stance, hinge until your torso is parallel to the floor, and grip the bar just outside your knees.
  2. 2Set a flat back, take a deep breath, and brace your core hard before the bar leaves the floor.
  3. 3Explosively pull the bar to your lower chest, driving the elbows up and back while your torso stays parallel.
  4. 4Avoid standing up or heaving with the hips to move the weight; the torso angle should not change.
  5. 5Return the bar to a complete dead stop on the floor, reset your position and breath, then pull the next rep.

Related exercises

Active Hang

Back · Duration

Back Extension

Back · Reps Only

Band Pull-Apart

Back · Reps Only

Banded Face Pull

Back · Reps Only

Track Pendlay Row (Barbell) in Plates

Save this movement to a workout template, log sets and rest periods, and keep your training history in one focused gym tracker.