Can't touch chest on inverted rows...

[AdamW]

This drives me insane. If I use momentum and just rip myself up I can touch sure, but if I try and row at a controlled pace (not slow, just not heaving) then there is no way I can touch. I tried with my feet flat, feet flat and way back so I was inclined at like a 45 degree angle, I tried straps, band assistance, everything. I cannot do it.







I don't feel my upper back working whatsoever, just my elbows and forearms, even when using straps. Super frustrating.

[PaulBeech]

change up your angle perhaps. Build up some strength and endurance at an incline.

edit. You are there anyway! Such a tiny margin. I wouldn't stress.

[Dastardly]

They are a stupid exercise, why bother?

If you are adamant to stick with them, I would consider a wider grip.

[AdamW]

I'm super weak in the upper back and I think because of the imbalance compared to my anterior shoulder/pecs, I'm not able to grip the bar correctly on my squats. I'm trying to strengthen the muscles back there to allow me to pull my elbows back into a better position for squatting. I was hoping that I could work that area with rows, but I can't even work through the range of motion that stresses the muscles back there (the top couple inches).

Probably will just resort to shitty dumbbell isolation work in the mean time I guess. The rows piss my elbows off anyways, probably because I'm pulling with my arms instead of my fucking back. Just frustrating, I dunno... It's really gay to be able to bench 350+ and not be able to do one proper row.

[AdamW]

Dastardly, I'm doing them as a replacement for barbell rows since I cheat the shit out of my barbell rows:



Just heaving with my hips and dropping my chest. I don't know if it's a strength issue or a mobility issue but it's frustrating.

[konkoba98]

I haven't done rows recently, but I much prefer to do them with a PAUSE at the top with the barbell in my upper abdomen area. If you aren't strong enough to pause with it there then you weren't strong enough to get it there without cheating and you need to drop the weight. I don't think inverted rows or any variation of a chinup/pullup is dumb - but I'm fat and weak so don't take my word.

[Dastardly]

So, you are a pretty strong guy. I had fears you were one of those misguided noobs doing stronglifts.

For strengthing your back, ability to retract scapulae and build up some rear delts. There is a whole load of better things you could be doing.

1. Normal pull ups and chins (weighted if you like) try to lean back on these to make them more "row-ish"
2. heavy dumb bell rows.
3. barbell rows; you can do these from the hang in 'bodybuilder style', with underhand grip, in a pseudo shrug fashion like captain kirk did or just in the way recommended by Starr & Rip, they are all good.
4. Snatch high pulls (in a manner not dissimilar to a upright row but with explosive hip drive) these actually work your delts and lats pretty hard, in addition to traps.

[AdamW]

I 100% agree with you on the pause, I tried them recently and could barely do it with 135 for a couple reps. I want to be strong enough to actually squeeze the bar through the end of the range of motion, not just use the momentum I get off the ground. I was hoping to be able to do this with the inverted rows and just pause at the top, but I can't touch the damn bar, and even then, squeezing at the top feels like it's just working the shit out of my forearms, I don't feel my upper back trying to do the work.

[Dastardly]

Dastardly, I'm doing them as a replacement for barbell rows since I cheat the shit out of my barbell rows:



Just heaving with my hips and dropping my chest. I don't know if it's a strength issue or a mobility issue but it's frustrating.

You are suffering from a fault I see nearly EVERYONE do when they try to do barbell rows from the floor. Have you not actually looked at the pictures in SS?

You are supposed to finish the movement with your shoulders higher than your hips. RAISING the chest height guarantees that you will not cheat. Your start position is also poor, your hips should be a little lower.

[AdamW]

Just did these with 135 with a less horizontal torso, better? I checked the pics in the 3rd addition and the torso angle seemed pretty similar to my 185 vid, my shoulders look higher than my hips to me?



Thanks for the input.