Do you need to do bent over rows if you bench press?

[whitedragon101]

If you do a movement do you need to do its opposite to prevent muscle imbalance?

For example I do bench presses for push, and pullups / lat pulldowns / chin ups for pull. Do I need to do bent over rows (which seem to be the closest to the opposite of a bench press) or are these other pulling exercises sufficient to keep the muscles balanced?

[shamroc617]

You dont NEED to do this specific exercise as long as you hitting you ack with equal attention to your chest but I think it's def one of the best back exercises and is a string compound movement that will definitely lend to increasing your overall strength.

[BlindSight720]

You're thinking too hard about it. Forget all this muscle balance/imbalance. If you want a strong chest, do bench press. If you want a strong back, do rows. They really don't have a whole lot to do with each other.

[GodMadeDirt]

You dont NEED to do this specific exercise as long as you hitting you ack with equal attention to your chest but I think it's def one of the best back exercises and is a string compound movement that will definitely lend to increasing your overall strength.

Good post

You're thinking too hard about it. Forget all this muscle balance/imbalance. If you want a strong chest, do bench press. If you want a strong back, do rows. They really don't have a whole lot to do with each other.

Strongly disagree. This is why people with over-developed chests walk around looking like cave men because their strong chest is pulling their weak back forward resulting in a kyphotic posture. Also, a strong back actually helps with your bench press. You should probably know more before you give advice.

[shamroc617]

You're thinking too hard about it. Forget all this muscle balance/imbalance. If you want a strong chest, do bench press. If you want a strong back, do rows. They really don't have a whole lot to do with each other.

[stealthmedia]

I am sensing a bit of roll bread

[MikeKK]

Balanced physique is a key, bench press hits your back a bit but its just a secondary one, you still need to do rows or some horizontal pulling movement to compensate for bench. Like other guys said weak back and stronk chest makes you look like a caveman lol.

[davisj3537]

I wasn't utilizing a good mind/muscle connection for rows and my other back workouts. My chest blew up and my back was lagging a bit. My chest has literally pulled my shoulders farther forward. This makes my shoulder blades farther away from my spine and it f***ing hurts since the muscles are being stretched constantly. I'm still working on getting them in balance. I can only imagine maintaining a proper balance would be important for all your muscle groups.

[MikeKK]

I wasn't utilizing a good mind/muscle connection for rows and my other back workouts. My chest blew up and my back was lagging a bit. My chest has literally pulled my shoulders farther forward. This makes my shoulder blades farther away from my spine and it f***ing hurts since the muscles are being stretched constantly. I'm still working on getting them in balance. I can only imagine maintaining a proper balance would be important for all your muscle groups.

I hear a dude specializing in athlete training Eliot from strengthcamp (check on yt) says that if you have this problem you should stretch your biceps and chest statically before you do back exercises. Normally your dominant muscles will take over the movement. Stretching is supposed to weaken the chest and bic muscles slightly enabling you to activate your back muscles more. Not sure how much of this is true but the dude seems to know what he's talking about.

[NZninja101]

It would be extremely helpful... for you.

[whitedragon101]

I have avoided bent over rows thus far as they look horrendous for your back. Is there any alternative row movement to a bent over row? Could you lie face down on a bench and pull dumbbells up like an inverted bench press?

[DickSun]

My perspective is that you DO need to balance out. But not necessarily exact movement for movement. Be sure to build the entire muscle groups. Add variety to chest training and back training. For back I prefer to do two lateral movement and two verticle movements. Bent over rows, t bar rows, seated cable rows, or one arm bent over rows for horizontal, and then pull ups and lat pull downs for vertical movements. Don't be afraid to switch up grips often. Overhand/ underhand. Wide/ narrow. Triangle handle/ lat attachment/ single handles. . .

[mmorton]

Strengthen your back and your bench will increase. A row variation and a pull up variation will do you well

[Determinednoob]

Yeah you should do a row AND pullups so that you have a vertical pull and a horizontal pull. And doing rows isn;t bad for your back. Doing any lift with incorrect form is bad.

[ironwill2008]

.... you need to do its opposite to prevent muscle imbalance....

You answered your own question.

If all you ever work is your chest, and neglect your back, you're in for shoulder joint and posture probelms somewhere down the road.

As far as Bent Rows are concerned, they're just one of many variants that can be used in a good back routine.

[Engineer_Guy]

I have avoided bent over rows thus far as they look horrendous for your back. Is there any alternative row movement to a bent over row? Could you lie face down on a bench and pull dumbbells up like an inverted bench press?

facepalm.jpeg

[MikeKK]

I have avoided bent over rows thus far as they look horrendous for your back. Is there any alternative row movement to a bent over row? Could you lie face down on a bench and pull dumbbells up like an inverted bench press?

Rofl if rows are bad for your back then wat about squats and deads? They will put you in a wheelchair!!! If you have a ****ed up form then even BB curls can hurt your back. Properly done rows hit lats and lower back a bit. Why lie down on the bench when you can just bend over and put 1 arm against the bench and row?

[GodMadeDirt]

I have avoided bent over rows thus far as they look horrendous for your back. Is there any alternative row movement to a bent over row? Could you lie face down on a bench and pull dumbbells up like an inverted bench press?

You could. You could also strengthen your back to handle rows. The benefits of strengthening your back are numerous. Try not to avoid something because it is challenging. You'll be happy you did.

[tjwoody]

wow i dont think i ever read someone being ok with muscle imbalances before. matter of fact i just read in 5/3/1 if u want to improve ur bench get some lats. i spend a boatload of time making sure i balance my workouts out. im very intune with my body due to herniated disks in my back and iffy shoulders and can almost feel a problem coming on before its serious. i felt a pulling forward of my shoulder and stretched the crap outta my pecs and delts while increasing my upper back work esp around endurance and within 2 weeks the problem was fading.

i like to people watch in the gym when im doing cardio and i see so many people with badly arched forward delts. these same peeps i will sometimes notice pumping those bench presses out and if i see them doing back its just a couple movements.

[Anthony21]

A stronger back with have a carry over to a stronger bench. What does this mean? WORK YOUR BACK OUT WITH AN EVEN AMOUNT OF VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL PULLS

[AlanApe]

I have avoided bent over rows thus far as they look horrendous for your back. Is there any alternative row movement to a bent over row? Could you lie face down on a bench and pull dumbbells up like an inverted bench press?

.........that's like saying you dont squat because it looks horrendous on the knees, you dont bench because it looks painful on the wrists etc.

Bent over rows are awesome. Done properly, they provide a great stimulus for growth.

[stealthmedia]

I have avoided bent over rows thus far as they look horrendous for your back. Is there any alternative row movement to a bent over row? Could you lie face down on a bench and pull dumbbells up like an inverted bench press?

Sure if you want to move small amounts of weight and still have a much weaker back compared to your anterior upper body. There is nothing wrong with bent over rows so long as you don't choose to pull more weight than you can handle.

[GinjaNinja85]

Strengthen your back and your bench will increase. A row variation and a pull up variation will do you well

A stronger back with have a carry over to a stronger bench. What does this mean? WORK YOUR BACK OUT WITH AN EVEN AMOUNT OF VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL PULLS

Completely agree with these guys. This is why I do pendlay rows.

[jstndvs]

Reckon its all been said... make sure to strengthen your entire body. It all ties in together and will help build overall muscular development and strength.