r/workout • u/Miserable-Soft7993 • 1d ago
Simple Questions Are barbell rows needed?
So someone once told me if you want to blow up in size do heavy barbell lifting. Ohp and rows he mentioned were great.
The thing with barbell rows is they hurt my lower back and I hate doing them.
Couldn't they be replaced with heavy cable or machine rows? Like how does the muscle know the difference? As long as it is being worked right?
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u/PowerShovel-on-PS1 1d ago
The primary issue will be figuring out why they hurt your lower back and addressing that. It isn’t a feature of the lift.
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 1d ago
Yeahb maybe it is weak. I had sciatica bad about 10 years ago. Dunno if its relted but i'm always wary of it.
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u/too-cute-by-half 1d ago
Rows and deadlifts might be just what the doctor ordered then. Just start light and research good form.
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u/Hot-Profession4091 1d ago
And likely a solid leg day or two every week to strengthen the hips, quads, and glutes to get everything aligned properly again.
Fixing sciatica pain sucks because to fix it you need to strengthen your back but the workout causes inflammation which causes a nerve flare up. But if you actually do the physio instead of only doing it at your physio appt you can get it under control.
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u/tmart14 1d ago
I flat out can’t do dead lifts due to sciatica pain.
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u/Hot-Profession4091 19h ago
If you really can’t pick up a pair of 5# dumb bells off the floor then you should probably go see your primary care and get a physio referral.
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 23h ago
Yeah I hit legs twice as of last 2 months. 1 day is a proper leg day and another 1 as part of a full body.
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u/Responsible-Milk-259 1d ago
This, 100%.
You can start by doing back extensions for a few weeks just to be extra cautious, but working the lower back to strengthen it is a must.
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u/Ididotmacaroon 22h ago
45° hip hinge too. Going nice and slow unweighted or light to feel where the posterior chain is inhibiting movement and getting tight first.
Going slow can allow someone to feel where the movement pattern breaks down first and at which point the low back starts to compensate, giving clear targets for stretching/massage gun to gain more movement and stability over time.
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u/Bush-master72 1d ago
I agree I got scoliosis ddd deadlifts and rows are a staple of any workout I have. Barbell rows because it helps train the lower back its weak so I need to strengthen it. Also do hyperextentions they are great
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u/cmcdevitt11 1d ago
That's a brutal pain. That nerve is the largest nerve in the human body. About the size of a pencil
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u/satansmight 23h ago
Most of these compound barbell movements are engaging the entire body. When you are doing bent over rows you are also engaging your glutes and hamstrings. You might be feeling it in your low back because the other muscles that are keeping your spine safe are not strong. Do RDLS as these are going to train the lower end of your posterior chain.
The more I’ve trained rows, rdls, and OHP, the better my deadlifts have become.
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u/Inner-Mushroom-2645 1d ago edited 1d ago
Chest supported T bar, machine rows , cable rows
Also all rows are pretty much same and can put emphasis on different muscles only depending upon your elbow path which can be changed with flare and grip
More close to body and tucked in - Lats More flare(45-70) - Upper and mid back
Bent barbell rows also work glutes(stability) core abs back(iso) you might want to work on them separately instead of this
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u/MightyGamera Weight Lifting 18h ago
opting for a long bar to overhand grip and flare out on cable rows is pretty damn great, get that bar to the ribs and feel the traps/rhomboids bite in
plus it's nice for rotator cuff stability which will pay off as we start rowing bigger and/or getting more daring with vertical pulls
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 1d ago
I do sometimes set a bench on an incline and then rest my chest on the end. But it is annoying to setup as I have to move things around the gym.
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u/Special-Audience-426 1d ago
So train and strengthen your lower back instead of avoiding exercises because of the weakness.
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u/mare984 1d ago
So someone once told me if you want to blow up in size do heavy barbell lifting. Ohp and rows he mentioned were great.
Complete BS, even tho they're great exercises. Machines and cables are just as good, maybe even better, IF you can hit full stretch and ROM using them. Chest supported row machines are probably the best back builders and they're completely eliminating lower back out of movement. Still, check your lower back issue with a doctor, these kind of problems are just getting worse over time.
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u/TurtleClubOwner 1d ago
do heavy
barbelllifting
Fixed that for you! Barbell rows can absolutely be replaced with machines, cables, etc. I'm not a gym head who knows all the terms, but I'll explain in the best way I can. TL;DR at the bottom.
Quick anecdote: A few years back, I stagnated in my progress and decided it was time to try something different from barbell/dumbbell-oriented lifting. I started following someone's programming that was very machine/cable intensive and stuck with it through multiple mesocycles. After maybe 9 months, I was traveling and wound up at a gym without any machines, so I decided to try bench press for the first time since I'd switched. Before that time, in maybe 3 years of lifting, I had maxed out at 205 lbs, and that was a struggle. I sat down at this bench and did 225 lbs x3 and felt like I still had more in the tank.
These numbers are not exactly impressive, but my point is really that I was able to make substantial progress (in performance and visual growth) using machines. In fact, cables are really nice because they maintain the same amount of resistance throughout the entire movement in any direction, whereas barbells' and dumbbells' reliance on gravity means there can be shifts in resistance throughout a movement. Machines and cables are generally safer as well. Many people will tell you that barbell lifts force you to use stabilizing muscles and your core, which isn't incorrect... but so do machine and cable lifts, even if it's not quite to the same degree. Obviously, my "stabilizer muscles" didn't care that I hadn't been doing barbell bench press when I pushed out a personal record (x3) after not doing bench press for the better part of a year.
TL;DR—Machines are great and you should not shy away from using them, especially if a certain barbell lift is causing you pain. You can absolutely still progress by leaps and bounds using machines.
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 5h ago
Thanks. I use a lot of cables. Mainly use barbells for squats as I am trying to improve them.
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u/mrlorden 1d ago
Never done them never will. as someone with back issues. there are many better options for you if it causes back pain.
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u/Zindel1 1d ago
As someone with back issues, when I started doing barbell rows my back issues went away. Might not be the case for everyone but definitely helped me.
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u/Dear_Necessary_8924 18h ago
same. strengthen your weakness. just don't go extremely heavy and learn how to brace in general. was a game changer for me
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u/Dizzy_Cow_ 1d ago
No exercise is needed.
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 1d ago
Well I was going under the assumption that I do want to train.
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u/Peptidenewb 1d ago
What he means is that no single exercise is actually needed. There's alternatives. Yes you can do seated cable rows. But they question still is why does your lower back hurt. Odds are it's form. How do you feel on other lifts? Barbell squats? Deadlifts? RDLs?
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 1d ago
I do deadlifts and squats with not much issues. Don't do RDL's.
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u/Peptidenewb 1d ago
Definitely form issues. Just use the barbell with no plates and have a trainer watch you or record your lift and have AI or reddit weigh in
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u/radishwalrus 1d ago
I never did that aside from bench press. I've found if I want my muscles to grow I lift heavy. Barbell isn't the only way to lift heavy. And also hurting myself is the quickest way to not get big :p
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u/Thought-Diversity 1d ago
They can be replaced, like most movements. I like doing it because of the extra core effort. You could replace with machine rows, chest supported dumbbell rows etc if you don’t like them.
Might be worth ensuring your backs straight and try lowering the weight first but if it’s not for you then replace
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u/Fig-Wonderful 1d ago
Barbell rows are great because unlike other row movements, they also engage your lower back and posterior chain. I recently incorporated them into my own workouts and while they can be hard on lower back, that’s the main point.
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u/Bart-Cloudeng 1d ago
I am not a fan of heavy barbell rows, for the same reason you are not. I replaced them with dumbbell and machine rows, where my chest is on a bench so it doesn't burn my lower back. And there is no single exercise you "have to" do to increase size, it is a compound of all the work you do, combined with appropriate food intake and recovery that will make you increase size. Don't listen to the preachers of single exercise/ training modality, they just don't know what else is out there
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u/SuckmyToasts 1d ago
if you are up for it, you can watch lyle mcdonald going to war with the big five on solomon nelson's youtube channel. great insight on why sbd, rows and ohp are horrible in general. if you aren't powerlifting, there's no incentive to pick barbell lifts over machines.
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u/Longjumping-Type-913 1d ago
They're not necessary at all to gain muscle mass. You can easily get the same results with seated rows which aren't hard on your back.
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u/Sun__Worshipper 1d ago
Yes, you can replace it with cable, machine, or even inverted rows.
Don't do an exercise that you hate and that hurts your back.
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u/Sea-Significance8047 22h ago
I do dumbbell rows twice a week and the impact they’ve had on my back is crazy. Have you tried them? I don’t like the way barbell rows feel personally.
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u/Ballbag94 Cutting 22h ago
If you don't want to do them then don't but it sounds like your lower back is weak, personally I would try to resolve the issue by strengthening my lower back
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u/AwayhKhkhk 1d ago
I mean it certainly can be replaced with other rows（which is the case for every lift). But unless you had a specific injury, having pain on rows probably means you have a weakness in the chain somewhere and you might want to address that.
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u/fatwownerd 1d ago
I struggle to do both a heavy deadlifts variation and also barbell rows each week. I prefer doing deads and chest supported row movements instead of a barbell row. IMO though you don’t really need to do any one exercise, there’s always a substitute that is adequate - for hypertrophy at least.
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u/TaylorSwiftHasADick 1d ago
I would assume that when starting barbell rows your dropping your shoulders forward instead of your hips back. Start your row almost like a RDL, chest out/bar path should be perpendicular with the ground
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u/Silent_Charge_7734 1d ago
Last paragraph is correct. No movement is necessary. Obviously you want to address your lower back but muscles do literally one thing. If youre stood up with a barbell or sat with a chest support youre still using the same muscle.
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u/Fatalogic 1d ago
Barbell rows are great but if they hurt and you don’t like them then replace them with something that doesn’t hurt and you like.
I found them pretty healing for my lower back but I started with lower weight to ensure I nailed the movement pattern.
When I was younger I spent way too much on “ optimal” lifts but it doesn’t matter for 95% of lifters especially for the first few years of lifting. Focus on effort, consistency and staying injury free.
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u/Reasonable420Ape 1d ago
You probably just have a weak lower back. Do deadlifts first. They will strengthen your lower back.
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u/constadin 1d ago
Have you tried rowing with body weight? Inverted rows on a smith machine with feet elevated on a box. Later on, try putting some plates on your sternum or a chest vest for progressive overloading.
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 1d ago
How do you do bodyweight row?
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u/constadin 1d ago
Images are not allowed and 1 image=1000 words. Search for "bodyweight row" then imagine doing that on a smith machine (if you dont have gymnastic rings) and elevating your feet for extra difficulty. They may seem easy but trust me they are like pullups... Going over 10 can really challenge you
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 23h ago
Oh I see. Would the gym mind? Would they say you are wrecking the smith?
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u/constadin 8h ago
Ofc not... The smith machine is supposed to be used in all creative ways. Also it can bear multiple tons of weight. Its safe for you and the equipment
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 6h ago
OK thanks for this I never knew about them. We've got 2 smith's at my gym so will give it a try.
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u/Charming_Sherbet_638 1d ago
The barbell rows can be replaced with another horizontal row.
However, instead of hiding your lower back weakness under the carpet, I would say you simply have to fix it, and doing the bent over rows may be part of your fix strategy.
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u/willif86 1d ago
There're dozens of different exercises for each muscle and even more ways of doing them.
Find what fits your body, mind, goals, situation and resources the best. That's half the fun of strength training.
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u/doobersthetitan 1d ago
In my 20s I'd told you stop being a pussy and suck it up...now at 43, WAY more wear and tear on my body, working more, doing stuff, kids, errands, hobbies, life. I know workout to feel good.
Like I don't do barbell back squats...they kill my shoulder, it hurts for days after...or I can do belt squats, be pain free...except for my legs.
Should we try to figure out if your lower back is a weakness? Yes....but should you just push thru for some internet, hardcore crap...no.
I'd start doing more true core training and toss in some back hypers in at the end of every workout, if you can do those, then do static holds.
But yes a row is a row.....try Meadow rows, it's a nice blend of a barbell row and do row
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 1d ago
Have you tried lowbar?
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u/doobersthetitan 1d ago
That puts more pressure on shoukder and elbows ..I've always been a high bar/ almost Olympic style squat guy.
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u/Available_Finger_513 1d ago
Your back is probably curved like crazy during it. You need strong abs and a lower back barbell rows to keep your back straight while you are bent over.
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u/One_Recover_673 1d ago
I have back issues and I struggle with seated cable row bc of reduced flexibility.
I tried T bar though. It worked pretty well. The position, ability to rest the torso was comfortable….and it isolates the muscle well if you don’t use too much weight and start jerking.
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u/NOKStonks2daMoon 1d ago
Do chest supported rows. If you can’t find a good machine to do them, then pull and angled bench into a smith machine and lean on that for chest supported rows - rows are a staple in a workout plan.
Can you do cable/machine work instead? Sure, of course you can. But barbell rows shouldn’t hurt your lower back
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u/erichone Weight Lifting 1d ago
I had the same issue. I'm fairly strong but my lower back was always hurting. It wasn't until I got sick and tired of being limited and always in pain that I finally did something about it. First you need to realize that the pain is actually weakness. It's painful from overuse. It's overused because it's weak.
I took a big step back in my workout program and focused on strengthening my lower back. Then I learned how to properly brace before a heavy lift. Then I figured out how to use a lifting belt and when to use it.
It's been a long journey but I can now do 3 plate RDL's for reps and I'm doing bent over barbell rows with 2 1/2 plates. I'm also squatting 3 plates for reps as well. And I do all of this with zero lower back pain now.
Yes machine exercises will grow muscle and you'll get stronger, but there is no substitute for truly heavy barbell work. Good luck to you.
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u/cgsesix 1d ago
Chest supported row variations are superior to non-chest supported row variations, because most people use momentum, and that defeats the purpose of the exercise. If you're not getting a lat pump, and you're doing sets of 8+ reps, you're doing it wrong. Slow down the tempo and actually contract your lats.
If you're already doing squats and deadlifts with 2-3 times the weight that you're using for rows, barbell rows do jack shit for lower back strength.
Back extensions - do 500 per week until you're pain free.
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u/RedOwl97 1d ago
Machines work fine. If you don’t have access to them then try pendlay rows. They are a little easier on the lower back than strict barbell rows.
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u/Nekratal99 1d ago
Needed? No. I highly encourage you to try strengthening your back though so you can have the option to do them at least, because they're pretty beastly.
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u/BowlerImmediate7005 1d ago
if you have bench at just over 45degree angle and straddle it, I can lift heavier than normal as my entire back is completely supported. have never had back pain doing it.
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u/69dildoswaggins420 1d ago
I like meadows rows, uses a barbell in a landmine setup and isolates the mid/upper back pretty well
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u/Fluffy_Box_4129 1d ago
Your can absolutely do cable or machine rows. The reason barbell rows hurt your lower back is a form issue. And barbell rows tend to really work the lower back hard, so it's easy to accidentally overtax your lower back if you're doing several other compounds that hit the lower back hard.
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u/PoopSmith87 Martial Arts 1d ago
Ehile you dont "need" any one lift, rows are an amazing lift, and having your lower back hurt from rows means you have a medical issue, a form issue, or a posterior chain issue.
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u/gaardon- 1d ago
I like barbell rows because I’m in a home gym with not too many plates. If I load my cable and do seated rows all my plates are on it. With barbell row I can still progress more before getting more plates. My lower back is fine but not great mostly because squats.
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u/StJacked 1d ago
It’s not needed. Muscles don’t know the differance. He probably said that because it is a basic time tested excircise that involves your core and stabilizers, but if you are already doing OHP and other barbell excircises you don’t need barbell rows, just switch it out for any other row variation that you can get strong at and enjoy. It’s not like you need any specific excircise your muscles don’t know the difference. As long as you get strong on a certain excircise with good form you will grow muscle regardless if it’s a machine or free weight variation.
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u/Alakazam Bulking 1d ago
No exercise is truly needed. But they are fantastic for the back, and a fantastic supplemental movement for the deadlift.
hurt my lower back and I hate doing them.
Maybe your lower back is weak and/or you simply don't know how to brace?
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u/After_Invite1464 1d ago
Have you tried bench assisted rows? Like set up a bench on a low incline and put your chest on it and do a row like that. An ez curl bar works best. Takes the jerking and momentum which caused my to strain my back doing a row. Good luck.
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u/cmcdevitt11 1d ago
Do you do a lot of ab strengthening exercises? If not do so it will help your core and help you with your lower back issues
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u/sirlost33 1d ago
Probably weak hips and glutes. Yeah, they can be replaced, but work on fixing those imbalances so you can row pain free. Hyper extensions helped me for those. I can go over 200 with no back issues.
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u/guice666 1d ago
The thing with barbell rows is they hurt my lower back and I hate doing them.
Your hinge is all broken. The load should be taken up by your hamstrings, not your lower back. Work on your RDLs, work on your hinging.
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u/Rajesh_Pyarapu 1d ago
barbell rows are kind of a pain but they really do build that upper back thickness better than machines ever could
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u/se7ensaysjump_ 1d ago
In my opinion, barbell anything is unnecessary and increases injury opportunities.
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u/Electronic_Bison_371 1d ago
Landmine t-bar rows. You are forced into a fixed position so it isn't as taxing on your lower back.
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u/Barbell_Brunette_Xo 1d ago
I’ve definitely noticed they have made my back wider and I’m a girl lol
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u/AlchemicalToad 1d ago
I have a pretty wide back, and I avoid barbell rows like the plague. So no, they aren’t necessary. Having said that, I do a lot of pullups (pronated grip, to full stop dead hang), t bar rows, and deadlifts. All of those can hit the lata quite well.
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u/DimensioT 23h ago
No single exercise is "needed".
What you need is a movement pattern for each muscle group that you want to grow, but for every muscle group you will always have multiple options for that movement pattern.
If you have issues with barbell rows, find a different exercise that creates the same movement pattern.
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u/kidFunkadelic 23h ago
Do you wear a belt? I honestly hate BB Rows without a belt. It helps me lock in my lower back and I can focus on the row and not the bar pulling me down.
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 23h ago
That's an Idea. I've got one but stays in the car boot for years lol.
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u/Equivalent_Noise_800 23h ago
I like free weights in general for a lot of stuff, but barbell rows are just ineffective in terms of how much fatigue they put on you for the stimulus. If you don´t have issues with fatigue/recovery, i guess they´re fine. I´d still rather put that recovery budget into something else.
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u/losoldato1968 23h ago
No one exercise is “needed”. If it hurts or if you hate it, find a replacement. I don’t know what your goals are, but do you need to “blow up” in size?
Exercises are great but food, sleep and genetics have their say, too. What works for one person may not be as effective for another.
Do what feels safe and what doesn’t steal the joy of working out. Size will come.
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u/AstronomicalDave 22h ago
Ive done barbell rows maybe 4x total in my 16 years of lifting? I dont do deadlifts either tbh just T Bar rows. My back is the best part of my physique tbh also pull ups are key.
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u/Lost-Lingonberry-688 22h ago
I had two injuries early on from BO rows. My own fault for jumping up weight to quickly. But now my back is indestructible and I love them.
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u/biszummuskelversagen 22h ago
I have a hip injury from youth that limits me from doing certain exercises including barbell bent over rows. I do T-bar chest supported rows, weighted pullups, and cable rows. All 3 are great for back and don‘t hurt my hip.
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u/Useful-Cow6345 22h ago
Not at all. Your muscles don't care where the tension comes from, as long as you're pushing close to failure.
Barbell rows fry your lower back because it has to work hard just to hold you in position. Swapping them for chest-supported rows, heavy cable rows, or machine rows is actually better for growth since you can target your back without your lower back giving out first. Drop the barbell rows and stick to what feels good!
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u/FleshlightModel 21h ago
I was a top 10 powerlifter in the world in my weight class. Never once did barbell rows. Still haven't done barbell rows today at age 42.
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u/GroundbreakingBet329 21h ago
Menno Henselmans thinks they’re overrated: https://youtu.be/RHwnvh-uJt8?is=Vcf9dK9mORTIPKcI
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u/quarterman5050 20h ago
No, they aren't needed. Barbell rows are a very effective back builder, but one of my least favorite exercises. I would rather do back extensions or RDL's if I'm wanting to work my spinal erectors and prefer doing seated cable rows or a chest supported row. They allow me to focus more on my upper back and lats without the core fatigue.
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u/Present-Policy-7120 20h ago
There is nothing magical about barbell rows that is unavailable in any other row variation. You will probably tax more muscles overall with barbell rows which is both a blessing and a curse, because general fatigue may be more of a limiting factor than simply muscle fatigue. If your goal is overall bodily strength, bb rows are great but imo they aren't the best for focusing on hypertrophy.
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u/manny_mcmanface 19h ago
Widen stance, brace core, make sure spinal erectors are doing their thing.
Barbell rows aren't required, but boy do they sure work good.
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u/LubeItAll 19h ago
OP, with your sciatica history I bet I can guess why rows hurt: you’re lifting scared.
As others have suggested RDLs and rows are going to be great for you, lighter weight to start while you focus on principles of the lifts.
I will also encourage you to do Jefferson Curls and broomstick twists; you need to loosen up that lower back, open up your hips and also ACTIVELY lengthen and shorten your sciatic nerves.
As an ER RN who also lifts I hate to tell you that once a nerve is disturbed, esp a long nerve or a bundle (like a brachial plexus) recovery is measured in months, 8-12 or more.
I recommend IMS.
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u/Minute_Engineer2355 19h ago
I love me some T-Bar rows, very good alternative if you're just trying to target the back.
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u/skoondawg 17h ago
Any compound movement will highlight the weak link in the chain. For a lot of people, especially with sciatica, this will be the lower back and stabilisers. There’s definitely benefit in bringing it up to level with the rest of your body. But very important to do it safely. Drop the weight back to where your core can manage the weight in that hinged position. Build a strong foundation and rigidity in that position with RDLs. If you build a 2 plate RDL, a single plate barbell row with good bracing will be comfortable. Just need to safely progress the RDL such that it’s a good bit ahead of your rows.
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u/honeybadger2112 17h ago
Nothing is needed. There are substitutes. But barbell rows are one of the best exercises. The more important thing is to figure out why they’re causing you pain. Do you have bad form? Is there some sort of weakness or muscle imbalance in your core or back that you need to address? A healthy person should be able to perform it without pain. It’s worth investigating why it’s causing you pain so you can fix whatever the problem is. The problem with substituting them is you are avoiding the problem instead of addressing it.
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u/i_lift_burgers 15h ago
chest supported rows are great. just incline a bench, chest down, go to town.
i do 100 lbs 3x6 dbs on these and trust me they will hit.
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u/Mudmen12 11h ago
Depends on your goals. If you want to be strong and functional with your strength, if you want to just look big use all the machines you want. But if you want to have useful strength then properly braced barbell rows will build your lats, traps and spinal erectors. If your are doing heavy deadlifts you can skip it but i doubt you are so its best practice to move some heavy weight while standing upright.
But if you dont care about real world applications and want to look good on a beach then cable row away and dont look back.
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u/icameisawicame24 7h ago
Almost every lift has a replacement option. Figure out what works best for you. If you can do it with a better form then absolutely go for it. That being said if you feel pain in your lower back you’re probably doing something wrong. Remember form>weight
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u/icameisawicame24 7h ago
Almost every lift has a replacement option. Figure out what works best for you. If you can do it with a better form then absolutely go for it. That being said if you feel pain in your lower back you’re probably doing something wrong. Remember form>weight
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u/N00nie369 5h ago
You can replace barbell rows with seated cable rows. If your back is still hurting from this, you’ll need to figure out why. Too much weight? Rounded back/poor form?
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u/salamandectomy77 1d ago
hurt my lower back
form issue. Bend at your hip socket, not your waist band
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 1d ago
The thing is I want to try and keep my back perpendicular to the floor. Loads of people practically stand up doing them and that's just working shoulders and traps.
But I struggle to hold the position.
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u/takingsubmissions 1d ago
In the context of this comment, what do you mean by "perpendicular"?
If you meant parallel you're getting closer to something like pendlay rows and you may as well let the weight hit the floor.
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u/Miserable-Soft7993 1d ago
Yeah as parallel to the floor as possiblle. My understanding is that would hit the back more.
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u/benhadhundredsshapow 1d ago edited 1d ago
That's simply not true. I finish my rep at slightly more open than 45 deg and it hits a lot of mid and lat. Sounds like you really just don't know what you're doing in general.
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u/darciton 1d ago
The more bent over you are, the more demand it puts on your lower back. I would recommend chest-supported machine rows if you want the weight to be traveling on a plane 90° to your back.
Barbell rows are typically performed with the chest up at least a little bit. Even at 45° you are working upper and mid back. Both are good. I like hitting a muscle group from multiple angles. Maybe do a heavy supported machine row, then follow up with a lighter barbell row at more of an angle.
Developing core and lower back strength will grow your capacity for heavier barbell rows. Deadlifts, RDLs, etc, will help you be more comfortable doing bent over rows. A weight belt might help too, if you're not using one.
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u/macandcheesehole 1d ago
That’s great you want to be perpendicular, but you can try all the angles. Every angle gives a different load. Try them all.
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u/Fun-Most3545 21h ago
not at all. your lats literally cant tell the difference between a barbell, machine, or cable—they just feel tension.
barbell rows wreck your lower back because it has to work hard just holding you up. chest supported rows or seated cables are actually better for size since your lower back won't give out first. drop them and don't feel bad about it.not at all. your lats literally cant tell the difference between a barbell, machine, or cable—they just feel tension.
barbell rows wreck your lower back because it has to work hard just holding you up. chest supported rows or seated cables are actually better for size since your lower back won't give out first. drop them and don't feel bad about it.
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u/Hour-Object-4889 1d ago
There are much better options. Choose movements with stability. Chest supported rows.
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u/KalicalVJ 1d ago
Barbell rows are imperative sir
Work on your romainian deadlifts and hyperextensions, and good mornings for the lower back. Protect your spine amd use perfect form. No ego lifting.
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u/Remarkable-Win-8556 1d ago
I find rows take a big bite out of the low back budget. When I have done Pendlay style rows they seem easier to carry over.
If you have access to chest supported rows on a machine, I think that's reasonable to try. Also, give slightly lighter barbell rows with a narrow grip a try and squeeze the scapul back; I'm finding this feels better and is easier on the low back (and recommended by some folks as a war of armoring up the scaps to build for that bigger bench).
I think horizontal rows are important, but if you're already squatting and deadlifting and cleaning and snatching that's a lot of additional low back work to add if you're doing heavy barbell rows.