Target weight for barbell bent over rows for 156 pounder

jogenn

I am a newbie.
I have modelled my training on Stuart McRobert's book "Beyond Brawn"

My bodyweight is now 156lbs

I am doing chins with bodyweight plus 16.5lbs for 5 reps
1 arm dumbell rows with 90.5lbs each hand for 5 reps

I now want to switch to the barbell bent over row to substitute for the 1 arm dumbell rows because it is hard to get a full range of motion with the dumbell row. Also I just like the feel of the barbell move better.

Questions:

1) Stuart McRobert says barbell rows are liable to cause injury. Is this true? Why? The movement actually feels really good and natural to me. I love it.
2) Given the above weights I am lifting on the 1 arm row, what would be a good starting weight on the barbell bent over row?
3) Stuart McRobert says that for a target weight to aim for on the 1 arm row to have 16 inch arms would be 110 for 6 reps. What would be an equivalent target weight on the barbell row? I know this is obviously approximate, but I am like to have a target to aim for so that I know when I get there I will be fairly strong at my bodyweight of 156lbs?

Thanks guys.

zx9rjas

The dumbell row and barbell row are different in the way it works your back muscles.

The dumbell row is primarally a movement for the lats. The barbell row however will not work the lats to the same degree. It will work the upper back far more.

For this reason it would be impossible to guess how much weight to use as your lats may be strong but the rest of your back may not.

The barbell row is more likely to injure your lower back especially if the movement is not in strict form. This is because it is an unsupported movement, with dumbell rows one arm supports you while the other performs.

I would say start with practising your form as you dont want to injure your lower back. Grab an empty bar and face a mirror. with your head facing the mirror at all times bend forward and stick your bum out. Make suer that you are not arching your back.

When you have got the correct form, pick a light weight and build up the weight. If you are feeling any strain on your lower back this is either too much weight of incorrect form.

It, like the squat, is a movement best learned by a experienced person showing you.

Also with the dumbell row, it should give a great range of movement. Try pulling the dumbell beside your hips at the top of the movement.

J

Benji

Barbell rows are a shoulder exercise and I have heard they are bad for the shoulders, you might be thinking of bent over barbell rows.

jogenn

Thanks for this info.
I am starting with 132lbs which seems very light to me and concentrating on form.
My lower back is reasonably ok because I am deadlifting although not with a huge amount: 230 for 10 reps.

gymlad1234

i brace my head on a raised bench when i do my rows as it makes the conraction so much more intense try it u will love it

Anonymous

are you planning on staying at this weight then?

personally i find the dumbell rows a much better exercise for the back, as i can go heavy and still keep good form,wheres with the barbell rows i wouldnt be able to use as much weight, and the form would be crap

warchild

I find that the Dorian Yates version of the barbell row works quite well.

This involves only bending 30 degrees over with your knees bent and arse sticking out, something like a deadlift midpoint. Then reverse your grip and pull the bar to your lower gut with your elbows tight into your sides. This is like the dumbbell row as it keeps your elbows tight. I suppose this exercise keeps the form stricker as you cant you cant twist as is possible with the dumbbell row.

If you are doing deads I would have thought that your lower back would have been worked hard and so would not do barbell rows as they need a lot of lower back assistance in stablising the upper body. If you do deads stick to dumbdell rows.

How do you find beyond brawn. I use the program for about a year and still use the basics of progressive weight.

I found that I gained lots of strength but not as much size and weight until I changed my program to involve more exercises per body part. It seems more of a power lifting course to me.

Anonymous

yeah i,ve seen people doing that one on the smith machine, does look quite good,

never done it though,, i think i,ll give it ago next back session.

jogenn

Thanks for the comments everyone.
I have decided to carry on with the classic barbell row for the moment, because it just feels good. If I find my form starts to go or my lower back gets strained, I will go to the Yates row or dumbell rows.
The trouble with the dumbell rows is that I am training at home and need to put 10 kilo plates on my olympic dumbells.
Once I have done this, the plates get in the way at the top of the motion so I am only getting half of the range of motion.
Anyone got a tip for getting round this?

Warchild,

As regards Beyond Brawn, I am finding exactly like you that I am getting stronger but not bigger. I am putting on fat because I am eating a lot, but not muscle.
I reckon you are right.
Just as a matter of interest, what is the program you switched to that enabled you to put on muscular bodyweight?

warchild

Hi jogenn

To start gaining the size I found that I had to increase the volume of training. For example I still do bench's first for low reps and continuously try to achieve heavier weights. When I started the course it said to just do the one major exercise so to begin with I was only doing bench's and I was getting stronger all the time but no real size or pumps.

I now do bench's but then incline dumbell presses, dips and then flyes with higher reps so that I get a good pump. My strength increases have been linear with the beyond brawn program but by increasing the exercises and getting bigger pumps my size has greatly increased.