Practice › Gym › Bent-over row
Bent-over row form check: a live coach on your phone
The bent-over row trains the back and arms. A good one keeps the torso hinged and still, and pulls the elbow past the ribs, without swinging the body to move the weight.
No equipment needed. Practise at home. Just do the rep properly in front of your phone. Bodyweight squats, push-ups and lunges need nothing at all, and you can check the hinge and press patterns with a very light weight or none: the coach judges your movement, not your kit.
What good looks like
- Hinge at the hips until your torso is near 45 degrees to the floor, with a flat back.
- Keep your torso still and pull the weight toward your lower ribs.
- Bring your elbows past your ribs and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Lower under control, without letting the torso move.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Using momentum
Swinging the torso lets you lift more but works the back less. Lighten the weight and keep the torso still.
Standing up during the rep
Keep the hinge angle the same throughout.
A short range
Pull the elbow past the ribs.
What Formanti checks on your bent-over row
The top of every rep, judged the same way. Plus a check that your torso stays still between the two.
- Elbows: 150–186°. arms hang fully straight between reps
- Back angle: 25–70°. the hinge stays the same on the way down
Your pull
The low point of every rep, judged against the guide ranges.
- Elbows: 35–100°. pull the elbow back past your ribs, to the lower chest
- Back angle: 25–70°. hinged over with a flat back, torso held still
What you hear and see when you are off
Pull higher: elbows back past your ribs
The coach says: “Pull higher”
On screen: Pull higher: elbows back past your ribs.
Drill: Chest-supported rows or pause rows: hold the top for 1 second with your torso unchanged.
Hinge over more
The coach says: “Hinge over more”
On screen: Hinge over more.
Drill: Hip hinge against a wall, then hold the hinge for 5 seconds before you start rowing.
Come up a little: torso around 45 degrees
The coach says: “Not so low”
On screen: Come up a little: torso around 45 degrees.
Drill: Hinge drill: hands on your thighs, hips back, torso at 45 degrees, then row from there.
Let your arms hang fully between reps
The coach says: “Full stretch”
On screen: Let your arms hang fully between reps.
Drill: Row with a 1 second pause at the bottom, arms straight.
Keep the same hinge on the way down
The coach says: “Hold the hinge”
On screen: Keep the same hinge on the way down.
Drill: Row with your torso angle held for the entire rep, filming from the side.
Keep your torso still
The coach says: “Torso still”
On screen: Keep your torso still.
Drill: Pause rows: 1 second at the top, lowering for 2 seconds, with your torso angle unchanged.
Drills you can do alone
- Chest-supported row: lie on an incline bench, to remove the momentum and focus on the pull.
- Pause rows: pause for one second at the top of each rep, to check the torso stays still.
- Single-arm dumbbell row with your free hand on a bench, to hold the torso still while the arm works.
How to set up your phone
Phone at hip height, 2 to 3 metres to your side, so your hinged torso and your arm are both in view. Film from the side: back and hip angles cannot be judged head-on. It all runs on your phone and nothing is uploaded.
New: ranges from standard coaching references, not yet checked against real lifters.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop swinging on the bent-over row?
Use a lighter weight, hold the hinge angle, and pause at the top of each rep.
What does the camera check on a row?
The hinge angle, how much the torso moves during the rep, and how far the elbow is pulled.
More lifts to check
Deadlift · Squat · Push-up · Lunge · Overhead press · Romanian deadlift