Low pulley mid-grip rows

[casualbb]

I think I'm in love.

I've never been able to feel it like this in my back. It finally feels like I'm really ROWING the weight instead of just jerking it up to my middle like I feel with BB or DB rows.

I used to be very anti-machines, but the fact of the matter is that machines can do things that freeweights can't (eg, a true pullover or leg extension).

Point being, don't eschew machines just to be one of those uber-hardcore barbell only types; machines are another tool on your BB toolbelt.

 

[TRUEsoldier]

you got a picture or web site of it??

 

[ChinkNasty]

casual, are you talking about a seated pulley row where you pull it to your midsection?

 

[casualbb]

casual, are you talking about a seated pulley row where you pull it to your midsection?

Pretty much. Seated pully row, about shoulder-width grip, no chest support.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/CBWideGripStrBackSeatedRow.html

I can't get enough of this, it feels so much more natural than freeweight rows.

 

[InTraining]

I usually do cable rows with the parallel grip attachment simply because I can feel it more in my lats...

I did try it this way though and it felt very natural..

 

[casualbb]

My dream come true would be the same seated cable row, but with each arm having its own stack.

 

[wutangnomo]

I thought everyone did this kind of row?? lol That's the main row most people do at my gym. Very good exercise.

I have to agree with you on the machine comment. You see a lot of people on this board knocking machines because they're trying to be some old-school macho hardcore type. All the body knows is RESISTANCE! It doesn't matter if it comes in the form of lifting boxes, rocks, logs, bb's, machines or cables, the body only recognizes resistance! I bet someone will bring up the topic of stabilizer muscles, but my thinking is that if one lifts intensely and performs a variety of different exercises (machine and freeweights) then he/she will work all muscle groups including the stabilizers.

I also never truly felt bb rows work my back. However, I have now found the row that works best for my back and have fallen in love with it..... rowing a bb in a corner! Awesome lift and the slight variation in foot positioning and the way my hands grip together works so well for me.

 

[d3track]

ever tried the hammer strength or zero gravity row machines?
they each have independent sides, and zero gravity is actually a cable machine

 

[Dieharder]

if they have it at your gym casual, try T-bar rows (not the one with the chest pad). these fucking things i can really feel in my lats and you can pile on a ton of weight

 

[casualbb]

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately my gym is about 1/4 of a complex dedicated almost entirely to racketball so they're lacking on the fancy stuff. At least they have one power rack and I'm one of two people that use it.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

machines arent bad for secondary and assistance but i would not make a routine based on machines..its easy to tell a physique that is built with machines and one that is built with freer weights

 

[wutangnomo]

machines arent bad for secondary and assistance but i would not make a routine based on machines..its easy to tell a physique that is built with machines and one that is built with freer weights

Resistance is resistance. As long as one uses good form, performs a variety of exercises, and progresses up with the poundage that is what matters. Btw, PLENTY of guys at my gym don't do deads and freeweight squats and use many machines, yet they have great physiques that will make most guys on this board look pityful.

There is nothing wrong with machines.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Resistance is resistance. As long as one uses good form, performs a variety of exercises, and progresses up with the poundage that is what matters. Btw, PLENTY of guys at my gym don't do deads and freeweight squats and use many machines, yet they have great physiques that will make most guys on this board look pityful.

There is nothing wrong with machines.

B.S...I cannot judge these physiques your talking about but im sure in order to get that way they squatted..free weights recruit way more secondary muscles leading to a thicker stronger physique..there are a few guys at my gym with a decen physique but u can see they totally rely on machines..they start their back workout with either lat pulldowns or seated rows..Are these bad exercises? absolutely not and i usually include one of these after i have done my heavy deads and rows..if one doesnt want to do deads fine but i think you better be doing heavy BB rows..

 

[wutangnomo]

B.S...I cannot judge these physiques your talking about but im sure in order to get that way they squatted..free weights recruit way more secondary muscles leading to a thicker stronger physique..there are a few guys at my gym with a decen physique but u can see they totally rely on machines..they start their back workout with either lat pulldowns or seated rows..Are these bad exercises? absolutely not and i usually include one of these after i have done my heavy deads and rows..if one doesnt want to do deads fine but i think you better be doing heavy BB rows..

Resistance is resistance. The key is to continually progress UP with the weight. This is the most important factor in buliding a great physique! Don't automatically assume that anyone who is big, thick, and strong does deads and squats. You will be surprised at how many built guys don't even know what the hell those exercises are! If one performs a VARIETY of exercises to hit all muscle groups and continues increasing the poundage that is ALL that matters. Do you think that someone who does bb rows as opposed to someone who does heavy hammer strength rows will look all that much different?? The answer is........ NO!

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Resistance is resistance. The key is to continually progress UP with the weight. This is the most important factor in buliding a great physique! Don't automatically assume that anyone who is big, thick, and strong does deads and squats. You will be surprised at how many built guys don't even know what the hell those exercises are! If one performs a VARIETY of exercises to hit all muscle groups and continues increasing the poundage that is ALL that matters. Do you think that someone who does bb rows as opposed to someone who does heavy hammer strength rows will look all that much different?? The answer is........ NO!

you keep taking the easy way out ill stick with my way..thnx

 

[InTraining]

Good debate going on here...gotta agree with Wnt2 for a few reasons...

Personally from experience and just observing various gym goers it is obvious who uses machines as a base of routines and who uses them for supporting roles or assistance in the end...

I would say free weights comprise 80%-90% of my exercises and machines are used for assistance...though I do believe machines have some benefits(cables and resistance through the whole movement IE a lateral raise and a nautilus pullover machine etc.)

I see guys all the time doing lots of weight with lat pulldowns...cable rows...and yet their backs are laughable...using good form mind you....

There IS a difference in bodys that were built with free weights vs.machines....a certain density that one lacks when they rely on machines too much...

Basing a routine around machines is not optimal IMHO....there is a reason compounds should be the centerpiece of any routine...they give the best results!

 

[wutangnomo]

you keep taking the easy way out ill stick with my way..thnx

lol

You are sadly mistaken. You assume just b/c I defend machines that I solely rely on them. Incorrect. I do deads (conventional and sldl's), FRONT squats, freeweight rows (bent over bb rows and now my favourite... a t-bar row using bb with one end in the corner), push presses, military press, bench press, etc.

I am defending machines b/c machines are also a useful tool to incorporate in ones arsenal of exercises. I don't do regular squats b/c they do jack shit for my quads, however, front squats hammer my quads like nothing before. My body also responds much better to sldl's as opposed to conventional deads. Likewise with pullups, they do jack shit for my lats as opposed to pulldowns. The point is we're all built a little differently and not everyone will find deads and squats effective. I never said I didn't do them though. But whatever works for you, so good luck.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

lol

You are sadly mistaken. You assume just b/c I defend machines that I solely rely on them. Incorrect. I do deads (conventional and sldl's), FRONT squats, freeweight rows (bent over bb rows and now my favourite... a t-bar row using bb with one end in the corner), push presses, military press, bench press, etc.

I am defending machines b/c machines are also a useful tool to incorporate in ones arsenal of exercises. I don't do regular squats b/c they do jack shit for my quads, however, front squats hammer my quads like nothing before. My body also responds much better to sldl's as opposed to conventional deads. Likewise with pullups, they do jack shit for my lats as opposed to pulldowns. The point is we're all built a little differently and not everyone will find deads and squats effective. I never said I didn't do them though. But whatever works for you, so good luck.

well i do front squats as well..whats your point..if you look at my original post i said mnachines arent all bad but i would use them as assistance not for a main builder???? i think you might be the first to say u got more out of lat pulls than pull ups..but i guess theres a first time for everything

 

[Dieharder]

there are some machines i feel are better for me then the freeweight version. an example is bent over barbell rows, i cant fucking get those down for shit, but heavy t-bar rows and hammer strength rows i can really feel in my back and can control the entire movement. Also, pull-ups for some reason never made my lats grow. i now rest pause lat pull downs and my lats have definitely improved.

 

[InTraining]

To the guys that are having problems with pullups-what grip are you using? That could be the problem right there....

Also what grip you using for the lat pulls? I usually use a wide grip where the bar starts to curve down..

 

[wutangnomo]

Good debate going on here...gotta agree with Wnt2 for a few reasons...

Personally from experience and just observing various gym goers it is obvious who uses machines as a base of routines and who uses them for supporting roles or assistance in the end...

I would say free weights comprise 80%-90% of my exercises and machines are used for assistance...though I do believe machines have some benefits(cables and resistance through the whole movement IE a lateral raise and a nautilus pullover machine etc.)

I see guys all the time doing lots of weight with lat pulldowns...cable rows...and yet their backs are laughable...using good form mind you....

There IS a difference in bodys that were built with free weights vs.machines....a certain density that one lacks when they rely on machines too much...

Basing a routine around machines is not optimal IMHO....there is a reason compounds should be the centerpiece of any routine...they give the best results!

I agree with you on some points, but I never said to base a routine soley around machines. I have been saying variety all along and to not knock machines. My only caveat is the attitude that if someone has great legs or a great back one automatically assumes they deadlift and squat. That is incorrect b/c one can still build a great back and legs performing other exercises.

As for your comment about guys having laughable backs or whatnot using machines, the problem is not the exercise, it is the fact that thei diets suck and that they do not CONSTANTLY progress upwards with the weight. If they were doing deads and squats they'd still have laughable physiques b/c they don't up the weight and lift intensely. So it really doesn't matter what exercise these guys do.

 

[InTraining]

I agree with you on some points, but I never said to base a routine soley around machines. I have been saying variety all along and to not knock machines. My only caveat is the attitude that if someone has great legs or a great back one automatically assumes they deadlift and squat. That is incorrect b/c one can still build a great back and legs performing other exercises.

As for your comment about guys having laughable backs or whatnot using machines, the problem is not the exercise, it is the fact that thei diets suck and that they do not CONSTANTLY progress upwards with the weight. If they were doing deads and squats they'd still have laughable physiques b/c they don't up the weight and lift intensely. So it really doesn't matter what exercise these guys do.

I agree with you man....never assumed you said that or practiced it...just something to think about as I see a LOT of people doing it.....

Yes people look at deadlifts and squats as though they are the holy grail of lifts...I know guys with traps up to their ears who don't know what a deadlift is and people with monster wheels who don't squat....

Of course squats and deadlifts are great lifts nonetheless

Also agree with you about progressive resistance as I said in a previous thread most people want to stay in their weight "comfort zone" and eat 2000 cals a day and expect to be ronnie.

 

[casualbb]

My main complaint against machines is the increments suck, they're usually way too big. Usually with bilateral barbell stuff using 2.5 lb plates provides plenty of room for progression.

But then again they can do stuff freeweights can't.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

My main complaint against machines is the increments suck, they're usually way too big. Usually with bilateral barbell stuff using 2.5 lb plates provides plenty of room for progression.

But then again they can do stuff freeweights can't.

my complaint is they dont hold enough weight!!!!!! and my gym is to good to buy a few 100 lb plates!

Casual assuming your not using the stack on some exercises why not pin a plate to the stack this way you can move up in just about any increment you want instead of the 15 lbs that are on most machines..

 

[InTraining]

They have these nice little 2.5 pound attachments for the cable row\pulldown at my gym...pretty helpful as in theory you can go up 2.5 almost every week

 

[casualbb]

D'oh, I never thought to look for those. I know we have them too. Stupid! STupid!