The barbell row works the back first, with the biceps and forearms as secondary muscles — and so do the other three horizontal rows in the Zyra Workouts catalog. The barbell bent-over row, the single-arm dumbbell row, the T-bar row and the seated cable row share one muscle list and one target table; what separates them is equipment, support, rest and step. This guide leads with the barbell row and then puts the four side by side.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle group | Counts per working set |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Back | 1 set |
| Secondary | Biceps | 0.5 set |
| Secondary | Forearms | 0.5 set |
Mechanically a row is horizontal shoulder extension (the lats and the muscles between the shoulder blades pull the upper arms back) plus elbow flexion (biceps and forearm flexors bend the arm and hold the bar). In the bent-over version nothing supports the torso, so the muscles along the spine hold the hinge while the arms row — the catalog does not credit that as a separate group, because it has one back group and no core credit on this row. All of this describes the movement; none of it is an EMG measurement.
Setup and execution
- Stand over the bar, hinge at the hips until the torso is somewhere between 45° and nearly parallel to the floor, knees slightly bent. Pick an angle and keep it for the block — a more upright row is a different lift for progression purposes.
- Grip a little wider than the shoulders, palms toward you (overhand). An underhand grip is the same catalog row with the elbows closer to the sides.
- Pull the bar to the lower ribs, elbows travelling back rather than out, then lower under control to straight arms without letting the torso rise.
- Log the bar total, bar included. The plate calculator lays a target load out per side.
Four rows side by side
| Barbell bent-over row | Single-arm dumbbell row | T-bar row | Seated cable row | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment | barbell | dumbbell | machine | cable |
| Category | compound | compound | compound | compound |
| Muscles | back; biceps, forearms | back; biceps, forearms | back; biceps, forearms | back; biceps, forearms |
| Default rest | 150 s | 120 s | 120 s | 120 s |
| Unilateral | no | yes | no | no |
| Torso support | none — you hold the hinge | one hand and knee on a bench | chest pad on most machines | seated, feet braced |
| Load logged as | bar total | per hand | machine load | stack weight |
| Step | 2.5 kg | 2 kg | 2 kg | 2 kg |
| Plate-inventory check | yes | no | no | no |
Two things stand out. First, the count is identical: swap any row for any other and your weekly back, biceps and forearm totals do not move. Second, the barbell row is the only one where holding the position is part of the work, which is why it gets the longest default rest of the four. The single-arm row's unilateral flag means the L/R toggle splits each set into a left row and a right row with their own weight, reps and RIR — and each row counts as a working set, so three per side is six counted sets.
Rep and RIR targets by goal
All four rows are compound.
| Goal | Reps | RIR | Rep ceiling | Sets (beginner / intermediate / advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 2 | 6 | 3 / 4 / 5 |
| Hypertrophy | 6–10 | 2 | 10 | 2 / 3 / 4 |
| General fitness | 8–12 | 2 | 12 | 2 / 3 / 4 |
RIR is reps in reserve — how many more reps were left when the set stopped. @RIR 2 means the set ended two reps short of failure. The rep ceiling is the engine's "expected max": the midpoint of the range plus the RIR target, round((repMin + repMax) / 2) + rir. Beat the ceiling and the load steps up next time.
How progression steps on this exercise
The barbell row steps 2 × 1.25 = 2.5 kg with the default plates; the other three step 2 kg. On the hypertrophy target (6–10 @RIR 2, ceiling 10):
| Row | Last set | Next session |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bent-over row | 70 kg × 11 | 72.5 kg × 6 — progress |
| Single-arm dumbbell row (one side) | 30 kg × 11 | 32 kg × 6 — progress |
| Seated cable row | 60 kg × 5 | 58 kg × 6 — back-off |
In plain terms: one rule, four steps. For the barbell row the wand also checks that the recommended load can be built from your plates; the other three are assumed adjustable. The barbell row 1RM page estimates a single-rep max from any logged set.
Alternatives
Ranked for the barbell bent-over row (same primary — back; +4 loadable, +2 same category, +1 same equipment, then name):
| Rank | Alternative | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conventional deadlift | compound, barbell — 7 |
| 2 | Barbell Romanian deadlift | compound, barbell — 7 |
| 3 | Chin-up | compound, bodyweight — 6 |
| 4 | Lat pulldown | compound, cable — 6 |
This list is worth reading honestly. The catalog files the deadlift and the barbell Romanian deadlift under back, so the substitution rule — which scores equipment and category, not movement pattern — puts two hinges ahead of every other row. The single-arm dumbbell row, T-bar row and seated cable row all score 6 and sit at ranks 6–8 on name order, behind the pull-up. If you want a row for a row, pick one of those three; the back count is the same either way.
The short version
Back first, biceps and forearms at 0.5 each, for all four rows. Barbell: 150 s rest, 2.5 kg step, you hold the hinge. Dumbbell: unilateral, L and R rows each counted. T-bar and cable: supported, 2 kg steps. The app's top swaps for the barbell row are hinges because the catalog files them under back — the other rows are one scroll further down. Zyra Workouts is a training log, and this page is a guide to one movement in its catalog. Educational overview only — not medical advice.