The Barbell Bent Over Rows Supinated Grip is an old school power move with a twist—literally. Turning your grip so your palms are facing up changes the emphasis just a bit lower on the lats, attacks the biceps more, and provides a deeper range of motion. 

Since the supinated grip places your shoulders in a more natural, externally rotated position, it may feel more natural than the standard overhand row. It also helps lifters stay tight and remain active throughout the lift, so it’s a savvy choice for developing muscle and reinforcing good technique.

In addition to a step-by-step breakdown of how to do the supinated barbell row with stellar form, we’ll also show you the muscles worked, explain its biggest benefits, identify the major mistakes you want to avoid and provide some tips and tricks that’ll help you get the most out of every rep.

Barbell Bent Over Rows Supinated Grip: How To

1. Load a barbell on the floor with the appropriate weight for you, then stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees a little bit (you want to keep your back flat with your chest up).
3. Grab the bar with an underhand (supinated) grip, hands just outside your legs, palms facing in front.
4. Allow the bar to hang at arm’s length in front of the legs, with the torso leaning forwards at an angle of about 45 degrees.
5. Brace your core, and pull the bar toward your lower chest or upper abs, keeping your elbows pinned close to your sides.
6. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the finish for a good contraction. Raise the bar back up in a controlled manner to full extension of your arms while maintaining tension in your back.

• Pro Tip: Keep your torso in place (those abs and lats locked) the entire time, and definitely don’t bounce or swing along the way. Concentrate on pulling with your elbows to engage your lats, not just your arms.

Barbell Bent Over Rows Supinated Grip: Benefits

Builds a Thick, Detailed Back

This exercise is a heavy mass builder for middle and lower lats.  Those are the muscles that add true depth and density to your back. The underhand grip also promotes a tighter pull path and deeper contraction.

Increased Bicep and Lat Involvement

The underhand grip places more work on the biceps and lower lats than the overhand grip. That’s more pulling power for you, and a bit of added arm growth as a bonus.

Progressive Overload

Since you are stronger mechanically with the underhand grip, you can usually row more weight with better control. That is great for building strength and muscle over time.

Promotes Better Posture and Core Strength

If one maintains an adequate hinge through the row, they engage their spinal erectors, glutes, and core. This will develop posture integrity and reduce the chance of injury, inside and outside the gym.

Shoulder Mechanics

The reverse grip of the externally rotated shoulder position (palms up) takes pressure off of the joints, therefore making it a stable choice for those with shoulder problems or limited range of motion. It’s a fantastic substitute for overhand rows if you want to look after your joints in the long run.

Barbell Bent Over Rows Supinated Grip: Mistakes to Avoid

Turning It Into a Deadlift: Letting the bar come up with your hips and legs is one of the most common mistakes that turn this lift into a cheat-deadlift. Ensure your lower body doesn’t move here, the pull should come from your upper back — it’s not a hinge or a power pull.

Rounding the Back: Curling your back under load is very bad for your spine and can put you at a high risk of pain or injury. Keep your core braced, push your hips back into a good hinge, and make sure your spine is flat (as in neutral, not rounded or overly extended) from both start to finish.

Shrugging the Weight: Do not shrug the shoulders up – think about pulling the elbows back and squeezing the shoulder blades together.

Using Too Much Weight: If you’re jerking the bar, swinging your body or losing control at the bottom, the weight is too heavy. Check your ego at the door and focus on controlled, high-quality reps that actually work your back muscles.

Flaring the Elbows Out: The supinated grip is most effective by drawing the elbows in, while flaring them wide puts stress on the shoulders, and tension isn’t directed to the lats. Maintain your arms near to your body to remain in that excellent pulling rut.

Expert Training Tips

• Use Straps for Heavy Sets: The heavier the load, the more likely your grip will fail before your back does. You can keep your mind on form and engaging your lats, rather than having your forearms be the limiting factor.
• Change Hand Position Over Time: Muscle emphasis can be altered by small adjustments on hand spacing with a supinated grip. A more narrow grip will hit the mid-back more and a little wider supinated grip will hit the lower lats harder. Don’t be afraid to modify and experiment with what feels best for your body.
• End with High-Rep Burnout Sets: After your heavy work sets, strip the weight down and rep out a light, strict set of 12–15 reps. Supinated rows respond well to both volume and load, but use volume work like this to flood them with more blood and give yourself a great back pump to send you on your way.