Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows
A bent-over barbell row done standing on the end of a flat bench, pulling the bar to the mid torso.
How to do it
- Stand with both feet together on the short end of a flat bench, facing the long axis.
- Hinge forward with a long spine and take an overhand grip on a barbell hanging below the shoulders.
- Keep the knees soft and the chest facing the floor.
- Drive the elbows back and row the bar to the upper abdomen or lower ribs.
- Lower the bar until the arms are straight, without standing up.
- Repeat, keeping the feet and bench still.
Key technique cue
Feet together on the bench end, stay hinged: bar to the belly.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Standing up out of the hinge as the bar comes in.
- ✕ Pulling the bar too high toward the chest with a shrug, so the traps work instead of the mid back.
- ✕ Rounding the low back instead of keeping a long spine.
- ✕ Letting the feet split off the bench end so the setup becomes a floor row.
Benefits
- ✓ Rows the mid back with a barbell; standing on the bench lengthens the bottom range so the plates stay off the floor.
- ✓ Standing on the bench end demands a stable torso and leaves no room to widen the stance.
- ✓ Uses the same pull as a floor bent-over row, so it slots into existing back programs.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 -
Step 3 You are here - Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows
- Barbell Bent Over Row
- Kettlebell Gorilla Row
- Pendlay Row
- Underhand Barbell Row
- Yates Row
About the exercise
This is a bent-over barbell row with both feet on the short end of a flat bench, so the bar has more room to hang. The basic pattern is the same: hinge, row the bar to the belly, then lower. The lats, traps, and rear delts do the main work, with the biceps and lower back helping. It is a bench-elevated mid row, useful alongside the floor bent-over row.
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