Row - Close Grip

Recommendations: 2-3 Sets, 8-12 Reps, 80 Wght

Intermediate Traps Lats Triceps Posterior Delts Strength Barbell Pull Compound Gym

Purpose: This is a good exercise for increasing strength and size in the upper back.

Benefits: This exercise is a strong, effective free weight back exercise for building muscle mass and size of the lats.

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold a barbell with weights only at the front end and bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Hold the barbell just behind the weights with both hands. Let the bar hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats. This is the starting position. Lift the weight straight up toward your chest. Your elbows should flare out to the sides (not forward or back). Hold for a second at the top, feeling the lift from the lats and the traps (not the shoulders and arms) and squeeze the scapula together. Exhale during this movement. Lower the weight slowly to the starting position. Inhale during this movement. Repeat for the required number of repetitions.


There are a number of muscles in the back, although the two major muscles are the lats and traps. The lats pulls the arm back and down towards the spine. The traps pull the shoulder blades back and towards the spine.

Step 1

Bend over, holding the barbell between the legs with the hands just behind the weights.

row-close-grip-step-0

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold a barbell with weights only at the front end and bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Hold the barbell just behind the weights with both hands. Let the bar hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats. This is the starting position.

Step 2

Lift the weight straight up to your chest.

row-close-grip-step-1

Lift the weight straight up toward your chest. Your elbows should flare out to the sides (not forward or back). Hold for a second at the top, feeling the lift from the lats and the traps (not the shoulders and arms) and squeeze the scapula together. Exhale during this movement.

Step 3

Lower the weight slowly to the starting position.

row-close-grip-step-2

Lower the weight slowly to the starting position. Inhale during this movement. Hold a barbell with weights only at the front end and bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Hold the barbell just behind the weights with both hands. Let the bar hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats.