T-Bar Row question

[TrapsMcLats]

I do T Bar rows old school style, no machine or anything.  My problem is that when I use 45's on the bar, the 45's hit my chest and I feel like I don't get a full contraction.  But when I use 35's, I feel like the weight is distributed differently, and it becomes more awkward to keep solid form.  Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong??

[Yev33]

I use 45's and do no less than eight reps on these, usually stick with 8-12. I've found that going higher on the reps helps me feel the contraction in my lats much better. I haven't seen your form on these but I have seen other people doing these when they are pretty much standing up, I prefer the 45 degree angle my self. Also make sure that you keep your head up and look straight ahead when you do these, again I see a lot of people looking down at the plates when they are doing T-bars which causes them to drop the chest down and decrease the ROM.

[Montague]

I do T Bar rows old school style, no machine or anything.  My problem is that when I use 45's on the bar, the 45's hit my chest and I feel like I don't get a full contraction.  But when I use 35's, I feel like the weight is distributed differently, and it becomes more awkward to keep solid form.  Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong??

The difference in distribution may stem from the fact that smaller plates require more plates to get the equivalent total weight.
However, those extra "layers" distribute the weight farther from the fulcrum of the bar, and that will certainly make the movement harder.
Try doing preacher curls with a straight/extended wrist, and when you can't do any more reps, curl the wrist in, and you can probably squeak out a few more reps.
That's the difference mechanical advantage can make in lifting. 

I’ve never been a fan of T-bar rows, but I tried them on & off years ago.
IIRC, Kamali had an article (in maybe MuscleMag) some time in the late 90’s in which he described a one-arm variation he uses.

Upon trying these myself, I quickly discovered that, when done this way, you can increase the ROM by at least an inch or so due to a number of reasons.

First, done unilaterally, the working arm is brought back a bit more simply due to biomechanics.
IMO, this provides a more complete contraction than when the bar is pulled to the body's midline.

Secondly, the one-arm version only requires about half as much weight as the two-arm one, which means you can use smaller plates.
While this may adversely affect your execution using the standard technique, the one-arm version may not be as bad since you won’t have to stack as many plates on the bar.
You’ll also be stabilizing yourself with the non-working hand as you would performing standard, unilateral db rows.

Try it out next time and see if it’s any better.

[Montague]

After watching the Ronnie videos Timmy was all over these rows. They were just training my ego and I eventually threw out my lower back. I still think they are one of the funnest exercises and definitely draws a lot of attention. I just have made way more gains since using a different approach in movements.

Yeah.
I've gotten way better results doing standard bent-over rows.
I suspect more than a few people do corner rows simply for the reasons you wrote above.

One of the commercial/chain gyms I frequent has actually put up signs warning that anyone caught jamming a bar into the corner of a wall will have their membership terminated on the spot.

[YoungBlood]

I've gotten way better results doing standard bent-over rows.
I suspect more than a few people do corner rows simply for the reasons you wrote above.

I am the exact opposite, I get far better results from T-Bar Rows.

At one point I was doing very little weight, with little success on improving. After blowing my back out (so I thought) from Squatting, I found I had very tight hips. So after I started to properly (I was also in the young and immortal stage of "I can't get hurt, I'm young!") not only have I been able to go back to squatting, but I can again do T-Bar Rows and the poundage has jumped up significantly.

It's always fun to see someone doing T-Bars, at least for me. Because they walk around like they're bad with ILS but then row a whopping 2 45's for eight horrendous reps.

[Montague]

I am the exact opposite, I get far better results from T-Bar Rows.

At one point I was doing very little weight, with little success on improving. After blowing my back out (so I thought) from Squatting, I found I had very tight hips. So after I started to properly (I was also in the young and immortal stage of "I can't get hurt, I'm young!") not only have I been able to go back to squatting, but I can again do T-Bar Rows and the poundage has jumped up significantly.

It's always fun to see someone doing T-Bars, at least for me. Because they walk around like they're bad with ILS but then row a whopping 2 45's for eight horrendous reps.

Oh, yeah.
I'm not saying they're totally useless.

I felt them when I performed them with good form; I just didn't gain from them.
I'm sure there are plenty of folks who do legitimately benefit from them, but you can usually tell the ones doing it for other reasons.
 

[JasonH]

I do T Bar rows old school style, no machine or anything.  My problem is that when I use 45's on the bar, the 45's hit my chest and I feel like I don't get a full contraction.  But when I use 35's, I feel like the weight is distributed differently, and it becomes more awkward to keep solid form.  Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong??

How exactly are you doing them? When I occasionally do T-Bar Rows I hook a v-shaped close-grip pulldown bar underneath the barbell as it brings my hands up slightly higher and I can get a proper contraction - that way you can get away with putting 45's on the bar and getting a better squeeze.

[JasonH]

I hate that thing - we had one of them in Temple Gym up until recently and it was gotten rid of thankfully.

[TrapsMcLats]

How exactly are you doing them? When I occasionally do T-Bar Rows I hook a v-shaped close-grip pulldown bar underneath the barbell as it brings my hands up slightly higher and I can get a proper contraction - that way you can get away with putting 45's on the bar and getting a better squeeze.

 I do them with the same 45 degree angle on my torso that I do with bent rows, and like you I hook a v shaped pulldown handle under the barbell... i didn't know there was another way/handle to do them??

[The Ugly]

But Timmy doesn't really care for machines much at all.

Timmy?