The king of back builders for thickness and power.
Keep your back flat and core tight, don't stand up to lift the bar.
The barbell row builds back thickness by making your entire posterior chain hold a hinge while your lats and mid back drag serious weight to your ribs. The bent-over position means the back muscles work against gravity through the full pull, with the biceps assisting as the elbows drive past your torso. It's the heavy pull that balances out all your pressing, and it rewards strict positions over big numbers.
Near parallel to the floor, as the steps describe. The more upright you drift, the more the row turns into a shrug, so if your torso keeps rising the bar is too heavy.
Overhand just outside your legs is the standard and keeps the elbows tracking wide into the upper back and lats. Underhand brings more biceps and lets some lifters pull heavier, but it punishes sloppy form.
Holding the hinge is often the weak link early on. Brace harder, shorten your sets, and consider resetting the bar on the floor between reps while your trunk strength catches up.
