bent over rows= barbell or t-bar

**nelly** · 01-09-2011, 04:44 PM

Which do you guys prefer? In my gym I don't have a T-bar so I inprovise by using just a barbell and a v-bar.

**terraj** · 01-09-2011, 07:07 PM

Barbell rows are money, change your grip or angle if you need to change the target area.

**nelly** · 01-09-2011, 07:50 PM

thank you.

**jcp2** · 01-14-2011, 10:02 AM

Most guys don't have strong enough lower backs to do barbell rows properly imo, it looks like some kind of shrug. If you can do them properly I don't think there is anything much more effective. You can build a pretty damn good back with chins/pullups, deads, and barbell rows.

**baseline_9** · 01-14-2011, 10:10 AM

Bent over BB rows are great, both parallel to the floor or almost completly upright

However T bar also has its place

The key with back is actually pulling with ur back and not ur biceps

Keep chest high, pull shoulders back, lead with the elbows

For the best lat contraction bend over slightly and pull the bar low into ur waist, remember to retraact ur shoulders

For upper back bend over more and row the bar above the belly button

**nelly** · 01-15-2011, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by baseline_9

Bent over BB rows are great, both parallel to the floor or almost completly upright

However T bar also has its place

The key with back is actually pulling with ur back and not ur biceps

Keep chest high, pull shoulders back, lead with the elbows

For the best lat contraction bend over slightly and pull the bar low into ur waist, remember to retraact ur shoulders

For upper back bend over more and row the bar above the belly button

excellent advice thank you. Do you think that is ok to change form every week to target the muscles differently? or change it every few weeks?

**CMB** · 01-17-2011, 05:15 PM

The goal with all muscles is to hit them hard, and from separate directions. So a combo of both workouts would be a great addition to your work out. Add some dead lifts and lat pull downs and it is a very effective back workout.

**fattymcbutterpants** · 01-20-2011, 04:05 PM

So long story short lastnight I was doing a back with the Tbar and was debating on just holding the bar like I had been or getting a handle to put on and a trainer im friends with was talking shit to me joking around and bet me I couldnt do it with one hand. So I did 8 reps with each arm for 2 sets...and I must say my back is quite sore. it actually hit my back quite well I thought it would be more biceps than anything.

Just thought I'd throw that out there because it felt pretty good, doubt I will ever do it again but still

**terraj** · 01-20-2011, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by fattymcbutterpants

So long story short lastnight I was doing a back with the Tbar and was debating on just holding the bar like I had been or getting a handle to put on and a trainer im friends with was talking shit to me joking around and bet me I couldnt do it with one hand. So I did 8 reps with each arm for 2 sets...and I must say my back is quite sore. it actually hit my back quite well I thought it would be more biceps than anything.

Just thought I'd throw that out there because it felt pretty good, doubt I will ever do it again but still

Good work can be done on the hammer rows, one handed. A single hand gets a greater ROM, in particular at the top

**dec11** · 01-20-2011, 08:21 PM

im a big fan of single hand rows, hits nicely and as terraj pointed out, fantastic ROM

**fattymcbutterpants** · 01-20-2011, 09:32 PM

yea thats what I was thinking is i got a better contraction at the top and a good stretch at the bottom. I might continue doing them. I just did 2 45's for the first 2 sets but for one arm it felt decently heavy

**Duckhombre** · 01-25-2011, 11:39 AM

Not bar or T, or narrow or wide, but all above. A well developed back come through a diverse angle of attack. T-bar rows done from an upright position is a shoulder girdle compound movement, not back. It helps allot of people to think of pulling from the elbow and not the hand. Mind muscle connection is very important, especially if you are coming out of curl/bench style workout to something more advanced. If your biceps are strong enough (comparatively) you can easily do barbell rows without stressing your lats. Try to imagine your forearms/hands as hooks hanging from your elbow. Try to focus on the arc of elbow and forget about raising the weight.

Edit:
If you cannot maintain a proper bent over rowing position, you should abandon your back workout, and supplant with deadlifts and pull-up/chin-up (vary grip) and maybe a one arm row, but you need to focus on dead-lifting.

**Tigershark** · 01-25-2011, 11:12 PM

No matter how hard I try I like a rere when doing them with a bb. I will go t-bar everytime to save my dignity...lol

**Strategus** · 03-07-2011, 10:16 AM

I prefer a barbell in a corner to the t-bar setup. I think this is because my arms are really short. Also like to do DB rows.

**songdog** · 04-20-2011, 09:21 PM

I like them all.Tbar the best though.

**BgMc31** · 04-21-2011, 01:00 PM

Barbell rows from a deadstop at the floor pulled to the chest (nipples).

**scotty51312** · 04-21-2011, 05:54 PM

love the Tbar mainly cause i love dropsets, which to me are a pain in the ass with a barbell

**Far from massive** · 04-22-2011, 10:50 PM

I agree with what Terraj said on hammer rows, I have had several ruptured discs so I do hammer rows to lessen the load on the back and seem to get very good results with them. Stangely enough though I can load up a t-bar with 200lbs and do several sets no problem whereas even 100 bent over barbell starts to cause problems.

**terraj** · 04-22-2011, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by Far from massive

I agree with what Terraj said on hammer rows, I have had several ruptured discs so I do hammer rows to lessen the load on the back and seem to get very good results with them. Stangely enough though I can load up a t-bar with 200lbs and do several sets no problem whereas even 100 bent over barbell starts to cause problems.

See Richard.....I'm not always negative.

**PK-V** · 04-23-2011, 05:53 PM

T-bar every day of the week over row

I can't function with an overhand BB row grip feels funky

and I can't go too heavy with an underhand grip in the fear of tearing my biceptulars from there socket

you dig?

**terraj** · 04-23-2011, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by PK-V

T-bar every day of the week over row

I can't function with an overhand BB row grip feels funky

and I can't go too heavy with an underhand grip in the fear of tearing my biceptulars from there socket

you dig?

use straps

**PK-V** · 04-24-2011, 04:55 PM

I do bro

still funky lol

my mechanics for that exercise sucks

**tyciol** · 12-21-2011, 07:10 PM

I feel like doing the lever rows (t-bar or otherwise) allows us to get the effect of a much more bent-over row without actually bending that far, I'm not sure how to explain why, something about how the force redirects through the anchor. I guess since the other end of the bar is touching the ground it's no longer a 'free' weight exercise, right?

Another advantage is that since the part on the ground supports part of the weight, you can load heavier weights, so this lets us make smaller jumps. Another thing that allows us to make smaller jumps is that you load it 1 plate at a time instead of 2 at a time. So that's 2.5lbs each jump instead of 5 each jump, might be easier to microload.