The horizontal row is a challenging back exercise that uses nothing other than your own bodyweight for resistance. When doing this exercise, be sure to use either a barbell or thick wood doweling. The last thing you want to happen is for your bar to bend or break in the middle of a repetition.
The Set-Up
- Position yourself so the bar is directly above the middle part of your chest.
- Place your hands wider than shoulder width apart, with your palms facing your feet and your heels on top of the exercise ball.
Performing The Movement
- Lift your body of the floor so that your hips form a straight line with your knees.
- Pull your body up to the bar.
- To prevent stress on the elbows, your forearms should be vertical in the top position; that is your wrists should be directly over the elbows.
- Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position, breathing in as you go.
- When you hit the bottom position, keep your body up off the ground, exhale as you pull yourself up again.
Performance Tips
- Another variation of the horizontal row has you performing the movement with your palms facing back towards your head (supinated). This hand position puts more emphasis on the biceps so you get a great arm workout at the same time as working your back. As with the palms down position, keep your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
