# is my barbell row form bad?



## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

Roughly 6 weeks into stronglifts and today felt a struggle with the pendlay rows at 52.5 kg. I felt like i was doing it wrong and bobbing my head about so since i workout from home i thought id take a video. Please excuse the music , the kids play mats on the floor and me looking like a possessed chicken trying to lift.

I have figured my arms are spread to far and arnet staying by my side. I don't feel any of the lift in my back its all in my shoulders and arms. Monday i will try a closer grip but wondering if anyone else has any other tips, perhaps i should deload 10 kg and nail the form better?

Cant help but feel i look like an idiot but there is no other way for me to sort this out as i dont have any local friends who lift etc

http://vid360.photobucket.com/albums/oo46/jamesmacc2008/VIDEO0014_zpsyszlmz08.mp4


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## JuggernautJake (Nov 6, 2013)

the jam is gonna squirt right out of your doughnut if you don't straighten that lower back out.

Looks like you have some flexibility issues potentially

work on getting that lower back flat, that's a major flaw at the moment


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## IGotTekkers (Jun 6, 2012)

It's so bad it's sickening mate


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## JuggernautJake (Nov 6, 2013)

View attachment 167336


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## IGotTekkers (Jun 6, 2012)

To engage the lats properly you have to arch your back the other way, chest out, head up, shoulders back, torso at 45 degrees and pull up to your belly.


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## Titleist (Feb 20, 2015)

Looks a bit painful tbh - Not getting lower back pain?


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

one of the problems i seem to have is the weights on that bar are very small so the bar sits really low, My olympic bar has just arrived and the weights are a lot larger so hopefully i dont need to bend down so far.

I live 50 mile trip to my local gym so its not easy for me to get help with my form etc


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## andyhuggins (Nov 21, 2008)

Op tbh it is pretty poor. You need to re-assess your form as @IGotTekkers has just explained.


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

IGotTekkers said:


> It's so bad it's sickening mate


I was shocked myself when i played it back off my phone  I have to lean so far over to pick the bar up from the floor as the weights are such small diameter


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

man im so embarrassed  I suck


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## teenphysique (Jul 1, 2014)

jamesmacc said:


> Roughly 6 weeks into stronglifts and today felt a struggle with the barbell rows at 52.5 kg. I felt like i was doing it wrong and bobbing my head about so since i workout from home i thought id take a video. Please excuse the music , the kids play mats on the floor and me looking like a possessed chicken trying to lift.
> 
> I have figured my arms are spread to far and arnet staying by my side. I don't feel any of the lift in my back its all in my shoulders and arms. Monday i will try a closer grip but wondering if anyone else has any other tips, perhaps i should deload 10 kg and nail the form better?
> 
> ...


Awful form mate

Back needs to be straight , scapula retracted and to add your shifting the weight not lifting it in a controlled manour


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

IGotTekkers said:


> To engage the lats properly you have to arch your back the other way, chest out, head up, shoulders back, torso at 45 degrees and pull up to your belly.


Ill give that a try, although stronglifts video the guy keeps his torso at more or less 90 degrees and pulls the bar to his chest


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## Bgpine (Oct 13, 2014)

Ouch doesn't that hurt mate?


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## andyhuggins (Nov 21, 2008)

jamesmacc said:


> man im so embarrassed  I suck


Hey don't be embarrassed mate. We all make mistakes just take on board what people are saying.


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

andyhuggins said:


> Hey don't be embarrassed mate. We all make mistakes just take on board what people are saying.


Im down in central scotland next week, I might book into the Gym there and get someone to keep an eye on me that knows what there doing. I could feel i was doing something majorly wrong and that why i video'd myself


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

Bgpine said:


> Ouch doesn't that hurt mate?


some how no


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## Chrisallan (Jul 11, 2014)

Mate ,why don't you try deadlifting the bar up from the floor?

When you are standing straight up with it,lower it down until you have reached your desired position,then row.


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## Bgpine (Oct 13, 2014)

Also that's more of a pendlay row your trying to do isn't it?


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

Bgpine said:


> Also that's more of a pendlay row your trying to do isn't it?


Yes it is


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

Disgusting. Watch some vids on YouTube. Your at 90 degrees with a hunched back, danger zone.


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

C.Hill said:


> Disgusting. Watch some vids on YouTube. Your at 90 degrees with a hunched back, danger zone.


this is the one i was watching-


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## philippeb (Aug 21, 2013)

GOD DAMIT BRO !

STOP - STOP EVRYTHING YOUR DOING, Except if your taking a dump, finish, then read a book on proper form !

Its very very very bad, and dangerous for ur lower back!


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## ohh_danielson (Oct 16, 2013)

Yeah the form is bad mate. Drop weight and focus pushing chest out / shoulders back and getting your back straight. Try to control the weight more.


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## eezy1 (Dec 14, 2010)

ouch just watching that


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## Prince Adam (Mar 17, 2012)

Havnt watched it yet, kind of excited now!


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## Muckshifter (Apr 5, 2014)

jamesmacc said:


> one of the problems i seem to have is the weights on that bar are very small so the bar sits really low, My olympic bar has just arrived and the weights are a lot larger so hopefully i dont need to bend down so far.
> 
> I live 50 mile trip to my local gym so its not easy for me to get help with my form etc


Not good mate, if the weights are too low rest them on some plates or build some blocks out of timber.


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## bogbrush (Sep 19, 2013)

Feet about shoulder width apart

Slight bend at kness

Upper body nearly parallel to floor

Stick bum out

Arch back

Pinch shoulder blades together

Look dead ahead

Then row

This is how I set myself up.


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

DONT WATCH THAT! WATCH THIS!(madness voice)

Dorian Yates demonstrating bent over Barbell Row - YouTube


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## jamesmacc (Jun 17, 2014)

ill knock it back to start weight of 30 kg and work on my form, thanks for the comments


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## EpicSquats (Mar 29, 2014)

jamesmacc said:


> ill knock it back to start weight of 30 kg and work on my form, thanks for the comments


Make sure your form's right as you're doing the rows, think about form first before adding any more weight.


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Until you can get into and maintin proper thoracic extension... Why not just do Prone DB Rows on a bench? Get used to feeling your lats working. Once you've nailed that and can retract the shoulder blades properly, then come back to BOR.


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## Rykard (Dec 18, 2007)

jamesmacc said:


> one of the problems i seem to have is the weights on that bar are very small so the bar sits really low, My olympic bar has just arrived and the weights are a lot larger so hopefully i dont need to bend down so far.
> 
> I live 50 mile trip to my local gym so its not easy for me to get help with my form etc


I made a couple of wood risers to raise my bar to 9 inches


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## superdrol (Aug 9, 2012)

I use wooden blocks at half an olympic size disc to rest the bar on for deadlifts and rows... My olympic setup uses cast discs that aren't quite as big in diameter as they should be so I use the wood to make the bar the correct height...

From memory I used blocks that were 8.5" tall by 18" long and 4" thick...

Over 100kg deads and I have to put the blocks very near the ends of the thin section, otherwise it can cock up as I remove discs lol, kinda comedy when you work out its not quite balanced for the first time...


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