Barbell Rows

[lv1992]

Currently for back I do weighted pull ups, chin ups, barbell rows, db rows, and deadlifts (sumo, but I still feel lower back and traps when I go heavier). Barbell rows always feel awkward and I don't like doing them. Can I substitute t bar rows and still get the same effect?

[FireFighterPCP]

Currently for back I do weighted pull ups, chin ups, barbell rows, db rows, and deadlifts (sumo, but I still feel lower back and traps when I go heavier). Barbell rows always feel awkward and I don't like doing them. Can I substitute t bar rows and still get the same effect?

Personally man you have a great program right there. I'm personally training to become a firefighter so I want the muscular endurance as well as the strength. I change my program up every other week with back. The two main movements I will do for the first week is a heavy barbell row followed by a heavy T bar row with the combination of cabled back movements within the workout period. The idea of this is to create that nice wide back aesthetically, with the combination of muscular endurance, and strength.

The following week I will hit cabled movements with a pyramided deadlift. The deadlift I personally find is the hardest back movement so I isolate it as the only heavy free weighted back exercise that day. Like you I personally lift a alternated reversed grip sumo stanced deadlift, and I still see both my muscular development increase, as well as my strength.

In conclusion if you feel that you personally don't like the barbell rows don't do it. I actually don't bench press, because I feel a sharp pain in both my shoulders. I think my shoulders are genetically faulted. Instead I actually overload on EZ bar curls with very heavy sets to increase my upper body strength as a whole. I understand that the chest, and the biceps are totally completely different muscle groups, but I see both my strength, and my endurance increase doing these. Everyone is different do what you want to do that makes you happy. Hope this helped

Joel B

[k9pit]

That's a hell of a workout if you're moving some real weight or doing 3 or more work sets.

Given what you have I'd sub them out for seated cable rows or the T bars.

If you do the chest support T-bar row machine, your spinal erectors will not get the same isometric workout as barbell rows but your mid-lower traps will get some stretch-contract work like the bb rows. If you are using the barbell t-bar or non chest supported lever machine they are somewhat similar to barbell rows in terms of demands on spinal erectors and mid lower traps.

You could also use seated cable rows to stretch-contract the mid-lower traps without the isometric demands on the spinal erectors also as it's likely those deads are already beating them up....let alone the barbell rows.

[lv1992]

I do the deadlifts on a leg day, overhand barbell rows and chins in one day, and weighted pull ups and db rows another. So it's not all at once, just what I do overall. My problem is that because of a shoulder injury years ago I don't feel like I can contract my left side well at the angle and elbow position of a bent over row. My right side then feels like it did more work. I want to hit the same area without the discomfort.

[FireFighterPCP]

I do the deadlifts on a leg day, overhand barbell rows and chins in one day, and weighted pull ups and db rows another. So it's not all at once, just what I do overall. My problem is that because of a shoulder injury years ago I don't feel like I can contract my left side well at the angle and elbow position of a bent over row. My right side then feels like it did more work. I want to hit the same area without the discomfort.

Then you need a find a movement that is going to satisfy you, to compensate for the barbell row like I said previously. T bar rows are very good for that wide back. Personally I pyramid the T bar row like I do the deadlift. What I suggest is try them out, and see what you think. I personally don't get the greatest pump from T bar rows, but I do see growth. Hope this helped.

Joel B

[k9pit]

I do the deadlifts on a leg day, overhand barbell rows and chins in one day, and weighted pull ups and db rows another. So it's not all at once, just what I do overall. My problem is that because of a shoulder injury years ago I don't feel like I can contract my left side well at the angle and elbow position of a bent over row. My right side then feels like it did more work. I want to hit the same area without the discomfort.

Try this




Very similar demands on the spinal erectors and mid-lower trap to Barbell rows but done uni-laterally.

This is effectively single arm free weight/non-chest supported T-bar rows.

[blue9steel]

Have you considered Pendlay Rows? For me, they feel more natural.

[BtchW8]

I feel the same, everytime I do barbell rows it feels straight up like bad pain, doing deadlifts and maybe adding some t-bar rows would be sufficient imo. Hyperextensions, weighted hyperextensions, or just do some seated rows/pullovers if you wanna hit the lats. But yah deads with straps build the ultimate back.