What Is a Good Barbell Row? Honest Numbers by Bodyweight

A good barbell row for a man is roughly your bodyweight for a controlled set of 5 to 8 reps. About 0.75x bodyweight puts you at novice, 1.1x at intermediate, and 1.5x at advanced.

Heavy rows open up the lats and traps. A tight shirt fights that. → Barbell Heavyweight Tee, cut oversized for a wide back.

Row numbers vary wildly because "barbell row" gets performed a dozen ways: strict from the floor, with body English, Pendlay style, or with 45-degree swinging. The benchmarks below assume a clean rep: flat back, bar touches the torso, no launching it off the hips. Use them as a guide, not a verdict. The same deadlift, bench press, and pull-up standards use the same logic. Every lift in one place: strength standards.

Barbell row standards by bodyweight (men, 5-8 reps)

Approximate working weights for one strict set of 5 to 8 reps, rounded to the nearest 5 lb. These multipliers track common lifter-data strength standards and are meant as ballparks.

Bodyweight	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
140 lb	70 lb	105 lb	155 lb	210 lb	260 lb
160 lb	80 lb	120 lb	175 lb	240 lb	295 lb
180 lb	90 lb	135 lb	200 lb	270 lb	335 lb
200 lb	100 lb	150 lb	220 lb	300 lb	370 lb
220 lb	110 lb	165 lb	240 lb	330 lb	405 lb
240 lb	120 lb	180 lb	265 lb	360 lb	445 lb

What each level looks like

Beginner (about 0.5x): You've been training a few months. You can row a loaded bar without your back rounding. This is where technique work pays off fastest.

Novice (about 0.75x): You row consistently and the weight moves up almost every week. Your upper back is beginning to show.

Intermediate (about 1.1x): A year or two of steady work. You row more than you weigh with control. For most lifters, this is a very respectable place to land.

Advanced (about 1.5x): Years of heavy training. Rows at this level need a strong hinge and a stiff torso, or the weight becomes a deadlift with extra steps.

Elite (about 1.85x): Competitive-lifter territory. Few lifters sustain this with strict form.

What a "good" row depends on

Three variables change your number more than anything else. Torso angle: a more upright torso lets you move more weight; a torso near parallel is harder and more honest. Starting position: dead-stop rows from the floor are harder than rows from the hang. Grip and bar path: an overhand grip works the upper back; an underhand grip brings in more biceps and lats and usually lets you lift more.

If you're comparing yourself to someone else's number, compare the same variation. A 225-lb Pendlay row and a 225-lb loose row are not the same lift.

How to improve your barbell row

Row two to three times per week on a mix of heavy sets (5 to 8 reps) and higher-rep sets (10 to 15). Add small amounts of weight rather than big jumps; our guide on how much weight to add breaks down why progress that feels slow still compounds. Control the lowering. Strap up only if your grip is the limiter, and stop sets when your back starts to round. Pair rows with pull-ups and a heavy hinge to build a back that carries over to everything else.

Rows vs. other lifts

As a rough rule, a strict barbell row lands around 60-80 percent of your bench press and 40-60 percent of your deadlift. If your row is far behind your bench, your back is your weak link, and it will show up in your bench stability and posture. If your row is ahead of your bench, check that you're not cheating the row.

Women's and beginner notes

Women typically row somewhere around 0.5 to 0.85 times bodyweight at the novice to intermediate level, but individual variation is large and form comes first. Start light, film your sets, and build from there.

What to wear for heavy rows

A row loads the lats, traps and rear delts through a full stretch. A fitted or thin tee rides up at the bottom and pulls across the back at the top. A heavyweight tee with a drop shoulder and an oversized body moves with the back instead of against it. The Barbell Heavyweight Tee is cut that way. So is the Varsity Tee. Order your normal size for the oversized hang. Why the cut matters: best heavyweight t-shirt for lifting.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good barbell row weight?

For a man, a good barbell row for reps is roughly 0.75 to 1.1 times bodyweight at the novice to intermediate level, so about 135-200 lb at 180 lb bodyweight. Strict form from the floor with a flat back counts for more than the number.

How much should I be able to barbell row?

Beginners usually row around half their bodyweight, and most lifters training steadily for a year or two can reach roughly bodyweight for a set of five to eight reps with controlled form.

Is rowing your bodyweight good?

Yes. Barbell rowing your bodyweight for reps is a solid intermediate benchmark for most men, and it signals a strong upper back.

Should barbell rows be heavier than bench press?

Not necessarily. Many lifters row 60-80 percent of their bench max with strict form. Heavy, jerky rows can exceed that, but they're mostly momentum.

Barbell row or deadlift: which should be heavier?

The deadlift will almost always be much heavier. A row is typically 40-60 percent of a lifter's deadlift when performed strictly.

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