The Bent-Over Barbell Row is a helluva' good exercise. It
not only builds the lats, but also the traps and the deep anterior
and posterior spinal muscles. In fact, to quote the venerable Snoop
Dogg, "Barbell Rows are the shiznitz."
Okay, he probably didn't say that, but the point remains,
they're a great movement.
Unfortunately, there are only about two people in the history of
the world who've ever done them correctly. Once most people
add more than one or two 45-pound plates on each side, they start
to round the back, which negates the primary focus of the
movement.
And if they don't round their back, they start using their
legs to get the bar up. That makes them look, when viewed from
behind, like they're humping a small farm animal. This causes
women to avoid them.
As such, we often prefer Incline Bench Dumbbell Rows. You
can't round your back and you can't hump small farm
animals:
1. Lie face down on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each
hand.
2. Initiate the movement by pulling through the elbows.
3. At the top of the movement, squeeze the shoulder blades
together.
4. Lower the dumbbells to the start position, making sure you
get full extension.
Keys to the movement:
• Don't let your chest come off the pad. That's called cheating.
• If you can't squeeze the shoulder blades together at the
top of the movement, you're using too much
weight.
Variations:
As with any dumbbell or cable rowing movement, alternate
periodically between pronated, supinated, and neutral
grips.
Now go grow.