Bent Over Row Form Check

I’ve been trying to do strict as possible reps, after seeing some videos and doing some more reading it seems a little kip is normal and ok?

Is this too much kip?

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I’ve seen people do bent over rows a LOT of ways. I personally bend over further and pull the bar to my hips - what you’re doing is a lot more upper back and even traps as you stand up more later in the set.

But plenty of people do them just like you do them, and plenty of really strong people use more kip than you do. So it just depends what your goals are. If it’s strictly hypertrophic, your lats won’t get much out of these.

I was pulling to over my belly button with my elbows more flared. I recently changed to just under the belly button with elbows a little more bent. I’m pretty sure I just need to quit reading about how to do exercises online. The thought of wasting time doing them inefficiently is what causes me to wonder the the www

Flared elbows = upper back. Tucked elbows alongside the body hit the lats. BORs generally hit the lats and the lower back from the position you’re in. Nothing wrong with blasting the upper back but there are safer ways to do it.

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99.9% of my rows have been flared elbows. I feel like every single one of my back exercises hit upper back minus cable rows with narrow grip. I feel them in my lower lats hard.

I’ve recently found something I call a rhomboid row that is essentially an almost parralel DB row that ends with thumbs in arm pit and you basically do half reps, not lowering all the way down.

I really want to target my middle back. I feel I have decent spinal erectors for my current condition but I’d like them to be beefier and feel my back day doing more than upper back.

By the way this is just MY opinion. I hope strong people will comment, because I know some people cheat the fuck out of them and get something out of it, so don’t take my advice as “you’re doing something wrong”. It’s just how I use them, and it depends on your goals.

I just want lots of muscles everywhere. This is the heaviest I’ve gone on sets of 10 (225). I’m gonna video again around 205 where I normally am and see if I’m anymore bent over.

Like flap said, rows are done a million ways. Personally I use bent over rows with strict form, and purposely let them get sloppy as I fatigue. I think the key is pulling. As long as it’s not just an upright row you’ll get significant benefits from it. You see some of the strongest dudes in the world rowing at a 45° angle and using more leg drive than a leg press, but they’re strong as fuck, so you cant really argue it. Regardless, 225 bent over for 10 reps is good weight. Whatever you’re doing, dont fuck with it.

Thanks man. This was my second set some some fatigue had set in. I’m with you on the strict train of thought, but also like you, I see these massive dudes rowing massive weight with lots of kip. I guess at a certain weight it’s impossible to bend over with that much weight without some kip?

That’s my thought. Rows are bar-none my favorite lift. They’re primal and fun, and it makes my want to get sloppy. I keep the strict form for the big 3 and abuse form on all the fluff. You’re ripping some heavy shit off the ground with the sole focus of getting better at ripping heavy shit off the ground. just keep the back nuetral and get it up!

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