The Barbell Narrow Row targets the upper back and biceps, enhancing strength and muscle definition.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with a narrow grip.
  2. Bend at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight and chest up.
  3. Pull the barbell towards your lower rib cage, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Lower the barbell back to the starting position with control.

How to perform the Barbell Narrow Row

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Narrow Row using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your forearms.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your forearms rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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