Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row
This row has you anchor one end of a barbell and pull the loaded end up toward your hip with a single arm, working the middle back as the prime mover with the lats, biceps, traps, and lower back all lending support. The anchored bar travels through a slightly different arc than a dumbbell or a straight bar, which gives your middle back a fresh angle to grow from once the basic bent-over row feels comfortable.
Why it works
Anchoring one end of the bar turns it into a lever that swings in a fixed arc, which is a different demand than a free-hanging dumbbell or a barbell held with both hands. Because only one side of your body is pulling, your obliques and lower back have to resist rotation the entire set just to keep your hips and shoulders square, on top of the middle back, lats, and biceps doing the actual pulling. That extra anti-rotation work is what separates this row from its two-handed relatives, and it's exactly why a controlled, un-rotated torso matters more here than the amount of weight on the bar.
Set up
- Anchor one end of a barbell securely in a landmine attachment or a sturdy corner.
- Load the free end with a weight suited to your strength.
- Stand beside the loaded end and hinge forward at the hips until your torso sits near horizontal.
- Grip the bar just below the collar with one hand, letting your arm hang straight down.
- Brace your core and rest your free hand on your knee or a bench for support.
How to do it
- Pull the end of the bar up toward your hip by driving your elbow back.
- Keep the bar traveling close to your body throughout the pull.
- Squeeze your middle back at the top of the row.
- Lower the bar back down under control to a full arm hang.
- Complete every rep on one side before switching your grip and stance to work the other arm.
Form cues
- Elbow drives back, not out wide.
- Torso locked square, no rotating to help the pull.
- Squeeze the shoulder blade at the top.
- Even tempo on the way up and down.
Breathing: Exhale as you pull the bar toward your hip, inhale as you lower it back down.
Common mistakes
Rotating the torso to help swing the bar up on harder reps.
Fix: Keep both shoulders square to the floor throughout the pull, and brace your core before every rep.
Letting the working shoulder round forward at the bottom of the stretch.
Fix: Keep a slight retraction in your shoulder blade even at the bottom, rather than letting it collapse fully forward.
Loading too much weight and turning the row into a leg-driven heave.
Fix: Drop the weight until the pull comes from your back and arm, not from your legs and hips standing up to help.
Skipping the free-hand support, leaving your lower back to hold the hinge alone.
Fix: Rest your free hand on your knee or a bench so your lower back shares the workload of holding the position.
How to program it
- Since only one arm loads at a time, the total weight per side is naturally lower than a two-hand barbell row, so most people can handle this twice across a training week without it eating into recovery.
- Run it for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side, finishing every rep on one arm before switching to the other.
- It fits well as a secondary row after a heavier bilateral pull, adding extra middle-back volume from a slightly different angle.
- Increase the load only once you can complete every rep on both sides with a square, un-rotated torso.
Safety notes
- Keep your torso square through the pull; twisting to move more weight is how the lower back ends up absorbing load it wasn't braced for.
- Anchor the bar securely before loading it; a landmine attachment or a solid, stable corner keeps the end from sliding as you pull.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Pull
- Mechanics
- Compound
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
What does the 'long bar' mean in this row?
It refers to using a full-length barbell anchored at one end, instead of a short handle, which gives you a longer lever and a different pulling angle than a dumbbell row.
Bent-over one-arm long bar row vs one-arm dumbbell row, what's the difference?
The dumbbell version is easier to set up and control right away. The anchored bar row lets you load more weight once your form is solid, since the anchor supports part of the bar's own weight.
How many reps per side should I do?
8 to 10 reps per side for 3 to 4 sets is a solid range for most people building back strength.
Can I row the bar with both hands instead?
Yes, gripping the loaded end with both hands turns it into a two-arm long bar row, which lets you move more total weight at once.
Should I use an overhand or neutral grip?
A neutral, thumbs-up grip on the collar tends to feel easier on the wrist and elbow through the arc, while a straight overhand grip on the bar itself can shift a bit more work onto the forearm and grip. Either works; pick whichever lets your elbow track cleanly back without wrist strain.