When it comes to back training, we usually divide the movements into horizontal and vertical pulls. The overhead row is the kingpin of fitness training, but very few people can do it properly! You could say that this ace move looks simple, but few people can use it well, can you?

If you want to maximise your back muscles, then both exercises must be included in your training programme. The vertical pull is mainly about pulling your body up and down, the horizontal stretch involves a little more movement.

The most basic movement in the horizontal pull that everyone should master is the overhead row. The overhead row has two advantages.

It is very easy to achieve progressive overload and is not as difficult as a pull-up; the back muscles involved are very numerous and will even involve the leg muscles.

What is the overhead row?

The dip row is not a specific movement, but a category of movements in which you can use dumbbells, barbells or other tools to flex your hips significantly.

However, when we talk about the overhead row, we usually refer to the classic "Barbell overhead row". This exercise is arguably the mainstay of strength and bodybuilding programs and has been for decades. However, there are other different types of dips such as the pendleton row, dumbbell row, yates row and t-bar dips. The main differences between these movements are the way the bar is held and the type of resistance used.

For the standard barbell row, the distance between the feet will be approximately the same as the hip joint. Then bend at the hips and hold the barbell with both hands, keeping your back straight, pulling the barbell towards your body, then recovering and returning the barbell to the floor.

How do i complete a barbell dip row correctly?

When the barbells are tilted in a row, the movement is divided into three parts.

Initial phase: Body position

Centripetal process: The process of pulling the weight towards the body

Centrifugal phase: The process of lowering the weight

Step 1: Initial phase

The barbell starts on the floor, not on a deep squat rack or other rack.

Walk towards the barbell with your feet slightly narrower than your shoulders and your toes pointing forward or slightly abducted. Then, pull the barbell towards you until it is in line with or slightly behind your shoulders, at which point the barbell sits roughly above your mid-foot. Don't underestimate the importance of barbell position, as with hard pulls, proper barbell position will help you pull up more weight and make your movements more efficient.

Then, move your hips back and bend your knees slightly, which is similar to a hard pull. Unlike a hard pull, during the row your hips should be positioned higher and your knees should be straight so that your back is almost parallel to the ground. Then, hold the barbell squarely in both hands, slightly wider than shoulder width, making sure your shoulders are recessed and contracted, your back is flat, your head is in a neutral position and your eyes are looking at the position in front of your feet.

Step 2: Centripetal process

Pull upwards with your elbows towards the ceiling and as the barbell leaves the floor, continue to pull until the barbell touches the underside of your chest. The trajectory of the barbell should be kept in as straight a line as possible so that you can pull up a greater weight. Also, make sure that your head is in the middle position and your core is tight throughout the process.

Step 3: Centrifugal process

The process of putting the barbell back down is basically the exact opposite of the pulling process. With a degree of control, the barbell is put back down to the floor quickly, the movement does not need to be very slow, the elbow joint is fully extended and then you can start the next repetition.

As for the continuity of the movement, we generally have two methods, the first of which belongs to the pendleton row, where the barbell is placed completely on the floor before each repetition and pulled up after readjusting the position. The second method is to pull up the barbell as soon as it touches the floor, using a little bit of the pull reflex, but not bouncing off the floor with too much force, otherwise it will reduce the stimulation of the back.