Author Topic: Rows just add thickness???? (Read 3445 times)

davie · « **on:** January 15, 2006, 02:34:57 AM »

Hey guys My back routine looked like this:
Deads 2/3x7
BB Rows 3x8
BB underhand cloe grip Rows 3x8
Cable Rows 3x8
Shoulder width grip pulldowns 3x8

I changed to
Deads 2/3x7
BB Rows 3x8
T-Bar Rows 3x8/10
Shoulder width grip pulldowns 3x8
Close grip palms facing pulldowns 3x8

I did this as i was doing mainly rows but i think with slight change i can still add thickness but add more width now, as its the pulldowns that focus on width is it not?

davie

Bluto · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2006, 03:01:47 AM »

yup. looks better. but if you can do chins i would do that instead of pulldowns

pumpster · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2006, 04:03:48 AM »

You don't need 2 types of row-IMO T-bars are better, but do some type of row for a few sets, then substitute DB or cable pullovers for one of the rowing motions.

Deadlifts could be at the end instead.

davie · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2006, 06:39:55 AM »

I hear what u guys are saying, i love deadlifting (dont no y as had bad back). ANd my gym doesnt have chins bar (unless i put BB on top pins in squat rack and did them from my knees), so i gotta put in extra pulldown exercise?

davie

BigAlski · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2006, 08:14:54 AM »

Yes you have a lot of rowing in there. Chins are killer and pulldowns would balance your routine and provide enough lower lat work.

romeo · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2006, 02:42:22 PM »

do rows only add thickness and pull ups only width? is that how it works in terms of the movements?

thanks

Bluto · « **Reply #6 on:** January 15, 2006, 03:56:57 PM »

no they both hit the back. but rows are suppose to hit thickness more and chins width more. how much more i dont know. and one can question if this is a biggie, let's put someone on doing heavy rows only for 3 years im sure he's gonna have a pretty good back from that even if he doesnt do anything for his width and vice versa doing chins

NoCalBbEr · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2006, 04:59:09 PM »

i think that rows can build as much as doing chins/pulldowns....

Ledd · « **Reply #8 on:** January 16, 2006, 06:13:40 AM »

Chins are weird for me, I like working back completely and I have some decent lifts but I cant do chins for anything. I can hit maybe 4 sets of 5-7 with just my body weight and I only weigh 180.

pumpster · « **Reply #9 on:** January 16, 2006, 09:26:40 AM »

From my experience, chins & pulldowns are equally good if done properly-touching the lower chest and using a good amount of resistance. Try close grip pulldowns using a V-bar, as well as trying medium hand spacing with palms facing together & palms facing out grips.

You don't have to do more than a few good sets of pulldowns or chins. Instead, add some DB/pulley pullovers, one of the best lat exercises.

Hard to tell but it looks like chins/pulldowns are for width and rows for the middle of the back, but both should be done anyway to cover all bases. On rows, try close-grips using a V-bar.

GET_BIGGER · « **Reply #10 on:** January 16, 2006, 10:19:19 AM »

Quote from: Ledd on January 16, 2006, 06:13:40 AM

Chins are weird for me, I like working back completely and I have some decent lifts but I cant do chins for anything. I can hit maybe 4 sets of 5-7 with just my body weight and I only weigh 180.

Yeah, I do front and rear pulldowns and they seem to work for me.

Jr. Yates · « **Reply #11 on:** January 16, 2006, 11:57:48 AM »

does anyone ever do that excersise arnold always did. He'd go on his knees and use the cables from up top with a rope and pull in to his stomache? i see some guys do it standing also. some guys also do cable cobras??? they go on their knees in teh center of the cables and pull both from up top to their armpits...it looks kinda like a regular front lat pull down.

pumpster · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2006, 12:31:56 PM »

One of the best lat exercises is pullovers. A variation of that, a better one IMO, is the same motion done while standing or kneeling in front of a lat machine, using a rope attachment. That's what Arnold was doing:

Try this with bent and straight arms:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/LatissimusDorsi/CBStraightArmPulldown.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/LatissimusDorsi/CBPullover.html

I'd suggest doing a pullover movement for a few sets, in place of one of the rowing or pulldown exercises.

Sculpter · « **Reply #13 on:** January 16, 2006, 04:21:35 PM »

Actually pumpster, if the exercise is what i'm thinking, isn't Arnold doing cable crunches for his abdominals?

pumpster · « **Reply #14 on:** January 16, 2006, 05:25:59 PM »

I think he was wondering if there's some kind of lat movement like that. I remember that Arnold used a rope attachment for various exercises including pullovers & ab cruches.

Cable rope pullovers are a great lat exercise, even better than free weight pullovers IMO.

Cavalier22 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 16, 2006, 08:10:13 PM »

i was never a fan of that exercise.

pumpster · « **Reply #16 on:** January 16, 2006, 08:18:59 PM »

Thanks for sharing that valuable information..