Pendlay Row

How to do it

1. Load a barbell and set it on the floor.
2. Hinge at the hips until your torso is parallel to the ground, knees slightly bent.
3. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with an overhand grip.
4. Explosively pull the bar to your lower chest.
5. Lower the bar back to the floor under control and pause before the next rep.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

How it compares

Compared with the Seated Cable Row, it loads Lower back / erectors 40 points higher, Forearms 30 points lower, Rear delts 15 points lower. It needs Barbell where the other uses Cable machine. Compared with the Barbell Shrugs, it loads Rear delts 55 points higher, Lats 45 points higher, Biceps 45 points higher.

Other ways to train this

• Seated Cable Row Cable machine
• Barbell Row BarbellIntermediate
• Dumbbell Row Dumbbells
• Machine Row Machines
• T-Bar Row BarbellProfessional
• Chest-Supported Row DumbbellsBench
• Inverted Row Pull-up bar
• Two-Arm Kettlebell Row Kettlebells
• Cable Bent-Over Row Cable machineIntermediate
• Smith Machine Row Smith machine
• Chest-Supported Kettlebell Row KettlebellsBench
• TRX Row Suspension trainer
• Wide-Grip Cable Row Cable machine
• One-Arm Chest-Supported Row DumbbellsBenchIntermediate
• Chest-Supported Smith Row Smith machineBench
• One-Arm Kettlebell Row KettlebellsIntermediate

Other exercises for the Mid-back / traps

• Barbell Shrugs 70% Barbell
• Barbell Rear Delt Row 55% BarbellIntermediate
• Barbell Upright Row 45% BarbellIntermediate
• Sumo Deadlift 40% BarbellProfessional

Exercise illustrations and data by RepDB (repdb.co), used under licence.