Bent-over chest row with barbell and dumbbells: rear deltoid technique

Bent-over chest rows are very similar to the more familiar exercise, in which a sports equipment is pulled to the waist. But if the waist row is aimed at developing the latissimus dorsi muscles, then with the chest row the lion's share of the load falls on the deltoid muscles. Of course, the upper back is also included in the work, since this type of deadlift is not an isolating exercise.

Benefits and disadvantages of bent-over barbell rows

Bent-over chest rows provide a high load to the muscles and are considered an excellent option for training the deltoids, especially the posterior deltoids. The exercise is aimed at increasing the volume and strength of the deltas. It can be performed in an emphasis position, lying on an inclined bench, both with a barbell and with dumbbells. This version of traction takes the load off the spinal column and minimizes the risk of injury.

Read more about lying barbell rows →

Why don't my rear delts grow?

The posterior bundle of deltas is called the “lazy” bundle. Even professional bodybuilders have a posterior bun size that is only a third larger than that of an average person.

There are several reasons for this.

• Firstly, the front part of our deltas takes an active part in other exercises, or rather in all types of chest or triceps presses, while the rear part does not receive any load.
• Secondly, the back bun is not as popular as, for example, the biceps, back or pectoral muscles, which we always look at in the mirror. Therefore, less attention is paid to it.
• Thirdly, as I already said, the rear beam is the smallest in size, so it is difficult to include it correctly in the work, it is difficult to correctly direct the load. All this leads to the fact that exercises for the rear deltas are often done incorrectly, and the result is a lack of growth.

What muscles work

During chest rows, the middle and posterior deltoid muscles are activated The load also falls on the rhomboid and round muscles of the back. When performing bent-over rows, are involved , as well as the spinal stabilizer muscles.

How to do deadlift (Romanian) deadlift correctly

The difference between the Romanian deadlift and the deadlift is in the position of the knees at the bottom point of the amplitude, they do not bend, and you do not lay the barbell completely on the floor or squat under it at the beginning of the exercise. More precisely, the knees bend, but just a little. This is done so that at the bottom point of the trajectory we can keep our back straight and not round it. If you don’t bend your knees at all, you need to have impressive flexibility.

What does the Romanian deadlift look like in motion?

The main load when performing the exercise falls on the back of the thighs and the gluteal muscles themselves. Moreover, the straight-legged barbell row is a basic exercise due to the several joints involved. That is, doing the Romanian deadlift works a lot of muscle mass, which means the exercise is great for those who want to gain muscle mass.

This practice is for the development of the biceps of the thighs and buttocks. Auxiliary: calves, trapezius, triceps, hamstrings, hip flexors. The technique is reminiscent of the classics, but there are fundamental differences:

• we work with straight knees;
• lower the projectile to the middle of the shin;
• We ignore large weights.

Amateurs and girls are better off doing it in Smith. It’s better to start with 15 kg without a podium. As we adapt, we increase the weight and work from the platform.

1. We string the pancakes, put the locks, and come close to the bar. We take the base with a wide grip.
2. With a straight back, we bend forward at the lower back, moving our buttocks back.
3. We lift the barbell with our biceps using a pushing motion.
4. Moving along the trajectory, we feel the stretching of the biceps bundle.
5. The bar slides along the thighs and shins strictly vertically. Balance is achieved by purposefully transferring body weight to the heels.
6. In the position at the top, we move the pelvis forward to the vertical of the spine.
7. We lower the barbell to the floor with our arms bent.

Important!

• With heavy weights, using a different grip is not recommended - rotating the projectile is dangerous for the spine.
• It is better to use wrist straps or remove excess weights and reduce the number of repetitions from 10 to 5.

Technique for performing barbell rows to the chest

1. The athlete should stand up straight, grasping the barbell with a wide grip.
2. The legs must be slightly bent at the knees and the body tilted. The back should be straight.
3. Lower your hands with the barbell down at the level of the center of the pectoral muscles. There is no need to straighten your elbows completely.
4. The angle of the torso should be within thirty degrees. Elbows should be spread out to the sides.
5. The upward movement begins with exhalation. At the top point of the amplitude, try not to move your elbows to either side - forward to the head or back to the body. They should always move perpendicular to the floor at right angles.
6. The top point of the amplitude is the moment at which the bar is pulled towards the upper chest.
7. Inhale as you return.
8. It is very important to minimize the work of secondary muscles and concentrate on the key muscles - the deltoids.
9. Direct your gaze in front of you. You shouldn't put your head down. This nuance helps to keep your back straighter and not round it.

Variations of the exercise

There are two main variations - deadlifts with the elbows not rising above the plane of the shoulder joint, and deadlifts with the elbows above this plane. To work with a barbell using a variety of techniques, you need to actively involve the shoulder muscles in the work, that is, ensure that you understand this work. In practice, beginners pull with the trapezius, and this is normal, since in the human body it is this muscle that “starts” when the weight is lifted from a hanging position. For those who are interested in working their shoulders correctly, there is a simple trick - you carefully spread your elbows to the sides and pull exactly to the point where your elbows are at shoulder level. If it feels like only the trapezius is working, you should perform the exercise with less weight, and with an emphasis on moving your elbows slightly to the sides on the ascent.

BAR PULL TO THE CHIN

Technique for performing dumbbell chest rows

In fact, there are no differences from the barbell row when tilted to the chest. When working with dumbbells, the movement begins with an already familiar pose for readers of this article: bending your knees and bending over so that the torso angle is thirty degrees, we perform dumbbell rows.

Despite the fact that the principle of the exercise is identical to the previous one, some nuances can be highlighted.

• The first is to bring the dumbbells closer to each other at the lowest point of the amplitude.
• The hands need to be turned with the palms facing each other, and when pulling dumbbells during the movement, turn the hands to the pronation position. This is an optional element of the movement, but it can effectively relieve the load on the deltoid muscles at the lower point of the amplitude.

Trap Bar Row

The technique often becomes an alternative to the traditional version. It unloads the back, makes it easier to maintain balance, and pumps up the quadriceps more.

Target muscles: spinal erectors, working isometrically. Synergists: gluteal, quadriceps, soleus, adductors. Stabilizers: trapezius, biceps femur, calf, diamond. Antagonists: abdominal.

1. We sit down in the trap bar and grab the side handles.
2. Straightening the body, we lift the projectile.
3. We move our shoulders back and lower them down.

We avoid 25 kg pancakes. For deep squats, discs from 10 to 16 kg are suitable.

Recommendations for performing bent-over chest rows

• Movements should be performed smoothly and concentrated.
• Eliminate jerks from the execution technique.
• One of the important aspects of performing the movement is to keep your back straight. Even experienced athletes often suffer from a curved spine when performing an exercise. This usually occurs due to using too much weight.
• By the way, throughout the entire exercise, the abdominal muscles should be tense.
• It is very important to raise your elbows strictly perpendicular to the floor. If the trajectory of the elbows changes, the load ceases to be focused on the deltoid muscles. The grip should be wide.

In training, the bent-over row should be performed first of the posterior deltoid exercises. If the deltoid muscles are lagging behind in an athlete, then after warming up it is best to start training with this exercise. The optimal number of approaches would be from two to four.

Depending on the training goals, the number of repetitions may vary.

• For those who perform circuit training, you need to do 15-20 repetitions;
• and for those athletes whose training is aimed at increasing mass, the optimal repetition range will be from 8 to 12 times.

Possible problems and their solutions

Discomfort in the wrists

This can be a real pain. An athlete experiences it in two cases: if he bends his wrists too much, or if his joints are not ready for the load or are overloaded from pressing movements. In this case, you can wrap your wrists or use a curved bar or crossover handle.

Shoulder pain

The question is where the pain is located. If it “shoots” from the muscles into the joint, from the biceps and deltoids into the shoulder joint, you should refrain from the exercise. This means that the athlete may have suffered a sprain and therefore cannot actively train. It would be better to refrain from training until the body has fully recovered.

If the pain resembles discomfort in the joint itself, it may simply be a lack of warm-up. It is enough to do 8-12 rotations in the shoulder joints to get the desired effect.

Important: any shooting pain should be a signal to stop doing the exercise. Such sensations mean that a person may get injured.

Elbows do not rise above the level of the humeral head

This may be a sign of insufficient flexibility or poor development of mobility of the shoulder joint. Sometimes such symptoms occur with arthrosis of the shoulder joints, sometimes with arthritis. But this may also be due to joint stiffness due to the preferential development of the chest muscles. Flexibility and mobility can be developed by performing preparatory and special preparatory exercises. Sometimes mobility is gained by ordinary rotations in the joint, sometimes stretching is required.

How to replace barbell rows to the chest in a bent-over position

• The exercise can be replaced with a T-bar row with the hands positioned horizontally.
• Bent-over barbell rows can also be performed in a Smith machine or in a crossover from a lower block using a wide handle.

Pull from plinths

An excellent exercise for the buttocks and biceps. Suitable exclusively for advanced athletes. The technique is almost no different from the classical one, only when bending the body, we spread the knees to the sides, lowering the fifth point as much as possible.

• The bar stands on a platform up to 15 cm, not reaching the knees.
• The high podium allows you to lift weights up to 100% of the maximum.
• It is better to pull the projectile with a jerk grip from above with the arms extended to the pancakes.

Girls working with 15-20 kg discs, bypassing the platform, place the barbell on the floor. With heavy weights, the recommended number of lifts is 6 x 3.

Examples of training with barbell cleans[edit | edit code]

Workout - Nordic combinations

• 12 episodes, with minute start, with alternation; even series of 2 full cleans
• 2 lifts from half a 6-ed.
• 2 alternating lunge jerks

Workout - English Breakfast

• 3 x 10 full front squats
• 3 x 10 full pull-ups with elastic band
• 3×3 deadlifts - 1 barbell clean - 3 front squats - 1 snatch, recovery 1.5 minutes, 5 sets

Workout - push-ups and squats with a barbell

• repeat in combination as many times as possible in 3 minutes: 3 barbell curls - 6 push-ups - 9 squats

The Importance of Stretching

The exercise places specific demands on form. Do you know why most men cannot bend forward normally? The reason here is not pain in the lower back, or even stiff hamstrings. The body position is usually stabilized by inflexible ankles. You will have to start the workout by stretching in a split squat with the heel of the back leg lowered to the floor. It is enough to stretch for 30-40 seconds on each side to make the bend more free.

Before training, it is also recommended to warm up the hip joints and shoulders with rotations. Otherwise, the tilt won't be deep enough to engage your back, and you won't be able to perform the movement correctly.