bottoming out on cable row

[mike_sargent]

Well, it's finally happened. I've bottomed out on the cable row (the peg is in the bottom slot, and there's no more weight to add). Any suggestions for a replacement?

If it helps any, here's my routine:

Mon -- back and bis
seated db curls
standing 1-arm db rows
lat pulldown
cable row
bent-over db rows
internal and external cable rotations for RC

Wed -- mostly legs
squats
leg extension
hamstring curls
weighted pullups
db upright external rotation for RC

Fri -- chest and tris
flat and incline db press
weighted dips
triceps extension
db lateral raises
db front raises


Mike

[blopid]

Well, there are the magnet weights that you can add to the top of the stack, but you have to be careful to make sure the cables can handle the extra weight... Well, that's a quick temp solution anyway... :-)



Peace...

[Star_Rider]

Do the bentover db rows before the seated rows. Actually, I'd switch BB rows for the db rows, too.

[britonarius]

in the gym i was at before [ it was a body building gym rather than a fitness gym ] - they used to insert a long oin in and hang the barbell weights on , where i am now has weight packs that clip on. best thing is ask the owner /manager if he has a solution.

[Tyrbolift]

Originally Posted by britonarius

in the gym i was at before [ it was a body building gym rather than a fitness gym ] - they used to insert a long oin in and hang the barbell weights on , where i am now has weight packs that clip on. best thing is ask the owner /manager if he has a solution.

It prematurely wears the equipment out and bends the pins. Sort of a pet peeve of mine, but I honestly don't know any solution other than bigger/stronger equipment.

[StartinOver-68]

Just do one arm rows.

[John Prophet]

do em slower

[Whiskeyjack]

Do cable rows last and/or switch to T-bars.

[Mr. Someday]

Originally Posted by Tyrbolift

It prematurely wears the equipment out and bends the pins. Sort of a pet peeve of mine, but I honestly don't know any solution other than bigger/stronger equipment.

Considering my wife and I pay them $1200/yr, I don't care if I wear it out. They can buy a new one.

I am currently hanging a 25# plate off the pin at the bottom of the 300# stack. The stack is high enough off the ground that I'm pretty sure I can hang a 45# plate off of it as well.

You could also increase the rep range, particularly smart for anyone in the over 35 category. I don't go below 15 reps on my rest-pause set with that weight, but if I were to max the weight, I could always push it to 20.

[Wooly_Ace]

Have you tried slowing your reps down? My trainer suggested that to me and it worked.

[John Prophet]

Originally Posted by Mr. Someday

I am currently hanging a 25# plate off the pin at the bottom of the 300# stack. The stack is high enough off the ground that I'm pretty sure I can hang a 45# plate off of it as well.

in the past I have used 2 pins. one at the bottom of the stack...then another further up to hold the extra plate

on some machines u can pin the plate thru the back of the stack with another pin

[tjrob]

Originally Posted by John Prophet

do em slower

Dude you hit the nail on the head there!!! Slower more controlled, makes a huge difference, at least to me...

[mike_sargent]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll try out your suggestions next week when the gym reopens.

I always do my lifts slow and controlled. The cable machine in my gym has a lot less than 300 lbs worth of plates, so I'm nowhere near Mr. Someday territory (yet).

Mike

[jtroster]

Try for stricter form.

[JOHN GARGANI]

Originally Posted by jtroster

Try for stricter form.

JT always makes so much sense......


MIKE: at your height and weight, I can almost GUARANTEE you , that if you are maxing the stack, then, you are pulling a lot with your arms and not concentrating on lats as much as possible. When Lats are isolated properly, they literally scream with pain during some of these movements, and seem to burst out of the skin....

there is a lot of arm pulling, however, by many people in several of these movements......


deactivating the biceps in all cable lat movements is essential to the success of the movement, and will, in almost all instances, make the weight seem much heavier than it is...

[resurrected]

I don't see any chin ups listed in the routine.
Now you have maxed out, trime to stop messing and get real do chin up, great for mass and will kick your as s.

[mike_sargent]

Originally Posted by JOHN GARGANI

MIKE: at your height and weight, I can almost GUARANTEE you , that if you are maxing the stack, then, you are pulling a lot with your arms and not concentrating on lats as much as possible.

That's possible. I used to use my arms on the lat pulldown machine without realizing it, and I had to cut way back on weight when I corrected that. I'll check next time I go in whether I might be doing that on the cable rows as well. What's the correct elbow position? I imagine they should be straight out, if I'm doing it right.

Resurrected, I do weighted pullups on "leg" day. I don't add much weight yet, but I am very happy to be getting out my 3x8 reps with more than body weight -- and my form on these is much, much stricter than a lot of the younger guys who I see pumping away with their legs to get their chins up! But is it possible to use too much arm on pullups also?

The cable row machine has a max weight of 150 lbs (I think there's no mechanical advantage from the pulley system, so I think that's what I'm pulling), so I'm lifting a little bit more on the pullups than on the cable rows.

Mike

[Skidmarx]

Barbell rows should humble you down a bit. Congrats on maxxing the machine anyways.

[Bob45]

What is a standing one arm db row?

[mike_sargent]

Originally Posted by Bob45

What is a standing one arm db row?

This:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...prightRow.html

Mike

[JOHN GARGANI]

That's possible. I used to use my arms on the lat pulldown machine without realizing it, and I had to cut way back on weight when I corrected that. I'll check next time I go in whether I might be doing that on the cable rows as well. What's the correct elbow position? I imagine they should be straight out, if I'm doing it right.

actually Mike, this is where people go wrong with cable lat work: they are putting stretch as a priority, and by extending the arms all the way out or all the way up, the problem is that it is physically impossible to activate the lats in the beginning portion of the movement, you literally HAVE to use the contraction of your biceps in order to get the bar or handle up to the point where the Lats will now be engaged! By then, you have broken up the effectiveness, although as an illusion, it might not seem so, since you can handle more weight that way.


the Trick is to DISENGAGE the scapula: this is VERY hard to describe, but you can actually disengage it and then, by stopping at that point, when you pull the bar or handle towards the body, the Lat and the Lat only is contracting...

to do this you must NOT fully extend the arms.....


also: the key is the elbows, as, you must imagine your elbows moving as a point in space, there is a plane that they move in with the upper arm simply remaining statically tensed and rigid as the elbows "move"


keep in mind, that the lats are ADDUCTORS, so, in cable movments, to accentuate the Lats, you must pull not only towards the body but down in some fashion also.....down and back, so to speak......


very hard to describe but very learnable...I have taught this to quite a few people over the years, but in person, of course......


in essence, you are shortening the range of motion!!!

[loz86]

hang more weight off a chain

[BIG GUNNS]

Originally Posted by mike_sargent

.
The cable row machine has a max weight of 150 lbs (I think there's no mechanical advantage from the pulley system, so I think that's what I'm pulling), so I'm lifting a little bit more on the pullups than on the cable rows.

Mike

Hes cable rowing 150 .When everyone first read his post they thought it was the 300 pound stacks on the universal machines like at Golds.I think at 150 he can add some weight with an extra pin and be just fine .At my golds they have 5 pound rubber weights that can be added at the top of the weight stack .Im sure hes rowing all 150 pounds of it and not doing it with his arms.

Ive weighed under 170 and have done the 300 pound stack for reps many times.Ive always used a V attachment and rowed it to my body keeping back str8 at the finish and extended it out until my arms where extended without leaning forward.

[Anomaly.]

Originally Posted by mike_sargent

This:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...prightRow.html

Mike

Thats a shoulder exercise