are bent-over barbel rows critical for a good back workout?

[justanothagirl]

i really hate doing them, i much prefer one-arm dumbbell rows (on a bench). i feel it much more in my upper/middle back when i do these. barbel rows are so difficult for me i can't establish a MMC at all and i end up using bad form.

am i missing out on a lot of i just do these one-arm dumbbell rows, and the rowing machine for middle back?

[Dominik]

No.

Provided you're feeling the rows and can continue adding weight, use any variation you like, whether that's with dumbbells, machines, or even bodyweight.

[XXX666]

keep doing some sort/variation of a row

pulling the bar below your navel works your lats more, pulling the bar above your navel will work more of your upper & inner back

[rude boy]

you shouldnt be doing any exercise you dont like

[SDFlip]

you shouldnt be doing any exercise you dont like

you shouldn't be giving advice. especially if you keep creating lame ass threads.

[d16daily]

you shouldnt be doing any exercise you dont feel works for you

fixed the sentence for you.


I believe you should at least focus and give the exercise a try before throwing it out of your routine.


that said,

a type of ROW is probably essential to a complete & developed back. you cant do 4 types of pull downs and have a perfect back, ya dig? luckily there are silly amounts of rows for you to try, you will love at least 1 of them.

[lightningwatche]

No.

Provided you're feeling the rows and can continue adding weight, use any variation you like, whether that's with dumbbells, machines, or even bodyweight.

Totally agree. If you are doing good form, feeling it, and getting stronger, keep it up. Only way you can go wrong doing that is if your form is bad and you get muscle imbalance and pull something later. But if you are doing both sides and in the right form, you should be fine. I prefer seated cable pulls though.

Dumbbell rows disengage the lower back since you are supportingthe upper body with your free arm. So don't try to jump into barbell rows at the same weight later unless you've been working your lower back withing else, like maybe squats or good mornings.

[lightningwatche]

you shouldnt be doing any exercise you dont like

um, he better be working every muscle group in a balanced way, even if he does not like that muscle group.

But if you meant to say he does not have to work that group with a certain type of exercise if another exercise he likes works it just as well, then that's OK.

[lightningwatche]

keep doing some sort/variation of a row

pulling the bar below your navel works your lats more, pulling the bar above your navel will work more of your upper & inner back

If you pull the bar with your elbow brushing near your sides, you are using the exact same muscle (almost, not same range of motion) as when you are doing a chin up (lats). So he is correct, but I think I don't even know where my naval is when my shirt is on. lol.

If you flare your elbows out to the sides, perpendicular to your body, then you work the upper back and inside. You don't even have to go to 90 degrees though, and 90 degrees may saw some tendons in two over time. If you go at 45 degrees, you get a bit of each.

You can do all this with dumbells, though the wide flare is harder to balance. Just make sure you do both, or go for the 45 degrees.

[Shylock]

One armed DB rows are a joke and on one ever does it properly has they jerk to one side and cant maintain a straight back. Its a girly exercise

[iSkinny]

One armed DB rows are a joke and on one ever does it properly has they jerk to one side and cant maintain a straight back. Its a girly exercise

Do you mean you don't do it properly and jerk it to one side as you can't maintain a straight back because you're a girl?

[Keeptryin]

There are so many exercises that cover the back,but you cant beat bent over rows for good overall compound movement,I hate squats..but I cant get around its benefits.

[Shylock]

Do you mean you don't do it properly and jerk it to one side as you can't maintain a straight back because you're a girl?

No i mean its a girly exercise....done mostly bu newbies. BB rows is right on the money.

1 straighter back

2 done in half the time

3 easier to achive proper form and more muscles hit

[SDFlip]

No i mean its a girly exercise....done mostly bu newbies. BB rows is right on the money.

1 straighter back

2 done in half the time

3 easier to achive proper form and more muscles hit

almost every pro bber does db rows.....

[XXX666]

If you pull the bar with your elbow brushing near your sides, you are using the exact same muscle (almost, not same range of motion) as when you are doing a chin up (lats). So he is correct, but I think I don't even know where my naval is when my shirt is on. lol.

If you flare your elbows out to the sides, perpendicular to your body, then you work the upper back and inside. You don't even have to go to 90 degrees though, and 90 degrees may saw some tendons in two over time. If you go at 45 degrees, you get a bit of each.

You can do all this with dumbells, though the wide flare is harder to balance. Just make sure you do both, or go for the 45 degrees.

never flare your elbows when doing rows.

where you pull the bar/weight to will determine at what area of the back you will contract

rows are not the same as chins/pull-ups/pulldowns. the start position of the shoulders in respect to you torso is different

[pumped12]

i do dumbbell rows, should i switch to barbell for a change of pace?

[Frankdaddy]

you shouldnt be doing any exercise you dont like

Exactly, unless you plan to compete then suck it up!

um, he better be working every muscle group in a balanced way, even if he does not like that muscle group.

But if you meant to say he does not have to work that group with a certain type of exercise if another exercise he likes works it just as well, then that's OK.

Why exactly does someone have to do something they dont enjoy when they have the freedom not to, I mean I wouldnt wanna do some things if I didnt enjoy it first.

Do you mean you don't do it properly and jerk it to one side as you can't maintain a straight back because you're a girl?

I think thats what he means

No i mean its a girly exercise....done mostly bu newbies. BB rows is right on the money.

1 straighter back

2 done in half the time

3 easier to achive proper form and more muscles hit

yes because this guy here is girly

[rude boy]

you shouldn't be giving advice. especially if you keep creating lame ass threads.

you may compete in bodybuilding competitions buddy, but don't act like you know everything. you lack some serious common sense and logic. and judging by your seriously under developed physique, you obviously are missing a lot of key bodybuilding knowledge and know-how. and thats the motherfukin truth, so stop buggin me kid

[Dominik]

No i mean its a girly exercise....done mostly bu newbies.

Yeah, only for girls.

[LactoseTolerant]

Yeah, only for girls.

I'd call them girly right to their faces.




...from my car with my foot hovering over the gas pedal.

[Sim882]

I kinda feel u can get more upper back isolation on one arm rows, as inevitably, heavy bb rows do involve some cheating, at least for me.

But, on balance, they're pretty equivalent exercises

[Blindead]

That's some amazing form in those vids.

[Dominik]

That's some amazing form in those vids.

Sarcasm?

Just checking because I know a few e-experts who would have a problem with his form.

[Los_Diablo]

I don't think barbell rows are a necessity

But some kind of rows are.

[Shylock]

almost every pro bber does db rows.....

yes i know they do - becuase they have come damn to lazy to do BB ROWS like the old guys did back in the 70's. You wont see newbies do BB rows JUST db Most have bad from and waste their time. DB rows is a joke!! Good luck to people wasting your time on that trash! You would never hit the back with that crap like BB rows

[Shylock]

That's some amazing form in those vids.

Are you fckin blind? lol!! The first video the guy is jerk his whole body up to one side - he might as well be working only his arms. his back is not not straight when moves the weight up. Not striaght like it would be if he is doing BB rows. I would say this for the 194489th time DB rows is a joke!!! A WASTE OF TIME!!1

[Tyrbolift]

you may compete in bodybuilding competitions buddy, but don't act like you know everything. you lack some serious common sense and logic. and judging by your seriously under developed physique, you obviously are missing a lot of key bodybuilding knowledge and know-how. and thats the motherfukin truth, so stop buggin me kid

Just going by his history of posts that I've seen over the last 4 years, Flip does know quite a lot about bbing, and I usually agree with his answers. He is beyond the absolute statements and understands the subtle nuances. If you want to hate on him, attacking his base of knowledge is not the way.

[dePaljas]

you shouldnt be doing any exercise you dont like

I would agree if there is a 100% equivalent exercise you could do instead, or if it would discourage you so much to perform a specific exercise that it would ruin the rest of your workout. Otherwise, no pain no gain, it's working out.

No.

Provided you're feeling the rows and can continue adding weight, use any variation you like, whether that's with dumbbells, machines, or even bodyweight.

I think the effect of BB row is a bit different from the SA DB row. With the latter people often rotate (part of) your upper body at the upper part of the movement. You can't do that with BB row since your using both arms at the same time. I was having trouble at first with BB row getting the bar all the way up (for heavier weights), I think this means I was lacking strength in the inner part of the upper back. If you do DB rows, you can cheat your way through this by rotating (rolling) your upper body.

[BaSsSiKk]

No i mean its a girly exercise....done mostly bu newbies. BB rows is right on the money.

1 straighter back

2 done in half the time

3 easier to achive proper form and more muscles hit

WUT?!

[Ashton09]

Are you fckin blind? lol!! The first video the guy is jerk his whole body up to one side - he might as well be working only his arms. his back is not not straight when moves the weight up. Not striaght like it would be if he is doing BB rows. I would say this for the 194489th time DB rows is a joke!!! A WASTE OF TIME!!1

Your kiddin me right? No DB rows will NOT replace pull ups but it is a damn good exercise IF you are doing it in proper form and IF its something your body responds to. Not everyone gets the same results out of the same workouts!