Pendlay Row
Hover a highlighted muscle
PrimarySecondaryTertiary
Muscles worked
Upper BackPrimary · 100%
Lower BackSecondary · 40%
TrapsSecondary · 40%
Equipment
Barbell
How to log the weight
Total bar weight
Log the total bar weight including the bar itself — an Olympic bar is 20 kg empty.
Recovery window
~72h for the primary movers
Upper Back~72h
Lower Back~72h
Traps~54h
Programming notes
Pendlay Row is driven by the upper back, with lower back and traps assisting. Give the primary movers roughly 72 hours before loading them hard again. In the same session it pairs cleanly with Barbell Bench Press, whose primary movers don't overlap with anything this exercise works.