Back Extension vs Pendlay Row
Maximizing Your Back Workout Plan
Contents
Planfit users log Back Extension more often — 6,073 sessions vs 344. Compare Back form, muscles worked, and when to use each.
Customize Your Back Workout: Explore the Benefits of Back Extension and Pendlay Row for Better Comparison.
Planfit Users' Choice about Back Extension vs Pendlay Row : Which is Better?
Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Back Extension more often — 6,073 sessions compared to 344 for Pendlay Row.
Popularity is not the whole answer. Back Extension and Pendlay Row differ in the muscles they load, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.
How Back Extension and Pendlay Row Differ
| What differs | Back Extension | Pendlay Row |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | bodyweight only | a barbell |
| Difficulty | 2 of 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Sessions logged by Planfit users | 6,073 sessions | 344 sessions |
How to Back Extension
Back Extension muscles worked: Back
Form
- 1. Please lower down by bending your hips while keeping your chest open.
- 2. Engage your core and come up by extending your hips.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please be careful not to relax your core throughout the exercise.
- 2. Please keep your chest open to avoid rounding your back.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Back Extension, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Back Extension Guide page of our blog!
How to Pendlay Row
Pendlay Row muscles worked: Back
Form
- 1. Please pull towards your belly button so that the barbell can go up vertically.
- 2. While gathering your shoulder blades, naturally pull your elbows and hands.
- 3. Hold the weight with your back strength and lower it completely to the ground.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please be careful not to let your elbows flare out.
- 2. Please be careful not to overly straighten your back or move it up and down.
- 3. Engage your core to prevent your back from rounding.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Pendlay Row, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Pendlay Row Guide page of our blog!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for Back, Back Extension or Pendlay Row?
Planfit users log Back Extension more often — 6,073 sessions against 344 for Pendlay Row. Both train Back, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.
What equipment do Back Extension and Pendlay Row need?
Back Extension needs bodyweight only, and Pendlay Row needs a barbell.
Which is easier to start with?
Back Extension is the easier place to start. Move to Pendlay Row once your form holds up.
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