The lats are one of the only muscles to run directly over the vertebrae of the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine making it an important exercise for back pain sufferers. On top of that, it helps develop thickness through the upper and mid back and importantly, it helps improve scapular (shoulder blade) mechanics.

The row is typically intended to work the lats, rhomboids, lower traps, and erector spinae lower back muscles, and they also require stabilization from the rotator cuff.

People tend to approach the dumbbell row with a kyphotic (rounded) thoracic spine, posterior pelvic tilt, head too low or too high, elbow flared out to the side, wrist curling at the end to get extra height on the lift, massive torso rotations, jerk-pulls to use momentum for the last little pull, and any number of other movements that could be considered anything but a row.

As the lats are supposed to retract and depress your scapula, the row movement will only work properly if the spine isn’t stuck in kyphosis. A rounded back will limit the mobility of the scapula and make the exercise impossible to work the lats. By “straightening out” the spine and getting it into more of a neutral position, you allow the shoulder blade to move properly and get the lats and rhomboids to pull properly.

Common errors when rowing:

• Pulling the weight straight up.

Although this may seem like a common sense thing to do, look at the body positioning. The lats are below the shoulders, so pulling straight up would work more of the upper traps instead of the lats and rhomboids. The best direction of pull involves having the shoulder blade retract and depress in almost a spiral, basically moving up towards the roof and then down towards your back pocket.

• Rotating the spine towards the top of the movement.

Usually a result from trying to gain that last piece of range of motion. Obviously you should try to steer clear of this. The spine should be almost completely stationary, with the scapula retracting and depressing in that spiral movement, meaning it’s doing all the work. This is where the row becomes a really great anti-rotation core  exercise as well as a back exercise!

A helpful cure for this is to flex the low back muscles. The lats act as a spinal extensor AS WELL AS a scapular retractor and depressor, so getting the low back to contract can help increase the amount of maximal contraction the lats can do with the activity, as well as help stabilize the spine for the movement.

Finally, the finishing position in the row is typically with the scapula not in full retraction, a position that could indicate that the rhomboids and traps aren’t working to their full potential. Sure, the muscle is still working, but it’s a far cry from bang-on perfect.

Reference: T-Nation

Squeeze

Use a weight that you can manage a 2-3 second pause/squeeze/hold, whatever you want to call it, at the midpoint or top of each rep. This is a critical point. You want to make sure you’re using muscular strength and not momentum to perform the reps. If you can’t pause with the weight at the midpoint of the movement, you’re using too much weight!

Jackson muscles up

Jackson has always been more into the cardio type activities like running and conditioning. Since April this year, Jack has spent more time working on his strength which has transferred into more muscle with a 3.5cm gain on his chest and 1cm on each arm. Well done Jack, imagine what you can do when your nutrition is consistent!