Skip to content
ascend.
Exercise guide

Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows

How to do the Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

CompoundBarbellIntermediatePull
Primary muscles

Mid Back

Secondary

Biceps, Lats, Shoulders

Equipment

Barbell

Step by step

How to do the Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows

  1. 1

    Stand erect while holding a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up).

  2. 2

    Bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.

  3. 3

    While keeping the torso stationary, lift the barbell as you breathe out, keeping the elbows close to the body and not doing any force with the forearm other than holding the weights. On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.

  4. 4

    Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.

  5. 5

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your mid back volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More mid back exercises

FAQ

Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows: common questions

What muscles does the Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows work?

The Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows primarily works the Mid Back. It also recruits the Biceps, Lats and Shoulders as supporting muscles.

Is the Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows suitable for beginners?

The Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows is an intermediate-level exercise. It's best once you've built a base of general strength and movement control, beginners can work up to it.

What equipment do I need for the Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows?

To do the Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows you'll need a barbell.

Is the Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows a compound or isolation exercise?

The Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows is a compound exercise, it moves multiple joints and works several muscle groups at once, which makes it efficient for building overall strength.

How do I do the Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows with correct form?

Stand erect while holding a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up). Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.

Try the climb

Log your Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows sets, free.

Waitlist members get TestFlight + Play Store internal-track invites and a founder badge on their profile.

Free to join · No card · Founder badge kept
Ascend Club

The app is free. Club adds the coach, leagues and analytics.

Core tracking stays free forever, the climb, streaks, logging and your league tiers. Club is for when you want the full coach, worldwide competition and the depth, at about the price of one coffee a month.

See Club plans

14-day free trial · no card to start

 FreeClub
Tracking, the climb and streaks
Per-set logging, PR detection, wearables
Muscle-league tiers
The AI coachnudgesFull conversation
Worldwide leagues and challenges,
PR projections and deep analytics,
Unlimited crews,
Themes, export and higher AI limits,