What equipment do you need for the t bar chest supported row?

You need t bar to do the t bar chest supported row.

What is a good t bar chest supported row?

For men, a good t bar chest supported row is about a 212.5 lb estimated one-rep max, the Gold (intermediate) standard in Kovo. Beginners start near 90 lb and elite lifters pass 360 lb. For women, the standards run from about 42.5 lb to 210 lb. The tier table above lists every rank from Bronze to Champion.

Back · T Bar

T Bar Chest Supported Row

How to do the t bar chest supported row, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.

Equipment: T Bar
Difficulty: Beginner
Logged as: Weighted reps
Movement: Horizontal Row
Mechanic: Compound

Find more:Back exercises Barbell exercises

How to do it

Set the chest pad on the T-bar row machine and brace your torso against it. Grab the handles and row the weight toward your lower ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Lower with control and keep your chest on the pad throughout.

1Feel your mid-back and lats pulling as you drive your elbows back
2Keep your chest pinned to the pad and squeeze at the top
3Control the lowering phase to keep tension on the back

Common mistakes

Avoid lifting your chest off the pad or jerking the weight
Do not shrug your shoulders toward your ears
Avoid using momentum or bouncing at the bottom

Muscles worked

The t bar chest supported row mainly works the lats and mid traps, with the biceps, forearms, and rear delts assisting.

LatsPrimary
Mid TrapsPrimary
BicepsSupport
ForearmsSupport
Rear DeltsSupport
Lower BackMinor
Upper TrapsMinor
Lower TrapsMinor
Upper AbsMinor

T Bar Chest Supported Row strength standards

See how your t bar chest supported row ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.

Bronzee1RM90 lb
Silvere1RM145 lb
Golde1RM212.5 lb
Platinume1RM282.5 lb
Diamonde1RM325 lb
Champione1RM360 lb

Find your rank

Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.

Weight (lb)Reps

Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.

Kovo programs the t bar chest supported row for you and tracks it every session.

We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.

Get Kovo free Estimate your 1RM

More back exercises

See all back exercises →

Last reviewed April 2026.