When it comes to doing Barbell bent Over Rows without low back pain it comes down to 2 things.
- The Position Of The Body
- Controlling The Transitions
The Position Of The Body
When it comes to the position of the body we tend to do the row at the cost of the low back absorbing the load.
What you want are the hips and hamstrings to take the load while performing the row.
You want the hips and hamstrings taking the load so that you can focus on the muscles you’re trying to activate with each rep (mid to upper back).
Controlling The Transitions
There are a few main transitions that you have to be mindful of when doing the barbell row.
The first transition is with the load from standing straight up to being bent over.
The second transition is starting the actual row towards your lower rib zone.
The third transition is at the bottom where you go from the eccentric portion of the exercise and switch to the pulling or concentric portion.
These all include micro-movements that for someone with a sensitive low back could really mess them up.
Focusing on control and slow movements during these transitions is critical.
I break them down even more in today’s video along with some cool alternatives if you’re dealing with pain.