T-bar row - features and technique of performing it in an inclined position and in support on the simulator. Bent-over T-bar row

10.10.202327.05.2017

The T-bar row is a basic back exercise. It allows you to work your latissimus muscles and get excellent posture, a wide back and variety in your workouts. Deadlifts can be done by securing a regular bar in a special way, or in a machine, which is available in some gyms. The movement is rarely the first in a back strength workout, but some bodybuilders prefer this deadlift because they feel better about their back doing it. The technique of exercising with a regular bar and in a simulator differs. There are also different models of exercise machines - where the athlete stands with his feet resting on the supports, or lies with his stomach resting on a special pillow, and his legs touch the supports.

Preparation

To begin with, you need to take the starting position so that your palms and shoulders are in the same plane. You can pull it a little narrower, but you usually shouldn’t pull it wider. Wider placement of the arms with the elbows behind the back shifts the load vector to the posterior bundles of the deltoid muscles. If the rear delts are lagging behind and the goal is to really load them along with the rhomboids and lats, you can use a wider stance. If isolated work on the back muscles is necessary, the load is shifted to the lats, accurately performing a grip in the “palms-shoulders” projection.

If the simulator is a machine with a vertical position, you need to rest your feet on the pedals and make a simple forward bend, grabbing the handles with your hands. Next, you need to perform a slight extension of the body and slightly rise up. Then the angle will be optimal for performing the exercise.

Movement

By tightening the shoulder blades towards each other, a start is made and the back muscles contract;
Hands smoothly move the handle of the exercise machine towards the stomach;
At the top, a peak contraction of the muscles occurs, they are extremely tense;
Then the handle of the simulator must be smoothly lowered down;
Perform the required number of repetitions, trying not to release the load and not overextend the body, so as not to help yourself by straightening your back

The elbows in this exercise work much like in a bent-over barbell row, that is, they move back to the midline of the body or a little further.

Pulling with your back will be a little easier if you do not unconsciously take the starting position that many athletes choose in the deadlift, that is, do not pull by lifting the chest and head. Try to keep the top of your head in the same plane as your spine, and do not straighten your knees during the exercise.

You should not do:

Too much rounding of the back in the thoracic and lumbar regions. Some athletes find it easier to perform a deadlift if they lean forward more and round their back more. As a rule, such athletes perform classic deadlifts with rounding in the thoracic region. In powerlifting this is not considered a technical error, while in bodybuilding it is not recommended, as it can remove the load from the back muscles and transfer it to the trapezius muscles;
Biceps work. If an athlete begins the movement by contracting the biceps, he can primarily load only it, and not work the back muscles at all. In this case, the load is shifted to the biceps and forearm, and the target muscles do not work. Of course, there is a certain “fine-tuning” of the back, but it cannot be considered a sufficient load for a full workout;
Exercise using extreme and sub-limit weights. This approach not only allows you to get an overload, but also does not work the muscles, but can cause injury to the ligamentous apparatus.

Many trainers recommend increasing the amplitude by deeply tilting the body forward, and in this way increasing the load on the latissimus dorsi muscles. This will help work on the muscle group that should be the main one in the exercise, but will not be suitable for people with low mobility in the hip joints;

The bar along the trajectory of movement must be moved smoothly, not jerkily, so that the muscles receive a load, and the ligaments remain in a safe position and are not overstretched;

It is forbidden to “throw” the bar down from the working position

T-bar row with wide arms. Removes the biceps from the trajectory of movement, and involves the latissimus and rear deltoids, and does not allow you to work with your arms. Not recommended for those who have had a tear in the posterior deltoid muscle or a shoulder injury;
Close Grip Row. An option that has earned a popular reputation as a biceps curl. Helps work not only the back muscles, but also the arms, and creates increased amplitude;
Row supported on a machine bench, also known as “lying row”. You need a simulator with a pillow on which you can rest your stomach or part of your chest. Or this movement is performed with support on a regular bench. You need to collect your shoulder blades and pull both halves of your back towards your spine, otherwise the movement is similar to a regular deadlift. The point here is maximum isolation of the back muscles, and traction exclusively with it, and not with your arms;
Option with a regular Olympic bar fixed in a corner, or at a power rack using weights. Next, a handle from the upper block, or a V-shaped handle, is attached to the bar, and the pull is carried out using approximately the same technique as described above. The point is for the bar to be stable and not move left and right along the axis of the spine.

The movement is basic and complex. It involves almost all the muscles of the upper body. The latissimus dorsi muscles, as well as the rhomboids, serve as the main movers. The teres and deltoid muscles help with movement, while the pectoralis muscles help lift the chest and assume an upright position in the exercise.

In addition, the biceps and forearms muscles work, as well as the abs as a stabilizer. All this allows us to consider the exercise complex, involving the whole body in the work.

The most biomechanically similar movement is the bent-over barbell row. The training load is distributed in a similar way, but pulling the T-bar is safer, since the trajectory is set by the simulator. This makes the movement accessible to beginners who find it difficult to work their back with only free weights.

Meanwhile, the trajectory of movement of the T-bar is not as rigid as in a lever or block machine, and therefore allows you to learn how to perform bent-over rows correctly. There is evidence that this simple mechanism recruits more muscles than an isolated pillow-supported row.

The movement allows people with different fitness levels to train, and the load can be varied, making the exercise accessible to both experienced athletes and beginners.

It is more difficult to get injured with this exercise than with a free barbell. Most athletes only complain about grip discomfort, but if significant weights are used, it makes sense to solve the problem with straps.

Contraindications

Typically, contraindications include hernias or injuries of the lumbar back. In principle, the range of contraindications is wider. This traction is also not recommended for hernias in the thoracic region, as it can cause displacement of the vertebrae if performed incorrectly. For those who have injuries or have not completed the rehabilitation period, they recommend rowing dumbbells to the waist while lying face down on a bench, or a similar movement with a barbell or bodybar.

The exercise is performed at an emphatically slow pace. The deadlift is performed by tightening the shoulder blades and tensing the back muscles, contracting the back, and not by jerking with the arms;
Pushing the barbell towards the stomach and throws in order to “accelerate” the projectile are not allowed. It is not recommended to perform a cheating movement, especially when lying down. In this case, the separation of the chest from the simulator cushion and “throwing” the shoulder girdle up can cause injury to the lumbar spine;
If the athlete does not know how to hold the anterior abdominal wall, and “pushes” the weight due to the push of the anterior abdominal wall, he should wear a belt;
It is not recommended to work without wrist straps if the grip is weak and concentration is spent on holding the projectile with your hands;
The exercise should not be performed with a huge weight that the athlete cannot lift without cheating;
Your legs should rest against the machine in a natural position. You should point your toes out to the sides so that your center of gravity does not move forward.

A special simulator can be replaced with a regular bar mounted in a corner, or in a power rack. To begin, put a weight plate on the barbell and place the end of the bar free of the weight plate in the corner so as to secure it in a stable position. You can place a weight plate or dumbbell on top so that the bar is loaded and cannot move. It is convenient to pull by placing the handle for the cable traction machine on the bar.

Otherwise, include this exercise to diversify your training program and take a break from the routine of pulling a barbell to your waist for a while.

It consists of fixing one end of the bar. As a result, there is no need to control the trajectory of the bar and only the back muscles are involved in the work, excluding the work of the stabilizer muscles. There are several simulators for performing the element, allowing you to work from a lying or standing position. In the absence of the latter, you can connect a regular rod to the work.

Execution technique

The technique for performing bent-over t-bar rows is as follows:

We take a barbell and install the required number of weights on one end. We fix the other end of the equipment in a corner or rest it against something solid on the floor. We attach a handle from a horizontal row machine to the bar next to the weights. In the absence of the latter, we take the bar with both hands closer to the pancakes. In this case, we place one hand a little closer to the pancakes, and the other a little further. After each approach, the position of the hands must be changed.
Place the barbell between your legs with your knees slightly bent. We bend over, keeping our back straight with a natural arch in the lower back. We tense the muscles of our legs and abs and take the end of the reef in our hands. We direct our gaze forward.
We pull the barbell towards ourselves, exhaling. The latissimus dorsi muscles should work. We linger at the top point for a few seconds, while bringing our shoulder blades together. The contraction of the back muscles should be felt.
Slowly lower the barbell while inhaling to its original position. At the same time, the muscles relax, the elbows do not fully extend, and the pancakes do not touch the floor.
We do three sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Important! When performing the element, monitor the work of your back muscles. The legs should only accept static load. Control over the trajectory of the elbows is also necessary: they should always be close to the body.

Exercise options

Before you start training, you need to decide on the load, depending on what part of your back you are going to train. In accordance with this, the following variants of the element are distinguished:

Bent-over bar row to chest

This version of the bent-over T-bar row is used when it is necessary to emphasize the load on the upper back. In this case, you just need to stand away from the part of the bar on which the weights are attached. At the same time, try to calculate as accurately as possible the distance at which you should stand, otherwise you risk receiving a careless blow to the head when you jerk the bar sharply.

Bent-over bar row to waist

This type of exercise is used to pump the lower part of the latissimus dorsi muscles. Here you should take a position as close as possible to the edge of the simulator, i.e. to the end of the bar with attached weights.

Grip is also of great importance. The wider it is, the stronger the teres minor and major muscles will work. Parallel and close grips engage the latissimus dorsi muscles more. A reverse grip will allow you to work deeper on the lower part of the latissimus muscles, connecting the biceps to the work.

In order for the exercise to bring the best results and not lead to possible injuries, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

Correct starting position. Particular attention should be paid to the angle of inclination. The smaller it is, the greater the load on the lower lats. As the angle of inclination approaches straight, the upper back will be worked out more strongly. Whatever angle of inclination you choose, you must keep your back straight with a natural arch in the spine.
Choice of weights. Don't overload yourself: start with light weights and gradually increase the load. For heavy weights, you can use an athletic belt. But remember that it makes it difficult to keep your back straight and prevents proper breathing. Choose plates with a smaller diameter: large plates interfere with your grip and reduce the range of motion.
Control over technology. Make sure that while performing the element, you work your back, not your biceps. Watch your elbows and the position of your back: the first should always be closer to the body, and the second should remain straight at each point in the execution of the element.
Pace. Choose the most comfortable pace for the exercise. Avoid jerking, all movements should be smooth: slowly lower the bar and quickly raise it.

Conclusion

Bent-over bar rows are a very popular exercise among athletes. It does not require serious physical training or complex equipment, and is simply ideal for pumping up the back. Take weights that are comfortable for you and start training: the result will not take long to arrive!

Article last updated: 08/30/2014

Good day everyone! In that article, we will look at such a wonderful basic exercise for the back muscles as the T-bar row. This exercise is very effective and allows you to achieve good results when performed correctly. It is excellent for promoting hypertrophy of back muscle fibers.

Muscles involved: the latissimus muscle area, trapezius, biceps, brachialis, and wrist flexor muscles.

This exercise quite effectively increases the width of the back muscles. Of course, to increase the width of your back, bent over rows are more suitable. If you take these two exercises, in my opinion, the T-bar row is much easier to perform than. This simplicity is due to the fact that in our exercise the apparatus is fixed, while the barbell can move in different directions, at different angles, and we have to hold it at the correct angle throughout the entire exercise. This makes the task very difficult, and the weight that can be put on the barbell is significantly less than the weight that we can put on the T-bar.

By and large, the T-bar row is aimed at working the latissimus muscles, namely the inner part. This allows you to focus on the thickness and massiveness of the back muscles. Also, this exercise develops muscle strength well.

As mentioned above, in performing the exercise, in addition to the back, other stabilizer muscles (abs), as well as pulling muscles (biceps), are also involved in the work. To make the T-Bar Row more effective, you need to concentrate as much load on your back as possible. Sometimes an athlete does an exercise incorrectly, distributing the load between the biceps and back incorrectly. In this exercise, the pulling muscle such as the biceps should be almost eliminated from the exercise, that is, the lifter should pull the weight with the back muscles and not the biceps. Remember an exercise like this, the principle is very similar.

There are also two types of simulators for performing this exercise, namely: a simulator with an emphasis and without an emphasis. An exercise machine with an emphasis allows you to maximize the use of your back muscles, as it eliminates the work of many stabilizer muscles, and also helps to keep your torso stationary, allowing you to significantly increase the load on your back. As for the simulator without support, then performing the exercise will be a little more difficult, because you will have to watch your back, keeping it straight and your torso, keeping it motionless.

TECHNIQUES OF PERFORMING THE EXERCISE “T-BAR PULL” ON A BENCH WITH STOP

1. Adjust the emphasis in the simulator to suit your own height so that it is convenient for you to perform the exercise. Your chest should rest against a special support.

2. Stand on the foot platform, lean your chest against the support, and grab the handle with your hands. The handles can be for a direct or neutral grip, each of which loads one or another part of the back. A neutral grip loads the lower back, a straight grip loads the upper back.

3. Remove the bar from the racks and hold it with outstretched arms. The back is straight.

4. When the starting position is accepted, hold your breath and raise the bar. Remember that the pulling muscles are the back muscles, not the biceps. At the peak, exhale, then slowly return the bar to its original position. At the lowest point, you cannot lower your arms completely, you need to keep the back muscles stretched, make a slight bend in your elbow joints and do not straighten them completely.

5. Complete the required number of repetitions.

TECHNIQUES OF PERFORMING THE EXERCISE “T-BAR PULL” ON A BENCH WITHOUT SUPPORT

1. Take the starting position. We stand in the exercise machine with our feet on the platform. To keep your back straight and make a slight arch in the lower back, you need to move your buttocks back, your back is straight, your legs should be bent at the knees. If the athlete's back is rounded, the back muscles will not be able to fully contract during the exercise.

2. Take the handle with your hands, take a deep breath, hold your breath, and pull the bar towards your chest. At the top point we exhale. While lowering the T-bar, we exhale, then, repeating the movement towards the chest, we inhale.

3. The required number of repetitions should be performed.

TIPS FOR PERFORMING T-Bar Rows

1. While moving to the peak point, do not lean back, this will be cheating, and the back muscles will not receive the necessary load.

2. If you have weak forearms, you can use special straps to hold the bar. To ensure that such a need does not arise, you should:

3. To increase the amplitude, in some simulators you need to use plates with a smaller diameter.

4. If you cannot perform the exercise without cheating for at least 8-10 repetitions, you should reduce the weight, since the one you are using is too heavy.

The T-bar row was, is and remains the best exercise for the middle of the back. True, not every sports club can do it. Shiny chrome exercise machines and free weight machines are gradually replacing the T-bar from fitness rooms as old and not the most popular equipment. But new is not always better than old, and pumping up your back on modern machines is no easier than with a barbell. Therefore, if the goal is to acquire a powerful back, you need to perform a bent-over t-row. But I’ll tell you how to do it correctly and with maximum efficiency. The most interesting things about training and sports nutrition on our telegram channel

And then, in order to simultaneously make the back thicker, more massive, work out its middle and, most importantly, load the deep areas of the back that cannot be worked out with other exercises. and - these are really great basic back exercises, but they cannot replace the T-bar row.

As a result of this exercise, the back becomes more developed and detailed. In addition, the bent-over T-bar row has three more important advantages:

Posture improves, strength and endurance of the back and lumbar extensor muscles increases.
A neutral grip (hands facing each other) is safer for the elbow joints and makes it easier to hold a heavy barbell.
This is one of the more challenging exercises performed with free weights, so it is highly stimulating.

The T-bar row is considered an isolation exercise for the middle back, but is essentially a basic exercise. It affects large muscle groups and provides a high anabolic effect.

Conclusion: T-bar row is one of the most effective exercises for the back. With its help, you can simultaneously pump up your back, improve its detail and accelerate weight gain throughout the body.

T-bar row, what muscles work?

When performing a T-bar row, the muscles of almost the entire body work, from bottom to top:

Lat
Trapeze
Diamond-shaped
Big round
Rear delts
Back extensors
Psoas muscles
Neck muscles
Biceps
Forearms
Quadriceps
Press

Note: when they talk about the middle of the back, they mean . When performing this exercise, they receive a very strong targeted load. Many professionals do not perform trapezoid exercises at all, pumping them up with T-bar rows. No other movement puts as much stress on these areas of the back.

Conclusion: During the bent-over t-bar row, many muscles work, from the neck to the legs. But the main load goes to the latissimus and posterior trapezius.

T-bar row technique

This exercise is not easy, and, perhaps, one of the most difficult, since it requires compliance with a number of rules. The technique for doing it is as follows:

STEP 1. We position ourselves so that the t-bar is exactly between our legs. Legs stand wide and stable. We slightly bend them at the knees, grab the bar, bend forward, and at the same time move the pelvis back and down. We make a slight bend in the lower back, keeping our head in line with our back. We tighten our abs. This is the starting position.
STEP 2. Inhale, relax your arms and pull the barbell to your lower abdomen using the efforts of your back muscles. At the top point we make a distinct pause for 1-2 seconds, while strongly bringing our shoulder blades together and straining our back. A little slower than we raised it, lower the t-bar down, additionally stretching the lats at the bottom point.

T-bar row with a narrow grip. Option 1

The technique described is an ideal implementation. The safest, and least effective for gaining weight in the back and entire body. But, in fact, with a stationary body, rarely anyone performs this exercise; everyone actively uses it.

T-pull technique. Option 2

This version of the T-bar row allows you to use a much larger working weight, but significantly increases the risk of injury to the lumbosacral region. As science says, with this style of execution, the load directly on the lats is reduced, because they simply do not have time to get involved in the work. But the lower back works hard.

The solution may be a symbiosis of two versions of the exercise. That is, with the help of the efforts of the legs, the barbell can be thrown up, but there it is necessary to hold it and lower it under control.

Note: As with any other back row, a lot depends on the angle of the body. If you tilt it parallel to the ground, the main load will go to the lats. If you straighten, the muscles of the upper back, especially the trapezius, will be activated.

Conclusion: You can perform bent-over t-rows either with a stationary body or using cheating. Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages.

There are very few of them, only 6, but they really help increase the impact of the exercise:

Tip 1. The use of wrist straps and a weightlifting belt is mandatory. Without them there is nothing to do in this exercise.
Tip 2. The essence of this basic exercise for the back is to bring the shoulder blades together. This is a very important point. Without a distinct pause at the top point, it will not be possible to pump up the middle of the back. Loading the lats and making them thicker is yes, but working the middle is no.
Tip 3. It is better to use the smallest diameter plates on the barbell. This, firstly, will lengthen the trajectory of movement and increase the degree of peak contraction, and secondly, a barbell covered with pancakes will look cooler.
Tip 4. To further stretch the lats at the bottom, you can perform a bent-over t-row from a stand. This can be two weight plates placed on both sides of the bar.
Tip 5. You need to grab the t-bar closer to the pancakes. This makes it easier to maintain balance, and, in addition, the load will go to the lats, and not to the trapezius.
Tip 6. The elbows must be pressed against the body, otherwise the biceps will come into play and begin to steal the load from the back. And since the biceps are weak muscles, they will quickly get tired and will not allow you to pump your lats to the fullest.

Reduction of the shoulder blades is the main condition for effective performance of the T-bar row.

Conclusion: Performing a T-bar deadlift has its own nuances and tricks, and its effectiveness, as a rule, depends on them.

Barbell deadlift or machine t-row, which is better?

By and large, there are only three varieties of this row: the row of one end of the barbell fixed to the floor, the t-row in the simulator (without emphasis) and the row of the t-bar with an emphasis. I am lucky in this regard, because my gym has all three options. When it comes time to do a mid-back exercise, I always choose the classic one - rowing one end of a barbell fixed to the ground.

To do this, you need to tinker - find a free bar, take it to the corner of the hall, snatch the pull handle to your belt, collect a bunch of weights of the same diameter around the hall, assemble it all, then take it apart. But the result is worth it. I am not an enemy of the new; on the contrary, I consciously perform some back exercises in the gym. For example, I exclusively use the gravitron, and I do barbell rows to the belt in.

But in the case of T-bar rows, I always choose the original option. And here's why:

When performing an exercise with a barbell, I stand on the floor. I stand firmly, legs spread wide. The center of gravity of the body is low, therefore I am stronger. The working weight is greater (approximately 25-30%).
In the simulator I have to stand quite high (15 centimeters from the floor). And why they designed it this way is not entirely clear to me. As a result, body stability decreases and working weight decreases.
When doing T-bar rows, at the bottom of the trajectory I rest the weights on the floor. Stands and plates of small diameter allow you to stretch the lats, but do not overload the lower back.
When performing T-bar rows in the machine, against my will, I force these muscles to work much more actively, since I have to hold the barbell on weight throughout the entire approach.

In other words, the t-bar row on the machine is not working for me at all. This is purely my opinion, and if you do not experience such discomfort, do this exercise for yourself as you like.

Conclusion: It’s more convenient to do t-rows in a simulator, but not everyone manages to get the benefit from doing them (that’s true for me).

T-bar row with emphasis

T-bar rows with emphasis, unlike the classic version, can be performed in almost any gym. And although in terms of its biomechanics it completely copies the basic version, it is not a full replacement.

Lying T-bar row is a weak replacement for the basic version of the exercise

It almost does not load large muscle groups (with the exception of the back), the anabolic response from its implementation is much less. At the same time, the T-bar pull with emphasis has its advantages:

Significantly reduces stress on the lower back
Allows you to use different types of grip (neutral, wide, reverse)
Provides a high degree of isolation for the mid-back muscles

Note: Changing the grip helps to target specific areas of the back muscles. T-rows with a narrow grip load the very middle of the back, rows with a wide grip pump up the outer areas of the lats and rear deltoids. And the t-pull is reversed, sending the load to the very bottom of the lats, giving the back a V-shape and a finished look.

Conclusion: The t-bar row with emphasis is a lighter version of the basic exercise, safer, simpler and much less effective.

How to replace the T-bar?

No other back exercise can 100% replace the T-bar row. The only alternatives are:

Bent-over dumbbell rows with both hands (or lying on your stomach on an incline bench)
Lever pull in the simulator while sitting with two hands

All these exercises are for the middle of the back, the first is quite difficult, the second and third are easier. They cope with the task of detailing perfectly, but for gaining muscle mass they are ineffective.

Conclusion: No other exercise can completely replace the T-bar row. This is its main advantage.

Conclusion

Times change, new simulators and machines appear, but the bent-over T-bar row remains an unsurpassed basic exercise for the back. Of course, it all depends on the gym’s arsenal of equipment and your own preferences, but the T-bar row is a case where a dusty classic is better than a sparkling new one. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, there is no alternative to it as an exercise for the middle of the back. May the force be with you. And the mass!

The T-bar row exercise is designed to work the mid-back by squeezing the shoulder blades together, placing the load on that target area.

Thanks to this, the back becomes more massive, its muscles acquire accentuated thickness, become more detailed, and posture also improves.

The T-bar row is a biomechanically stronger position for rowing and provides the opportunity to place greater stress on the mid- and lower-back muscle masses: lats, trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, teres major, and biceps. The abdominal muscles are also stimulated.

However, in order for the T-bar row exercise to have the desired effect, it must be performed (best in front of a mirror), having mastered the correct technique under the guidance of a trainer.

But almost half of the gym goers do it incorrectly and strive to immediately work with maximum weights.

Digression from the topic: don’t know how to pump up your back? - the best basic exercise for training the back muscles.

To protect your back from injury and perform the training program at full strength, a preliminary comprehensive warm-up is necessary to warm up the muscles.

Digression from the topic: if you can’t train in the gym, then the article “” is just for you.

Bent-over T-bar rows are performed on a special machine, but you can simply use a barbell, resting it and securely fixing one end of it in the corner.

In addition, you will need a special handle or straps. The T-bar row on the machine is more convenient to perform as it is fully equipped.

When performing T-bar rows, the grip can be different: wide, medium or narrow, reverse straight and parallel; options can be alternated.

The exercise is performed with bent legs and a body tilt of 70-80 degrees, that is, almost parallel to the floor. A hunchback and insufficient torso tilt will negate the entire effect. You need to keep your back straight, bringing your shoulder blades together as you lift the handle.

When it lowers, the shoulders also lower, and the back slightly hunches. This promotes better contraction and stretching of the back muscles.

The T-bar row to the waist should be performed smoothly, with constant control of the muscles involved. To a certain extent, the effect depends on the grip, although it is chosen arbitrarily, at will.

However, experienced athletes note that with a reverse grip, the elbows are pressed closer to the body, and this contributes to a stronger contraction of the latissimus muscles.

The handle with rotating handles also contributes to this. Thanks to it, in the lower position the hand can be turned with the palms back, and in the upper position with the palms inward, which imitates a similar exercise with dumbbells. As a result, the latissimus muscles become more stretched and contracted.