Madcow, or bros Bent over row with chest pad

[dahamn]

I have bad elbows and bent over rows just about do me in. There is a machine at my gym that is basically a T bar with an angled pad for your chest to rest on. Anyone use this and do you think it will render the same results. I also have trouble with chins because of the elbows, but the rest of the compound exercises (squat, flat bench, deads and standing military) don't affect my elbows much. I tried this machine today without much weight and elbows seem fine. I miss my rows. Thanks


Dave

 

[BOOEY]

We have the same machine at my gym. I've used and I didn't like it too much, but if barbell rows are hurting you, I wouldn't suggest to keep doing them. It may be your form though, no way to know unless we saw you doing them

 

[dahamn]

We have the same machine at my gym. I've used and I didn't like it too much, but if barbell rows are hurting you, I wouldn't suggest to keep doing them. It may be your form though, no way to know unless we saw you doing them

I guess it's my hand position + pulling exercise that messes with the elbows. I have had people check my form in the past with no bad comments, but yes I think about that. So you only tried it and didn't like or you used it for awhile with no positive results?


Dave

 

[bignate73]

chest supported or no, shouldnt make a difference..a row is a row. my guess is your bar path is off when you row without the pad. the padded one forces a bar path on you.

 

[blut wump]

My gym has something similar where you sit down and each arm can independently pull on a lever to move the weight on each side. It does take some stress away from the forarms (maybe the brachialis, not sure) to have a more vertical hand position than the horizontal one of bent barbell rows.

I was shocked at the amount of weight I could load onto the thing as compared with my normal rows but it didn't feel like a complete exercise just sitting there pulling. Anything like this is moving away from compound towards isolation and probably likely to do less overall good at the very least to some stabilizing muscles. Still, injuries are a pain and you have to compromise somewhere to work around them.

 

[Madcow2]

When you do rows - where does the bar touch on your torso?

 

[dahamn]

When you do rows - where does the bar touch on your torso?

Just below the rib cage


Dave

 

[dahamn]

I also may have too wide of a grip...I thought about that last nite


Dave

 

[dahamn]

My gym has something similar where you sit down and each arm can independently pull on a lever to move the weight on each side. It does take some stress away from the forarms (maybe the brachialis, not sure) to have a more vertical hand position than the horizontal one of bent barbell rows.

I was shocked at the amount of weight I could load onto the thing as compared with my normal rows but it didn't feel like a complete exercise just sitting there pulling. Anything like this is moving away from compound towards isolation and probably likely to do less overall good at the very least to some stabilizing muscles. Still, injuries are a pain and you have to compromise somewhere to work around them.

On this one you don't sit down, you are standing on an incline with your chest leaning on a pad......you are actually not bent over but standing with back straight on an incline. The bar is one piece like a T bar with the weight at the end.


Dave

 

[Madcow2]

I'd stay light and work on your bar path. Experiment with pulling the bar lower into your abdomen, narrow your grip some. Try supinated/pronated grips. See if any of this makes a difference as a barbell is infinitely preferable to a hinge/cable/bearing type system.

Also, this sounds like a new movement for you and if you have some back strength it might just take time for your limbs to learn to accomodate and condition themselves to the pulling.

 

[dahamn]

I'd stay light and work on your bar path. Experiment with pulling the bar lower into your abdomen, narrow your grip some. Try supinated/pronated grips. See if any of this makes a difference as a barbell is infinitely preferable to a hinge/cable/bearing type system.

Also, this sounds like a new movement for you and if you have some back strength it might just take time for your limbs to learn to accomodate and condition themselves to the pulling.

Today is back day so I will look at my path and hand position, I also was thinking about looking at using the hammer curl bar, that may be too close of a grip though.

Back Day
Deadlifts 5 X 5 195
Pulldowns 3 X 10
Rows 3 X 10

Thanks guys
Dave

 

[BOOEY]

I guess it's my hand position + pulling exercise that messes with the elbows. I have had people check my form in the past with no bad comments, but yes I think about that. So you only tried it and didn't like or you used it for awhile with no positive results?


Dave

No, I only tried them a few times. I just didn't like it - it didn't feel right, I get a much better contraction when using barbell.

 

[Dial_tone]

The pad interferes with my breathing; don't like it at all. I only use padded machines when they're vertical.

 

[dahamn]

I just ended up doing the machine at a medium heavy weight.....I kinda liked it.
I also was looking around at other peoples forms, man what a laugh, some guy was standing straight up and doing them I think, I didn't ask him but I'm sure he was trying to do rows. Anyway, the elbows feel fine and I will work on some of your suggestions. Thanks

Dave