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Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Training Q&A => Topic started by: mademan80 on February 19, 2009, 03:09:43 PM

Title: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: mademan80 on February 19, 2009, 03:09:43 PM
are doing these good for getting thick?
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: QuakerOats on February 19, 2009, 04:29:28 PM
damn right they are, i've been using this guys technique of trying increase the reps with a heavy weight, i always do them as my first heavy rowing movement followed by bb rows.

Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: mademan80 on February 19, 2009, 05:52:12 PM
so do you go as heavy as you can on both? i try to work on form and concentrate on the muscle more with dumbell movements
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: QuakerOats on February 20, 2009, 06:02:36 AM
so do you go as heavy as you can on both? i try to work on form and concentrate on the muscle more with dumbell movements
yes, i go as heavy as i possibly can with decent form on those, i always focus on both getting a decent stretch at the bottom and a decent contraction at the top but i don't worry about squeezing and pausing and all that other bullshit.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: mass 04 on February 20, 2009, 07:53:40 AM
Awesome movement. Lots of ways to do them as well. The traditonal knee on the bench, using an incline bench, leaning on the db rack or leaning over and bracing the non working arm against your leg.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: local hero on February 20, 2009, 09:10:38 AM
ive never realy rated these,,,,,,, much prefer the barbell version and for single arm, hammer rows
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: mademan80 on February 20, 2009, 09:23:39 AM
yo mass...of those movements you listed which one do you prefer the most? for me in order would be: db rack,knee on bench,then that other one you listed that i never do
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: mass 04 on February 20, 2009, 09:45:19 AM
yo mass...of those movements you listed which one do you prefer the most? for me in order would be: db rack,knee on bench,then that other one you listed that i never do
that order. I like to use the db rack as a brace. I can get a better stretch. I never do the freestanding version
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: mademan80 on February 20, 2009, 10:59:40 AM
yeah freestanding feels awkward
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: nodeal on February 20, 2009, 11:12:04 AM
i do them leaning against the dumbbell rack and i just make sure to get a good stretch at the bottom and good contraction at the top, but i keep constant motion going on all the time. GO HEAVY! next to deadlifts, these are the best back exercise in my opinion
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: linden on February 20, 2009, 11:18:21 AM
DB rows leaning on the rack is my favorite exercise. i lean forward enough that i am on the balls of my feet great strech
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: mademan80 on February 20, 2009, 11:43:52 AM
agreed you do get a good stretch doing these...do you guys where straps when doing these style of movements? I find they help me out a lot b/c when i go heavy the skin on my hands starts coming off and the gym i go to just got a bunch of new DBs and straight bars so the grips on them are extra rough
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: QuakerOats on February 20, 2009, 12:52:32 PM
hand on the bench is the strictest and hardest, if you can work up to a 150-160 pound bell for sets of 10 or more that's some serious upper back mass you should get.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: wes on February 20, 2009, 01:09:25 PM
I do "hand on the bench" style........great exercise!!
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: leonp1981 on February 20, 2009, 03:07:04 PM
I switched over to these after a lower back injury.  I like them, but I still feel like I got more from a BB.  I don't bother with the pausing either, when I do that I feel it in my rear delts instead. 
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Bobby on February 20, 2009, 03:57:45 PM
agreed you do get a good stretch doing these...do you guys where straps when doing these style of movements? I find they help me out a lot b/c when i go heavy the skin on my hands starts coming off and the gym i go to just got a bunch of new DBs and straight bars so the grips on them are extra rough

I always wear straps and gloves when training back, helps alot! I start my back wo with deadlifts or this exercise leaning against the db rack.

usually 3 sets going up in weight, reps around 8-14
1. 130
2. 145
3. 160

then on to a wide grip exercise like pulldowns or chins
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: pumpster on February 20, 2009, 04:05:17 PM
DB rows with the back braced, T-bars, etc. are better than BB rows IMO, because they hit the lats better and are alot less harsh on the lower back.

With DB rows not only is the back braced, you can also vary the grip which i think makes a difference-the best grip for most lat exercises IMO is neutral/palms facing together, which can't be done with a BB but can be done with DB or T-bar.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Bossa on February 23, 2009, 04:04:23 PM
damn right they are, i've been using this guys technique of trying increase the reps with a heavy weight, i always do them as my first heavy rowing movement followed by bb rows.



thats some serious grip strength there
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: QuakerOats on February 23, 2009, 04:13:39 PM
thats some serious grip strength there
damn right, that's one of the reasons he does them, he's actually done a 225 db for 23 reps and a 300 for 7 if you can believe that. :o
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Option D on February 23, 2009, 04:17:15 PM
I always wear straps and gloves when training back, helps alot! I start my back wo with deadlifts or this exercise leaning against the db rack.

usually 3 sets going up in weight, reps around 8-14
1. 130
2. 145
3. 160

then on to a wide grip exercise like pulldowns or chins
pretty strong there..

i just do 4 sets using 120's
i use straps too..i got these cool ones with the extra thick padding...
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Bobby on February 24, 2009, 03:45:45 AM
pretty strong there..

i just do 4 sets using 120's
i use straps too..i got these cool ones with the extra thick padding...

i feel this is an exercise to go heavy on, won't get 'excited' otherwise
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: JasonH on February 24, 2009, 06:20:43 AM
I really should be doing more of these - my back thickness is atrocious and I've found that on the rare occasion I do dumbell rows I get an unreal pump in my back. I think I avoid them because I do the old "hand on bench" thingy and it is so fucking uncomfortable that I simply hate doing the exercise and tend to do barbell rows instead. I should be forcing myself to do that shit because I'm convinced they work.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: QuakerOats on February 24, 2009, 06:37:30 AM
I really should be doing more of these - my back thickness is atrocious and I've found that on the rare occasion I do dumbell rows I get an unreal pump in my back. I think I avoid them because I do the old "hand on bench" thingy and it is so fucking uncomfortable that I simply hate doing the exercise and tend to do barbell rows instead. I should be forcing myself to do that shit because I'm convinced they work.
the weird thing about db rows is that they're so tiring, probably because you're doing a set for each arm but for some reason db rows have always made me breathe harder than anything except squats.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: JasonH on February 24, 2009, 06:40:50 AM
the weird thing about db rows is that they're so tiring, probably because you're doing a set for each arm but for some reason db rows have always made me breathe harder than anything except squats.

True - I think people underestimate how tough they really can be. Definitely one of if not the hardest unilateral exercises there is.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: coltrane on February 24, 2009, 01:47:13 PM
the weird thing about db rows is that they're so tiring, probably because you're doing a set for each arm but for some reason db rows have always made me breathe harder than anything except squats.


so true.  Dead after doing these.  I think it's bc i can't breath easily during them..
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Bobby on February 24, 2009, 02:04:00 PM
I really should be doing more of these - my back thickness is atrocious and I've found that on the rare occasion I do dumbell rows I get an unreal pump in my back. I think I avoid them because I do the old "hand on bench" thingy and it is so fucking uncomfortable that I simply hate doing the exercise and tend to do barbell rows instead. I should be forcing myself to do that shit because I'm convinced they work.

I never really like doing them on a bench like that, puts so much pressure on your supporting arm. When i started doing them against the db rack it just felt right, much better. You can grip a bar on the db rack with your supporting arm, no flat hand against bench.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: pumpster on February 24, 2009, 02:24:27 PM
I think any free weight rowing motion is exhausting, because the largest muscles of the body are required to maintain that position while bearing big weights. Plus at the same time a bent over position makes breathing hard.

I like having the back braced or doing t-bars because it removes alot of this unnecessary fatigue that has nothing to do with and distracts from lat development. Maybe it shows more strength to do it without a brace but if the idea's development i'd rather be pragmatic and do what's most efficient and least tiring.

The less exhausting, more effective version of DB rows would be to do them while lying face down on a bench.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: KSA on February 24, 2009, 03:58:59 PM
I think any free weight rowing motion is exhausting, because the largest muscles of the body are required to maintain that position while bearing big weights. Plus at the same time a bent over position makes breathing hard.

I like having the back braced or doing t-bars because it removes alot of this unnecessary fatigue that has nothing to do with and distracts from lat development. Maybe it shows more strength to do it without a brace but if the idea's development i'd rather be pragmatic and do what's most efficient and least tiring.

The less exhausting, more effective version of DB rows would be to do them while lying face down on a bench.

I agree.

Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: QuakerOats on February 24, 2009, 04:01:06 PM
I think any free weight rowing motion is exhausting, because the largest muscles of the body are required to maintain that position while bearing big weights. Plus at the same time a bent over position makes breathing hard.

I like having the back braced or doing t-bars because it removes alot of this unnecessary fatigue that has nothing to do with and distracts from lat development. Maybe it shows more strength to do it without a brace but if the idea's development i'd rather be pragmatic and do what's most efficient and least tiring.

The less exhausting, more effective version of DB rows would be to do them while lying face down on a bench.
very good advice, the macho meathead "no pain no gain" mentality is a bunch of bullshit when it comes to training, if an exercise bothers you and hurts don't be afraid to experiment and find an alternative.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Palpatine Q on February 24, 2009, 04:32:35 PM
I think any free weight rowing motion is exhausting, because the largest muscles of the body are required to maintain that position while bearing big weights. Plus at the same time a bent over position makes breathing hard.

I like having the back braced or doing t-bars because it removes alot of this unnecessary fatigue that has nothing to do with and distracts from lat development. Maybe it shows more strength to do it without a brace but if the idea's development i'd rather be pragmatic and do what's most efficient and least tiring.

The less exhausting, more effective version of DB rows would be to do them while lying face down on a bench.

Good post.

That's that reason i rarely do DB rows.

It is a great exercise, but it's a pain in the ass and it takes forever to do 3 sets
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Charlys69 on February 25, 2009, 12:08:55 PM
i disagree that doing dumbell rows lying on a bench will bring the same results, because Dumbell-rows is a rowing exercise where you really can stretch your lats out which you canīt do over the same distance while lying on a bench, and the range of motion is also better than in most other rowing versions. Also, dumbell rows will not target your nervous system that much (like all unilateral exercises), so overtraining doesnīt occur easily.
with 45 1/2 yr i did last week my new PB on Dumbell-rows, 9 reps with 110kg/242 lbs. on the Gym80 iso-row machine i did today also PB
with 7 reps for 190 kg/418 lbs (1 arm, 418 lbs each side ::)).
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: pumpster on February 25, 2009, 12:46:08 PM
Dumbell-rows is a rowing exercise where you really can stretch your lats out which you canīt do over the same distance while lying on a bench

Same stretch on a bench maybe even more, because the bench isn't gonna allow the trunk to move up and down, which reduces the stretch. Change the angle of the body slightly relative to the bench on either side to get different effects, or use a narrower bench and the effect is very good, no restrictions. No need to lie exactly in line with the bench.

Using a bench is like using a preacher bench. You can then use either strict or loose form as well as adjust the bench angle-flat/decline/incline and get great results. Doing this with straps is the best.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: mademan80 on February 25, 2009, 09:22:30 PM
you guys to do the bent over single arm cable rows?
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: pumpster on February 25, 2009, 09:41:32 PM
you guys to do the bent over single arm cable rows?

I've never seen anyone do em. From any angle, cable rows don't seem as good to be honest.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Bona on February 25, 2009, 11:49:32 PM
hand on the bench is the strictest and hardest, if you can work up to a 150-160 pound bell for sets of 10 or more that's some serious upper back mass you should get.
What rep range and no of sets do you recommend for this?
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: QuakerOats on February 26, 2009, 07:22:09 AM
What rep range and no of sets do you recommend for this?
lately i've been doing them the "Matt Kroc" way and going for broke for two sets of as many reps as i can do with the heaviest weight i can handle, the form isn't stellar on the last 3-4 reps but my back gets more sore now than ever, last workout was 13 reps with a 140 and 11 with a 150, 150's are the heaviest my gym has.
Title: Re: dumbell rows for thickness?
Post by: Bona on February 26, 2009, 08:46:22 AM
lately i've been doing them the "Matt Kroc" way and going for broke for two sets of as many reps as i can do with the heaviest weight i can handle, the form isn't stellar on the last 3-4 reps but my back gets more sore now than ever, last workout was 13 reps with a 140 and 11 with a 150, 150's are the heaviest my gym has.
Sounds like a great idea, do you reckon this technique of going for broke for 2 sets works for other bodyparts as well?