Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Cambered Bar Lying Row: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The cambered bar lying row is a strength exercise targeting the upper back. It is performed by lying face down on a bench and pulling a barbell towards the chest, emphasizing scapular retraction and upper back engagement.

Primary muscles
Traps
Secondary muscles
Biceps , Forearms
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the cambered bar lying row
Front view: muscles worked by the cambered bar lying row. Primary: traps. Secondary: biceps and forearms.
Back view: muscles worked by the cambered bar lying row. Primary: traps. Secondary: biceps and forearms.
Primary Secondary

How to do the cambered bar lying row

  1. Step 1: Set up a barbell on the floor and lie face down on a bench with your chest just off the edge.
  2. Step 2: Reach down and grab the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: With your legs straight and feet on the ground, lift the barbell off the floor by extending your arms.
  4. Step 4: Pull the barbell towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Step 5: Lower the barbell back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the cambered bar lying row by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Cambered Bar Lying Row alternatives

More exercises that train the traps as their main target:

More traps exercises

See the best trap exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.