dumbell rows for thickness?

[Bobby]

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.

[pumpster]

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.

[KSA]

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.

[QuakerOats]

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.

[Palpatine Q]

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

[Charlys69]

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 ).

[pumpster]

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.

[mademan80]

you guys to do the bent over single arm cable rows?

[pumpster]

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.

[Bona]

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?

[QuakerOats]

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.

[Bona]

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?