Question on Bent over rows

[Jingo]

Hiya's,

When i perform my barbell bent over rows, i feel like i'm getting a lot of pull from my triceps. I know they are a 2ndary muscle in this exercise, but is there anyway i can reduce the load on them and focus it more on the back? is it due to the grip being too close or wide?

I've always previously done these with single arm using a bench so want to make sure my form is good.

thanks!

[JeffC]

I had the same trouble with bent rows, and I find a couple things help keep me focused on the back: a wider grip, coupled with mentally focusing on my shoulder blades squeezing together, rather than how high I can pull the bar. I try to stop the motion when my shoulder blades are squeezed, which for me means stopping before the bar gets to my ribcage. I keep my grip wider than shoulder-width, but not as wide as a bench-press grip.

[Banditfist]

Your triceps should not be a secondary muscle for this exercise. It is not a compound exercise.

With single arm, lawn-mower pull, resemble tricep kick-backs. But, the exercises are using completely different planes of motion.

I think that to reduce the problem is to try to use an underhand grip for both hands....like you were doing a chin-up if the bar was above your head (as my Sergeant Airborne always said - Palms facing you, hooyah!). I find that this grip forces better form and really causes you to naturally use you back.

[Paul J]

this is a compound exercise, not isolation. barbell bent rows work the lats, traps, and biceps.


(edit: as well as all of the small muscles of the upper back)

[SCHTEEVIE]

I am not sure how it is that you guys are feeling it in your tricepts...?

biceps are the main secondary muscle with this.

form should be as follows:
you should be bent over at about 45-60 degrees, look up and ahead at all times, keep your lower back straight (ass out, shoulders back) - with a good solid shoulder witdth leg stance, slight bend at the knees.
Pull the bar with an under hand grip toward your gut.
grip shouldn't be too wide (about shoulder width or slightly less, and elbows should be tucked in, not flared out.

if you imagine pulling from your elbows instead of your hands, it will help focus on back.

[JeffC]

Originally Posted by SCHTEEVIE

I am not sure how it is that you guys are feeling it in your tricepts...?

I understand triceps aren't meant to be a factor in this exercise, but I definitely felt them when I first started doing it. I think it was a combination of my grip being too close, and trying to pull the bar too high (so my elbows were moving too far past my back ... at some point in my motion, the triceps were taking over from the back.)

I've always used an overhand grip, but there are several variations listed at bodybuilding.com.

[marcus]

Originally Posted by JeffC

I understand triceps aren't meant to be a factor in this exercise, but I definitely felt them when I first started doing it. I think it was a combination of my grip being too close, and trying to pull the bar too high (so my elbows were moving too far past my back ... at some point in my motion, the triceps were taking over from the back.)

I've always used an overhand grip, but there are several variations listed at bodybuilding.com.

Regardless of the grip etc I still cant see how you can feel your tris. They are an antagonist is this exercise. When your bis perform a concentric movement your tris perform an eccentric movement. They are basically supporting the bis but they play no part in the actual movement.

Maybe your tris were still sore from a previous workout?

Marcus

[Andrew M]

Pulling your elbows back will only stretch your triceps. The pain can only be from that, not from contraction.

However, relaxation of a muscle is not a totally passive mechanism. If you are really stretching a muscle, then some energy is required (from that muscle, the energy to cause the stretch comes from other muscles).

Andrew.

[Jingo]

just done these for the first time since i wrote this and really concentrated on pulling my shoulder blades together, much better!

I'd totally forgot about that action and it made a huge difference, really felt it in my back for the first time, and my biceps are warmer than my triceps for once!

thanks for the info and reminders everyone.

[LuFega]

Same thing used to happen to me. I would do lat pulldowns or single arm bent over rows and I could feel my triceps getting real tight during the workout. Sometimes to the point where I had to stop.

I realized this was because I had very, very, very, weak tricep muscles. I put emphasis on working the triceps more vigorously on their day and the problem has pretty much gone away.

How do you workout your triceps? The way I looked at it was, triceps are the problem, so the triceps must be the solution!

I alternate b/w close grip press, skull crushers, dips and tricep pulldowns. I"m starting to feel a little soreness in my elbows. I used the search function to get some insight on that and that's how I stumbled on your post.

Luck!