Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

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Barbell Rows - HELP

classictoaster
classictoaster Posts: 197
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Okay, I am not going to the gym to just fake my way through this exercise again.

I'm supposed to do 55 lbs today, but I feel like I've been cheating this whole time, so I might just start over. How do you guys do the row?! I've seen so many different ways to do it, I'm totally confused at this point. I know they're supposed to touch the ground each time, and your torso is supposed to be parallel to the ground (I think), but I dunno how to get into position with an empy bar without feeling kind of stupid.

So I guess what I'm asking - how do you guys do barbell rows, and how do you get into the correct position without 45 plates on each side?

Replies

  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
    I prop the barbell up on a riser. You can use one of those steps the aerobics classes use. Even stack a few plates up on the flat side and lay the bar on top of that.

    I don't use an OLY bar so I have to prop the bar to get it in position every time.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Yeah, supposed to hit the ground every time. I use areboic steps with I don't have bumper plates. Keep your back almost parallel to the floor and don't let it move. I started out standing up a bit with my lower back every rep, that's cheating.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Glenn Pendlay on Pendlay Rows
    http://stronglifts.com/how-to-perform-the-pendlay-row-with-correct-technique/
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    I use plates stacked up on the ground - its not perfect but its what i have (and it works out because my husband peels off the top plate to use for his sets, then we put iton the ground to prop up mine.) I was doing them straight from the ground but with the small plates it means you end up either squatting down a LOT or bending over too far.

    They're also sometimes called a bent over barbell row - but make sure if you look up info on those you see that hte plates do rest on the ground in between. It shouldn't even really be a bounce per se - it should be completely dead on the ground before you pull it again.

    The thing taso linked is good (apparently he snuck in here to try and trick me into giving him one of my cheeseburgers) but I found it helpful to look at a few other people since the guy in the pendlay video is HUGE and you can't really see how it might look with a smaller person doing it.

    Don't do the rows where you are just leaning over slightly with the bar dangling in your arms. That's the wrong kind.
  • classictoaster
    classictoaster Posts: 197
    Yeah, my body's been at a 45 degree angle this whole time, i'm afraid. Time to double back... SIGH. Thanks for all the great tips guys. (:
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Yeah, my body's been at a 45 degree angle this whole time, i'm afraid. Time to double back... SIGH. Thanks for all the great tips guys. (:
    oooh yeah.

    you're gonna have to deload. I had to deload like 40% (I did the same thing)
  • Phoenix59
    Phoenix59 Posts: 364 Member
    Crap! I'll need to start over with those, too. :angry:
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Crap! I'll need to start over with those, too. :angry:

    Good luck - for the record, this is a really weird movement the first, i dunno, 100 times you do it. maybe 200. If you feel like a demented flailing frog you are probably doing it right.
  • classictoaster
    classictoaster Posts: 197
    Yeah, this exercise is tough! I'll report back on how I did after I get to the gym later today.
  • r1ghtpath
    r1ghtpath Posts: 701 Member
    i had to google this last night. i switched from using dumbbells to a barbell last night. went down in weight to make sure i had my form correct on all of the exercises.......

    i agree, it's an odd position and it doesn't take much weight to FEEL it.
  • classictoaster
    classictoaster Posts: 197
    Alright, story time!

    So, I went back to the gym and was determined to do this right, so I REALLY focused on getting parallel to the ground. i still felt squished and awkward though, and the guy squatting like, I dunno, 200 pounds next to me offered me some help! He helped me with my form, watched me do a few to make sure I got it right, and then congratulated me on doing a good job. I was beaming like a crazy lady.

    I'm always the only girl in my weight room, so no one really even makes eye contact with me. This was SUCH an awesome change of pace. Guess I'm getting noticed now...
  • ajhr
    ajhr Posts: 92 Member
    I'm really glad I read this after only my first 5x5 workout :)
    Thanks everyone!
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Alright, story time!

    So, I went back to the gym and was determined to do this right, so I REALLY focused on getting parallel to the ground. i still felt squished and awkward though, and the guy squatting like, I dunno, 200 pounds next to me offered me some help! He helped me with my form, watched me do a few to make sure I got it right, and then congratulated me on doing a good job. I was beaming like a crazy lady.

    I'm always the only girl in my weight room, so no one really even makes eye contact with me. This was SUCH an awesome change of pace. Guess I'm getting noticed now...

    That is so awesome, we have NEVER seen anyone else in our gym do this and we'd really like to as we're only about 95% sure we're doing it right (it helps to have someone there watching you but we're both in the same boat as far as being familiar with the movement)
  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
    Alright, story time!

    So, I went back to the gym and was determined to do this right, so I REALLY focused on getting parallel to the ground. i still felt squished and awkward though, and the guy squatting like, I dunno, 200 pounds next to me offered me some help! He helped me with my form, watched me do a few to make sure I got it right, and then congratulated me on doing a good job. I was beaming like a crazy lady.

    I'm always the only girl in my weight room, so no one really even makes eye contact with me. This was SUCH an awesome change of pace. Guess I'm getting noticed now...

    Buy that man a cookie! So great he was there to help :D Do you feel you have the movement down now?
  • classictoaster
    classictoaster Posts: 197
    Definitely. (: Once I get a movement down correctly, its pretty easy for me to continue to replicate it (also the way he described it made a lot of sense). At this point, it will just be a matter of stacking enough weights (I think last time I had 3 25lb plates plus 1 10lb plate on the ground to support the empty bar haha) and continuing to improve. (: I'm going to attempt to increase my weight to 50lbs next week, but if for any reason I feel awkward again, I'll just go back to the bar. Whoop!
  • r1ghtpath
    r1ghtpath Posts: 701 Member
    there was a great pic somewhere online, you could see his exact positioning, but more than that you could see the muscles that were working ( which helped me know where i'm supposed to feel this exercise)..... i wish i could remember where i saw it........

    my goal is 50 lbs too this next week!!! here's to hoping we both do it :-)
  • classictoaster
    classictoaster Posts: 197
    yeah! let's get after it! (:<
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    Speaking of barbell rows, could you guys please take a look at my video and see if my form needs help? Thank you! :bigsmile:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ADUCpFN3Sk&amp;feature=plcp
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
    Speaking of barbell rows, could you guys please take a look at my video and see if my form needs help? Thank you! :bigsmile:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ADUCpFN3Sk&amp;feature=plcp

    Looks great. The only tiny thing is are you getting full elbow extension at the bottom? It is hard to tell. If not, just start a tad higher so your elbows are extended at the start. It may not big a big deal, but you always want to get full range of motion. Otherwise, it looks good to me.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    Thanks Kazzari. I felt like I was doing them right, but the movement felt too small. Next time I will try with 2 risers instead of 3.
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
    Thanks Kazzari. I felt like I was doing them right, but the movement felt too small. Next time I will try with 2 risers instead of 3.

    Also, as the weight gets heavier you will need to use your hips to break the bar from the floor before you begin pulling the weight up to your stomach. Think of the start of a stiff legged deadlift from the floor.
  • r1ghtpath
    r1ghtpath Posts: 701 Member
    Speaking of barbell rows, could you guys please take a look at my video and see if my form needs help? Thank you! :bigsmile:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ADUCpFN3Sk&amp;feature=plcp

    looked good. i was going to suggest removing one of the risers so that you're fully extended when the bar is down. the movement feels different once you have weights on the bar.

    my goal for saturday is 65 lbs. i did one tonight, just to see how it felt....... it's an awkward exercise positioning wise, but i'm really LOVING it!!!!! i love feeling the muscles in my back contract and seeing even the tiniest of changes :-)

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