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Exercise library

Pendlay Row

Back · Horizontal pull

Generic horizontal pull demo. Follow the steps below for this exact exercise.

Horizontal pullCompound

A barbell row from a dead stop on the floor with the torso parallel, which builds explosive pulling strength.

Difficulty
Hard
Tracking
Measured in reps

Muscles worked

BackBicepsCoreShoulders

Equipment

Barbell

How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet and hinge until your torso is parallel to the floor.
  2. Grip the bar just outside your knees with a flat back and your shoulders over the bar.
  3. Brace hard, then pull the bar explosively to your lower ribs without letting your torso rise.
  4. Lower the bar all the way back to the floor and reset your position before the next rep.

Coaching cues

  • Every rep starts from a dead stop, so reset your back position each time.
  • Keep your torso parallel throughout, if it rises you are lifting too heavy.