Chest Supported T Bar Row Machine

Lean into the chest pad, grip the handles, and keep your lower back straight while securing your upper body. The chest support means you do not need to rock your torso, so set up to pull with your back from the very first rep.

Drive your elbows back and bring the handles toward your body. Your elbows should move before your hands, and your chest should stay against the pad so your mid-back and lats contract together.

Briefly squeeze your back at the hardest point, then slowly straighten your arms as you return. Control the return so your shoulders do not suddenly round forward and you keep the full range of motion.

Pull as if your mid-back is sending your elbows behind you. You are on target when your elbows move behind your torso and you feel the area around your shoulder blades draw together.

Shrugging as you pull or rocking your upper body for momentum makes your neck and lower back fatigue first. If you speed through the lowering phase, it becomes a half rep, so give the return the same attention.

Exhale as you pull and inhale as you return. Keeping your breathing steady smooths out your reps and makes the pause more stable.

Practice plenty of reps with a light weight first, then add load once you have learned where the effort should go.