Barbell Rows...Am I the only one with this problem?

[AlphaMaleDawg]

They work great and make my back work but...

I feel like if I go too heavy, my form suffers...then if I go just slightly less heavy, I can do like 20 reps easily. Then when I increase the weight, my form doesn't feel right even though I can rep out a normal 10 times. It's like I don't know whether to do the easier version that seems to stimulate more, or the harder version

anyone else have this problem?

[makaveli25]

I get that to. If I go 5-10 pounds to heavy I feel like I'm using my bicep to much. It's one of my favorite back exercises pretty grueling to If you do them right.

[DroppingPlates]

I experience the same, once I go slightly heavier, I need some momentum. I force myself to bend in a 90 degree angle and only allow 4-5 forced reps to prevent that it becomes a traps movement.

[Voland]

thats why you have to use chest supported rows. ugh its like no one listens to me...

[wes]

Lying BB Rows
T-Bar Rows using 25 pound plates,not 45`s
DB Row
2 DB Rows (simultaneously)

Or

Do Pulldowns of Dumbell Pullovrers first,immeditely followed by a set of Barbell Rows...........won`t be able to go as heavy due to the Pre-Exhaust factor involved in this Super-Set,thus solving your problem.

[makaveli25]

Lying BB Rows
T-Bar Rows using 25 pound plates,not 45`s
DB Row
2 DB Rows (simultaneously)

Or

Do Pulldowns of Dumbell Pullovrers first,immeditely followed by a set of Barbell Rows...........won`t be able to go as heavy due to the Pre-Exhaust factor involved in this Super-Set,thus solving your problem.

Nice!

[wes]

Nice!

They don`t call me old for nothing! 

[jaejonna]

Use the low row hammer strength machine instead

[SF1900]

You're on gear, so it really doenst matter how you do them. Look at Branch.

[io856]

yeah I get the same problem

[tbombz]

 if your doing barbell rows at close to 90 degree your never going to be able to use heavy weight.

and while doing rows at that angle is good for hitting the muscles of the upper back.


barbell rows are really supposed to be done at about 60-45 degrees.  that is the position where the lats become engaged the strongest.  

done in this manner the range of motion is short but you keep your elbows tucked, lower back arched, and pull the bar into your lower belly, pause at the top and squeeze... you can load up the weight without sacrificng form too.

[chaos]

I do them strict as heavy as I can, then go heavier with form like tdongz describes.

[DroppingPlates]

thats why you have to use chest supported rows. ugh its like no one listens to me...

That's a good one, but the problem is that most benches are too wide for a good stretch. In case you mean the machine version, most brands suck for row machines, Hammer Strength excluded, but my gym has only crappy brands 

[DroppingPlates]

if your doing barbell rows at close to 90 degree your never going to be able to use heavy weight.

and while doing rows at that angle is good for hitting the muscles of the upper back.


barbell rows are really supposed to be done at about 60-45 degrees.  that is the position where the lats become engaged the strongest.  

done in this manner the range of motion is short but you keep your elbows tucked, lower back arched, and pull the bar into your lower belly, pause at the top and squeeze... you can load up the weight without sacrificng form too.

"Heavy" is relative. There's no need to adjust an exercise in order to go as heavy as possible. Anatomical wise there is no upper back (that area is mainly the trapezius, which isn't a back muscle), the insertions of the latissimus dorsi are far under your elbows (or right below in case you have a Dennis James back). By bending more forward you hit the lats more without too much traps work.

[BB]

Easy fix- Do the bb rows sloppy, then finish up with a few sets of dumbbell rows strict.

In practice, I don't know of many folks that stay strict when the weight gets really heavy, the trick is just not to let them turn into a high pull.

[POTA]

I do them strict as heavy as I can, then go heavier with form like tdongz describes.

Exactly. That's one of the points of pyramiding. You go from stricter form and higher reps to heavy with a little loosened up form.

[tbombz]

"Heavy" is relative. There's no need to adjust an exercise in order to go as heavy as possible. Anatomical wise there is no upper back (that area is mainly the trapezius, which isn't a back muscle), the insertions of the latissimus dorsi are far under your elbows (or right below in case you have a Dennis James back). By bending more forward you hit the lats more without too much traps work.

the muscle you have highlighted in red, the latissimus, doesnt come into play too much when your bent over to 90 degrees. rear delts, traps, and a few other upper back muscle come into play quite heavily, and a little  bit of stress is put on the upper portions of the latissimus... while a great deal of streesss is put on the lower lumbar/spinal erector.


the main reason for doing the exericse at around 45 degree is because that is the position that engages the lats greatest.

[Dogma2010]

Wanna grow...gotta row 

[wes]

45 degrees is how the exercise is meant to be performed........Yates bastardized the movement by standing up and rowing.

It worked great for him though,except that he eventually tore his bicep! 

[mesmorph78]

if your doing barbell rows at close to 90 degree your never going to be able to use heavy weight.

and while doing rows at that angle is good for hitting the muscles of the upper back.


barbell rows are really supposed to be done at about 60-45 degrees.  that is the position where the lats become engaged the strongest.  

done in this manner the range of motion is short but you keep your elbows tucked, lower back arched, and pull the bar into your lower belly, pause at the top and squeeze... you can load up the weight without sacrificng form too.

heavy is relative i do my rows close to 90 degrees.. and i go heavy

[Voland]

That's a good one, but the problem is that most benches are too wide for a good stretch. In case you mean the machine version, most brands suck for row machines, Hammer Strength excluded, but my gym has only crappy brands 

do it.

/thread

[wes]

heavy is relative i do my rows close to 90 degrees.. and i go heavy

I don`t particularly like them this way,but that`s just me........ one thing about bodybuilding is that if something works for you,you should exploit it to the max!


Find out what works best and go for it.

[yates fan]

also doing them with a reverse grip helps to sqeeze the lats,especially when using heavier weight.

[Voland]

also doing them with a reverse grip helps to sqeeze the lats,especially when using heavier weight.

it also helps tearing you biceps 

[StanZoLOL]

do it.

/thread

I like those too. Everyone says it's hard to breathe properly when you go heavy, but not really. I think the best I worked upto was 6 plates for 10-12 and 7 plates for 5-6, although I would usually do them later in the workout and not go that heavy.