Rowing & Chin-Ups

I already have a rowing exercise on my back workout days, and I’m curious if I should add chin-ups to my back days, or just continue with my rowing exercises. I find rowing has a bigger effect on my lats then chin-ups, could I get your opinions??

[quote]jamez wrote:
I already have a rowing exercise on my back workout days, and I’m curious if I should add chin-ups to my back days, or just continue with my rowing exercises. I find rowing has a bigger effect on my lats then chin-ups, could I get your opinions??[/quote]

What other exercises are you doing on your back days besides rows? If it is just rows, you definitely need to incorporate other movements from different angles seeing as how the back is one of the biggest muscle groups on the body.

In order to reach full back development you need to hit it from all different angles, etc.

I for one favor the weight chin-up over any other back exercise for size in my lat area, so from a biased standpoint I would say definitely add chins to your workout routine.

Look up CT’s Back Specialization HSS-100 routine for more info on the different ways and exercises to hit the different parts of the back.

chin ups/pull ups, are one of the best exercises for building strength and width. I myself always start back day with pull ups with body weight. I will do between 15 and 20 to get loose, and then do 2-3 sets of 15 at the end for good measure. So IMHO chins are great for your back

peace

I basically agree with big blue about hitting the back from all angles, and CT’s article will help you sort out some good choices for exercises even if you don’t want to use the program.

I have come to believe that there are people who are built so that their lats benefit more from rows, and others who are chin dominant. I for one get more lat focus with rows. I can do several chins (OK 6-7 shoulder width grip) but it just turns into a forearms and bicep and rear delt exercise. On the other hands, trying to do pullups to the waist is great for my lats. Here, you try to raise your body in such a way that it is horizontal at the top of the movement, and the bar is on your lower ribcage or lower.

Also, I have come to realize that you should not do all of your lat exercises with an arched back, as I originally was taught. With a forward rounded back, you get more stretch on some exercises, ideally on straight arm pulldowns. I wouldn’t try it on barbell rows though, unless you have a chest support.

Rowing is not the only exercise I do on my back days. I do wide pull downs, deadlifts, rows and shrugs.

I’ve been reading on “scapular” workouts and was wondering if these exercises are useless.

chin-ups/pull-ups are the “squat” of the upper body.

Sternum pullups with all different grips are hard to beat for most bang for you buck back exercise.

Without question you should add pull ups/chinups and you can add all the variation you can think of with these.

[quote]Slyfan wrote:
chin-ups/pull-ups are the “squat” of the upper body.[/quote]

Second most intellegent thing I’ve heard today.

Pull up make your nuts grow. Once you can do 20 you will be a much badder man than you are now. Plus they really help your vertical press, and vert presses help these etc. Push press/pull up alternating HFT style gives you a big ‘mantle’ or shoulders and back etc.

-chris

Thanks for the advice guys, I’ll add pull-ups to my back days. If I add pull-ups to my back days, should I remove my wide grip pulldowns? Why or why not?

I did chins for along time 5X5. Never notice much of anything. Not to long back
some on T-Nation said to do 50 chins for back workout(along with rowing and other exercises). This is when I was able to do more chins per a set and noticed better
width in my back.

[quote]jdepron wrote:
I did chins for along time 5X5. Never notice much of anything. Not to long back
some on T-Nation said to do 50 chins for back workout(along with rowing and other exercises). This is when I was able to do more chins per a set and noticed better
width in my back.[/quote]

Like every-other lift, if things start to get easy, add weight. If you don’t have a dipping-belt handy, just grab an old backpack and shove a couple 5-pound plates in there. You’d be suprised how much a difference 20-pounds can make.

I wouldn’t use a backpack for anything more than 20 pounds tho.

[quote]john3103 wrote:
jdepron wrote:
I did chins for along time 5X5. Never notice much of anything. Not to long back
some on T-Nation said to do 50 chins for back workout(along with rowing and other exercises). This is when I was able to do more chins per a set and noticed better
width in my back.

Like every-other lift, if things start to get easy, add weight. If you don’t have a dipping-belt handy, just grab an old backpack and shove a couple 5-pound plates in there. You’d be suprised how much a difference 20-pounds can make.

I wouldn’t use a backpack for anything more than 20 pounds tho.[/quote]

After I was able to up my reps I tried using a backpack and a dipping belt.
I liked the dipping belt better. It felt more natural.

Yea, except when you get up to heavy weights and the chains from the dipping belt crush your package.

Love it.

[quote]jamez wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys, I’ll add pull-ups to my back days. If I add pull-ups to my back days, should I remove my wide grip pulldowns? Why or why not?[/quote]

If your only doing 3 sets on the pull downs it would not matter. If you want to keep them just do 3 sets at the end.

if you cant add weight. Do it slower. stop in the middle, wait, go up, wait, slowly lower down.

That coud work on many exercies if it doesnt set you in a weird posture / stance.

Gl <3