Lever T-bar Row
The chest-supported T-bar row lets you row heavy without worrying about lower-back strain, making it a safer way to build serious back thickness.
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
intermediate
Sets & reps
3-4 sets · 8-12 reps
Muscles worked
Lats, Rhomboids, Mid-traps, Rear delts
A rowing exercise performed on a machine with the torso supported, allowing heavy back-thickness training with less lower-back strain.
How to do it
- Position yourself on the T-bar row machine with your chest supported against the pad.
- Grip the handles with an overhand or neutral grip.
- Pull the handles toward your torso, driving your elbows back.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the pull.
- Extend your arms back out under control.
Coaching tips
- The chest support removes lower-back strain, letting you focus purely on pulling heavy.
- Keep your head in a neutral position rather than craning it up to see the weight.
- Full range of motion — a complete stretch and squeeze — builds more muscle than partial reps.
Common mistakes
- Using a very short range of motion instead of a full stretch and contraction.
- Yanking the weight with the arms instead of driving with the elbows and back.
Frequently asked questions
Why use a chest-supported row instead of a free-weight row?
The chest support removes the need to stabilize your lower back, letting you focus entirely on pulling and often allowing heavier loads with less injury risk.
Start tracking your workouts free
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