Pendlay Row
Bar to the chest, torso stays parallel. The Pendlay row resets the bar on the floor between every rep, so each pull starts from a dead stop with nothing stored up to cheat with. Row explosively to the lower chest. Letting the torso rise to help is the fault, and holding that hinge under load is why it is not a beginner row.
Setup
- Barbell on the floor, hinge to a flat back roughly parallel to the ground.
- Hands just outside the knees.
How To Do It
- Row the bar explosively to the lower chest.
- Return the bar all the way to the floor and reset each rep.
- The torso does not rise; the angle stays fixed.
Breathing
Inhale, brace, row on the exhale.
Common Mistakes
- Letting the torso rise to help the bar up.
- Touch-and-go reps. Each rep starts dead on the floor.
Programming It
Three to five sets of 3-6, resetting on the floor each rep.
Why This Exercise Works
Every rep starts dead on the floor, so there is no bounce, no stretch reflex, and no cheating with a rising torso. You get a pure concentric row from a fixed position, which is why the weights are lower and the mid-back works harder than it does in a touch-and-go row.
Where You Should Feel It
Lats and mid-back exploding from a dead stop, with the torso parallel throughout. Resetting on the floor each rep removes all momentum, which is why it feels much harder than a regular row.
Where It Fits in a Program
The dead-stop row. Every rep starts from the floor, building explosive back power with zero cheating. Build the day around it rather than fitting it in wherever there is a gap.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the pendlay row: add a plate while the torso stays parallel. To regress it: raise the bar onto small blocks, or switch to a chest-supported row.
Who It's For
Anyone who wants back strength without any cheating. It demands a strong hinge hold, so it is not a beginner row.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: a barbell. Without a barbell, load the same pattern with dumbbells or a machine from the list below and accept a smaller top-end number.
Related Exercises
- Seal Row · Back, Rear Delts
- Barbell Row · Back, Lats, Rear Delts
- Landmine Row · Back, Lats
- Renegade Row · Back, Core, Shoulders
- Chest-Supported Row · Back, Lats, Rear Delts
- Kettlebell Row · Back, Lats, Biceps
- Band Row · Back, Lats, Biceps
- One-Arm Dumbbell Row · Back, Lats, Biceps
Common Questions
What muscles does the pendlay row work?
The pendlay row primarily trains the back, lats, rear delts.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three to five sets of 3-6, resetting on the floor each rep.
What are the most common pendlay row mistakes?
Most often: letting the torso rise to help the bar up; touch-and-go reps.
Do I need a barbell to do this?
This version uses a barbell, and it trains the back, lats, rear delts. If there is no bar free, the dumbbell and machine versions below are honest substitutes. The bar mainly buys you load, not a different stimulus.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The pendlay row puts the shoulder and elbow under load through a range many people have lost, so a cranky shoulder usually objects here before anything else does. Pain that pinches at a specific point is worth assessing; ordinary training discomfort is not. Not medical advice.