How to Bent Over Barbell Row



Most people tend not to consider their back very much until the day it lets them down and they’re forced to spend hours lying in agony on a wooden floor. Even regular gym-goers will generally focus on more glamorous muscles and spurn the opportunity to address the stress and strain a deskbound lifestyle can place on your back. The problem? Your shoulders internally rotate, and this results in tight pecs and a stiff neck.

This often leads to a weakness in the lower back – at best causing pain and discomfort, at worst risking serious injury – and the problem is only aggravated if you add further stress on the chest and shoulders with endless pressing exercises.

The solution is obvious: place greater emphasis on your back training. Step forward, the bent-over row.

Your back muscles are the primary beneficiaries of the bent-over row, and as they increase in strength your posture will also improve so you don’t slump as much. Directly stimulating your lats, traps, rhomboids and rotator cuffs works wonders for your body. A stronger back with better posture – what’s not to like?

Bent-Over Row Technique

Form is all important with the bent-over row, and the best way to ensure you don’t get sloppy is to pick the right amount of weight. Slow, controlled movements are of far more value than jerking up a massive weight and twisting all over the shop.

Once you have your barbell loaded, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and lean forward from the waist. Your knees should be bent, but your back stays straight, with your neck in line with your spine. Grab the bar with your hands (palms-down), just wider than shoulder-width apart and let it hang with your arms straight.

Brace your core and squeeze your shoulders together to row the weight up until it touches your sternum, then slowly lower it back down again. There’s one rep. With a light weight, shoot for four sets of eight to 10 reps.

Bent-Over Row Form Tips

Think Elbows

Once you’re set up for the move – leaning forward a bit, bar in hands – think about pulling your elbows behind you, not pulling the bar up. It’ll help to activate your lats and keep everything tight.

Pause at the Top

Most trainers will tell you that if you can’t stop at the top of each rep, you’ve picked a weight that’s too heavy. Touch the bar to your sternum, pause, and squeeze your shoulderblades together at the top of each rep. You’ll build better posture that way. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Candylicious Dubai

Image
  Candylicious at  The Dubai Mall  is one of the largest sweet shops in the world. This is where you’ll find the biggest piles of chocolates, sweets, and lollipops in multiple colours, sizes and shapes. Every corner of this expertly-arranged shop is filled with more mouthwatering sweets than you could ever imagine. Come and feel mesmerised by the lollipop tree dangling with your favourites and the Candylicious Airplane taking off above your heads. This hip and fashion-forward candy store spans a whopping area of nearly 1,000sqm, so it’s safe to say you’ll find just about anything you crave here. There’s also an extensive range of sweet and chocolate brands from around the world. For the die-hard fans, there are even novelty branded gifts including T-shirts, mugs and soft toys. The sweet superstore is located directly opposite  Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo , so why not grab some popcorn while you spot some sharks?
Read more

Can Too Much Control Cause Mood Problem

Image
  What is a mood disorder? A mood disorder is a mental health problem that primarily affects a person’s emotional state. It is a disorder in which a person experiences long periods of extreme happiness, extreme sadness, or both. It is normal for someone’s mood to change, depending on the situation. However, to be diagnosed with a mood disorder, symptoms must be present for several weeks or longer. Mood disorders can cause changes in your behavior and can affect your ability to deal with routine activities, such as work or school. Two of the most common mood disorders are depression and bipolar disorder. This article will review these disorders and some of their many subtypes. Depression  (major or clinical depression).  Depression is a common mental disorder. Grief or sadness is a typical response to a traumatic life event or crisis, such as the death of a spouse or family member, loss of a job, or a major illness. However, when the depression continues to be present even...
Read more

How to heal HPV naturally in Women

Image
  In addition to treating patients, Trimble researches vaccines to treat human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus is the most common sexually transmitted infection, with more than 6 million Americans infected each year. You’ve probably seen television ads for the  HPV  vaccine. If you have kids, your pediatrician has probably recommended the vaccine to guard against some cancers that are linked to HPV. It can sound pretty scary: a common infection that causes cancer. So should women worry about HPV? According to Trimble, the answer is no.   Women Don’t Need to Feel Ashamed About HPV “Anyone who’s ever had sex may have been exposed to HPV,” says Trimble, adding that she wishes she knew how to get rid of the unnecessary stigma associated with the disease. “Raising awareness can give you choices, and knowing you have choices is empowering.” Certain Types of HPV Are Linked with Cervical Disease While more than 100 types of HPV exist, only about a dozen of them are associate...
Read more