DB Rows

[Soldier]

I find that any type of row has to be a bit reckless. I figured it out after years of lack of progress with my pull work and watching some youtube vids of guys like Ronnie using "horrible" form to do rows with 4 plates on each side. I always hated doing bent over rows, mostly because they are unconfortable and I'm not good at them, which are possibly two of the BEST reasons to do them!

I still can't row nearly as much as I bench, but this morning I was able to barbell row my bodyweight (210) 4 times with impeccable form, and 4 more with a little thrust. Considering 1 year ago I thought a plate a side was big, I'm happy with my progress there.

[polak]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

My only advice is to explode the bar off the ground and keep the movement natural. I've tried the movement with one knee on bench, but I prefer it standing up with both feet on the ground and one hand on a bench.

Use a strap if you need too, and treat the movement like a single arm power clean, so to speak.

Do not pull with the hand. Start the lift by pulling the elbow back and complete it by contracting the lat back. This should be performed in a fluid manner, again with force and strength.

The biggest mistake I made over the years was trying to baby back exercises and gently nurture them up. I am not calling for sloppy form, but you must row with the power of a Viking.

just saw this

i was being trained by a bodybuilder and he said exact same thing word for word.

he told me to do them standing 1 arm holding onto a rack and using form as you mentioned.

im confused though how much do you lean forward? completely parallel to ground or back like 45 degrees? cant remember =/

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by polak

just saw this

i was being trained by a bodybuilder and he said exact same thing word for word.

he told me to do them standing 1 arm holding onto a rack and using form as you mentioned.

im confused though how much do you lean forward? completely parallel to ground or back like 45 degrees? cant remember =/

For dumbbell rows I am close to parallel. Here are some rows I did last year:

215 Pound Dumbbell Rows - YouTube

215 Pound Dumbbell Rows - YouTube

[Soldier]

Yeah, I'd say my lower back is near parallel, but at the top I try to arch my back a little which brings my upper back to slight incline. I always try to arch my back at the top of any lat movement because the lats actually connect from above the middle of the spine to basically the bottom. If I don't arch at the top whenever possible I feel like I'm not getting as much ROM as I could.

That being said, I believe TUT and tonnage moved are more important for back work than ROM.