Bent Over Barbell Rows

Rows are an important exercise for bowlers. They help strengthen back muscles and the stabilizers in the shoulders. Tightness and overdevelopment of the chest and bicep muscles are common injuries that bowlers experience, and bent over barbell rows help improve imbalance.

Step 1

With the barbell on the floor, utilize your knees to bend down and pick it up with both hands, and then pull the bar up into position with your arms hanging low. Remember to stand up tall with your shoulders pressed away from your ears, including a slight knee bend.

Step 2

Hinge forward until your back is flat. Make sure your core is engaged and everything is supported and stabilized.

Step 3

Pull the bar up next to your sternum and lower it back down to the starting position. When lowering the barbell back down, control it into position. Don’t just drop it.

When your core is engaged and you are doing this exercise properly, you will feel your shoulder blades squeeze together when raising and lowering the barbell.

Some common areas of concern while working on bent over dumbbell rows are:

– Lack of core engagement
– Head position (pick a target in front of you and stare at it throughout)
– Controlling the bar up and down
– Avoiding pulling up with head movement (keep your head straight)

Check out “Upper Back Stretch with a Physio Ball” and “Strengthen Your Core with the Bicycle Exercise” for more ways to help improve your bowling performance.