Shoulder Blades And Rows?

When doing rows should i keep my shoulder blades pinched together?

If i relax them and let the weight go when i’m doing rows i have to the move the weight a farther distance(which is harder), and two, i then use more muscles in my upper back and shoulder.

But i read somewhere i should pinch my shoulder blades back and that is what i have been doing for the last couple months.

Also, on a side note, i am doing power cleans for my supplemental lifts for westside for skinny bastards. Is this a good lift for rear delts/upper back?

you were doing them better before. if you’re gonna pinch your shoulder blades do it at top of ROM and hold for like a second or so.

power cleans may make you sore in upper trap fibers that have never been sore. they do for me. they aren’t much for rear delts. bent over rows to the throat or face are though.

be sure you’re doing PC’s correctly, because if your rear delts get sore from them you aren’t power cleaning but cheated upright rowing.

imo

I have been told by a CHEK practitioner that the first 30 degrees of a row should be elbow flexion; the remaineder of the movement should be you consciously bringing your elbows back via scapula retraction. So to answer your question, yes your shoulder blades should be “pinched” together at the top of the movement, and at the bottom your shoulders should be spread.

Hope this helps.