Hi everyone,
Somebody in this forum recommended kroc rows as assistance for deads and I decided to use them. Aside from improving the main lifts, my other goal is to build a ridiculous yoke.
I did 105*18 today, I definitely felt it in the forearm, lats and whole upper back. This exercise is amazing. Only thing is my lower back is slightly aching, which tends to happen when there is a form issue.
I have a few questions for those who do em. Do you support your knee on the bench as well? I presume that would be less lower back stress, right? Also, loading. Do you use your 10 rm for 10 strict reps and then get 10-15 more, do you take a db that’s too heavy for any type of strict reps and just go at it with moderate cheating?
Here’s what I recorded. My observation is that the weight is too light and the cheating motion is too much. Sorry for creating a thread like this but I’d rather ask.
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It looks like you’re being quite controlled when rowing. I prefer to be much more violent. With the body English, my personal approach is row as strictly as possible at first, then gradually get sloppier as the set progresses and your grip dies. If you’re worried about having to ‘cheat’ from the start, use a lighter DB.
Got you, I will use a bit more body english. The point is to get strong and massive, so that should translate well! Thank you for the reply!
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I love Kroc rows.
First off, I’m usually wearing a belt because I’ve pretty well thrashed my lower back by the time I get to Krocs. Since it’s assistance work, I don’t sweat the belt too much. Speed and intensity depend on what I’m doing for reps. If I’m just planning 8-10 or so, they look a lot like yours. There’s an inherent amount of body english to Krocs just because you move your shoulder so far forward and back. If I’m feeling particularly masochistic and want to bring the pain, I’ll do max reps for final set and those are very violent and fast from the get go. Speed is all relative.
Hope this helps.
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Hey Pookie,
I get your idea on the belt. I don’t use one, but started doing them the way Matt used to, so with one leg and arm on the bench. I can still cheat, but there is less lower back stress and it’s more taxing. Slightly reduces the weight though.
I do the exact same thing as you do for the rest. How much do you use? I feel like I can’t even call them kroc rows with doing 115x12 and stopping there because I hit the bench and the db flew out my hand!
I’m using 170 lbs for 3 sets. Just moved up to 15 reps today (before the implement fell apart). My gym doesn’t have dumbbells above 120 so I’m using a hammer curl bar and gripping the outside ring. I was working the 120’s for sets of 30 before one of the trainers suggested using that bar. I happened to load it up with all the quarters it could hold the first time I used it and I was able to do 8 reps so that became my new weight. When I can pull 3 sets of 20, I’ll go up another 20lbs.
Another idea is to use a landmine device or something similar, or put the bar into a corner with a db over it. Then row from the other side. Don’t use an plates smaller than quarters so you still get a decent ROM.
It isn’t quite the same, but still damned effective for lighting up all the same areas.
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Pookie: <> Haha I know the feeling bro! My gym stops at 115 as well. I made my goal to reach 30 reps on those, as constructing my own dumbell usually ends up in it falling appart or hitting the bench and flying out of my hand mid set. So you do more then one set of Kroc rows? And good idea on the curl bar. Might just try it!
Fletch: Good idea, do you reckon the bar should be in between the leg instead of to the side?
Usually three sets. I had the clips on one side fall off the other day mid set while having a pretty rough day so I called it a day.
I was pretty impressed with the idea myself and made sure to show the trainer.
Some people here will probably don’t believe me but I can do 270lbsx4 reps, back parallel to the floor and quite strict, rowing to mid torso with straps.
I use a step that goes in the exterior corner of a rack that leaves space for the massive custom DB.
There is some correlation with the deadlift but it’s a thing in itself. I am probably a low-mid 600 deadlifter.
I havent seen a direct effect of DB row to deadlift or the opposite, but the two increase together to some extent.
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use large office elastics with 5 pounders in set increments, at both end of the heaviest DB in your gym.
Also people like to do them for high reps, low to mid reps did the job better for me for medium and long term gains
I dont like to go above 8 reps, but since I end up doing a bunch of sets (I go up in small increments), even sets of 3 give me plenty of volume.
Last thing, I think using a bench gets too cumbersome when you have big DB, just put your non working hand on a corner and angle your back parallel to the floor, hips turned in an anterior way to protect your lower back (no rounded lower back), chest up and legs placed in a way that you can feel your back the most (look at meadows stuff)
etc etc
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Can you video this? I just want to see how insane this is.
I dont have a phone with a camera, but if my brother happens to be at the gym when I do this I’ll get him to take a picture of the DB. I dont really want to put pictures of me on here.
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Here is what I use to pin 5lbs outside DB, works well
Gotta get a few more boxes now, every week I break 1-2 and it adds up
Because you make claims of weights you can’t actually move or because of…?
I would rather not, also it’s pretty cringe to film yourself at the gym.
I dont see why would I claim stuff like that
If we agree that you send me a box of metabolic drive bars, with the forum manager etc, if I post a video of this I could do it
I am in vacation until thursday, I have some time to learn how to edit videos.
To edit my face out and the background if I can
Also id rather have some Flameout finally, 2 bottles lets say.
