Pendlay Row
Activation
Muscles worked
Movement
Horizontal Pull
Advanced · Free Weights
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Movement pattern
Equipment category
How to perform
- 1
Set up
Barbell on the floor, hinge to a flat back roughly parallel to the ground, grip just outside the knees.
- 2
Execute the movement
Explosively row the bar to the lower chest from a dead stop, then set it back down each rep. The strict reset builds a powerful, honest row.
Common mistakes
- Torso rising through the pull
- Rounding the lower back
- Not resetting on the floor
Make it harder
Make it easier
Substitutions
If a machine is busy or unavailable, these train the same pattern a different way.
Your progress over time
What to expect from training this consistently — everyone progresses at their own pace.
- 1
First few sessions
Learn position and setup: hip hinge, neutral spine, correct grip width and bar placement; develop body awareness for keeping the torso steady and initiating the pull from the lats and scapula.
- 2
Weeks 2–6
Improve technique and timing: consistent dead-stop pulls, better explosive intent off the floor, reduced torso movement, and the ability to hit the bar to the same chest height; modest increases in working weight (5–15%).
- 3
Months 2–4
Noticeable strength and size gains in the upper back and lats, increased ability to handle heavier loads for strict reps, and improved posterior chain coordination that transfers to other pulling movements.
- 4
Months 4–8
Substantial increases in raw horizontal pulling strength and muscle thickness across the upper back and lats, plus improved dead-stop power and durability under heavier loading.
- 5
6+ months
Consistent high-level proficiency: ability to use Pendlay rows as a heavy strength-builder or power-density tool, reliably progress load while maintaining strict resets, and carry over improved posture and pulling capacity to other lifts and athletic tasks.
Benefits of the pendlay row
Develops upper-back thickness and strength by driving a heavy, explosive horizontal pull from a dead stop, stimulating the rhomboids and middle trapezius.
Builds lat strength and width as the lats control the bar path and help pull the weight to the lower chest on each strict rep.
Trains spinal erectors and hip-hinge stability because every rep starts from a dead stop in a braced, bent-over position.
Improves explosive pulling power and bar speed off the floor, which transfers to other compound pulls like deadlifts and clean variations.
Reinforces strict technique and reduces momentum cheating through the reset requirement, helping build honest, repeatable strength.
Enhances upper-body posture and scapular control, which has practical carryover to daily tasks that require pulling and carrying.
Exercises that pair with this
Same muscles or the same movement pattern — useful for building the rest of the session.
Pendlay Row — questions people ask
What muscles does the pendlay row work?
The pendlay row trains the upper back as the primary target, with the lats, biceps, spinal erectors working as support. It is a horizontal pull pattern, so it also trains the coordination that pattern needs.
How many sets and reps of the pendlay row should I do?
For size, three to four sets of 8–12 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest. For strength, three to five sets of 3–6 reps with longer rest. Add a little weight once you hit the top of the range on every set.
Is the pendlay row good for beginners?
Not as a first exercise. The pendlay row is an advanced movement. Use a supported or machine row. It is also form-sensitive, so it is worth having a coach or an experienced lifter watch your first few sessions. If it feels like too much, build the pattern on the machine row first.
What can I do instead of the pendlay row?
Machine Row, Seated Cable Row, Barbell Row all train the same horizontal pull pattern with different equipment, so any of them works when the machine is busy or your gym does not have it.
What are the most common pendlay row mistakes?
Torso rising through the pull; Rounding the lower back; Not resetting on the floor. Explosively row the bar to the lower chest from a dead stop, then set it back down each rep. The strict reset builds a powerful, honest row.
Can I do the pendlay row at home?
It needs free weights equipment, so it belongs in a gym session rather than a home workout unless you own that equipment.