T-bar row: how to do it
Main muscles: Latissimus dorsi (lats), Rhomboids, Middle traps. Helpers: Rear delts (posterior deltoid), Biceps, Erector spinae (lower back). Below: step-by-step form, common mistakes, a muscle map, reps and rest, and what to swap it for.
Equipment
Barbell
Reps
8–12
Rest
105 s
Muscle group
Back
How to do it
- Hinge to about 45°, chest against the pad if there is one, knees soft.
- Pull the handle to the lower chest, elbows along the torso.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades at the top, lower to a stretch.
Common mistakes
Jerking the torso up, rounded back, too much weight.
Muscles worked
primary·secondary
- Primary
- Latissimus dorsi (lats), Rhomboids, Middle traps
- Secondary
- Rear delts (posterior deltoid), Biceps, Erector spinae (lower back)
A secondary muscle gets roughly half the stimulus of a set — that is also how the log’s stats count it.
Alternatives: similar exercises
Barbell row
Barbell · Latissimus dorsi (lats), Rhomboids, Middle traps
Seated machine row
Machine · Latissimus dorsi (lats), Rhomboids, Middle traps
Seated cable row
Cable · Rhomboids, Middle traps
One-arm dumbbell row
Dumbbells · Latissimus dorsi (lats), Teres major, Rhomboids
Reverse pec deck
Machine · Rear delts (posterior deltoid), Rhomboids, Middle traps
Face pull
Cable · Rear delts (posterior deltoid), Infraspinatus, Middle traps
Log your sets — the app suggests the next weight
GymAssist tracks the load on each of 40 muscles, paints it on a body map and uses double progression to tell you when to add weight.
Free forever for the first 500