Barbell Rows

Description

Bend forward at the waist until your upper body is roughly parallel to the floor, knees slightly bent. Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width. Pull the bar up to your lower chest/upper abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top, then lower under control. This is the primary back thickness exercise. Arnold emphasizes pulling the bar into the body rather than just lifting it, and squeezing at the top for maximum contraction of the back muscles.