High Bar Inverted Row
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Back
- Type
- Strength
The high bar inverted row is a bodyweight horizontal pulling exercise that trains the back, working the lats and mid-back with help from the rear shoulders and biceps. You hang under a fixed high bar with your body straight and pull your chest to the bar, making it a scalable, joint-friendly way to build pulling strength and balance out pressing work.
How to do the High Bar Inverted Row
- 1Set a fixed bar at roughly hip-to-chest height in a squat rack or on a Smith machine, and check that it is locked and stable.
- 2Lie on the floor beneath the bar so it sits directly over your upper chest.
- 3Grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, arms fully extended.
- 4Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your body forms a straight line from heels to shoulders, with only your heels on the floor.
- 5Pull your chest up toward the bar by driving your elbows down and back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- 6Touch your chest to the bar, or get as close as your strength allows, while keeping your hips level.
- 7Lower yourself under control until your arms are fully extended again, keeping tension in your back.
- 8Complete your reps, then set your hips down and release the bar.
Form tips
- Keep your body in one rigid line from heels to head — don't let your hips sag or pike up as you pull.
- Lead the pull with your elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades together to drive the movement from your back, not just your arms.
- Make the exercise harder by elevating your feet, or easier by raising the bar so your torso is more upright.
- Pause briefly at the top with your chest near the bar to build extra mid-back strength and control.
Common mistakes
- Letting your hips sag toward the floor, which breaks the straight-body position and loses core tension.
- Cutting the range short and not pulling your chest close to the bar, which reduces the work done by the back muscles.
- Shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears instead of pulling the shoulder blades down and together, shifting load off the back.
- Jerking or kipping with the hips to swing yourself up, which cheats the rep and removes tension from the target muscles.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the high bar inverted row work?
It mainly works the back — the lats and mid-back muscles — with the rear shoulders and biceps assisting as you pull your chest to the bar.
Is the high bar inverted row good for beginners?
Yes. It's a scalable bodyweight row: raise the bar so your torso is more upright to make it easier, or lower the bar and elevate your feet to make it harder as you get stronger.
How high should the bar be?
Set the bar around hip to chest height. A higher bar leaves your body more upright and the row easier; a lower bar makes your body more horizontal and the row harder.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three to four sets of 8–15 reps works well for most lifters. Adjust the bar height or elevate your feet so the last couple of reps of each set are challenging.
