I’m doing madcow 5x5 and was wondering if theres any issue with switching out bent-rows for chins?
Ones vertical and ones horizontal obviously but don’t they both generally work the same muscles?
I just can’t get my back to respond well to bent-rows, it doesn’t feel like a productive movement. Even when I ‘pull with my elbows’ and all that it still feels like it’s too arms dominant.
Right now my upper body movements are overhead press, close-grip bench, bent-rows, deadlift.
Thoughts??
Have you ever given T-Bar rows w/ barbell anchored in the corner a try? Interlace your fingers to get an even pull.
I can’t feel BB rows but after a session of heavy tbar rows I can’t move my lats.
[quote]LiftSmart wrote:
I’m doing madcow 5x5 and was wondering if theres any issue with switching out bent-rows for chins?
Ones vertical and ones horizontal obviously but don’t they both generally work the same muscles?
I just can’t get my back to respond well to bent-rows, it doesn’t feel like a productive movement. Even when I ‘pull with my elbows’ and all that it still feels like it’s too arms dominant.
Right now my upper body movements are overhead press, close-grip bench, bent-rows, deadlift.
Thoughts?[/quote]
I don’t see any problems with doing chin ups instead of bent rows, other than progression isn’t as easy.
If you are already arms dominant on rows, you should maybe do pull ups (hands pronated, palms away from you) instead of chins.
A alternative to bent rows would be 1 arm DB rows, with one knee + arm on a bench.
I’m not familiar with the madcows program, but from doing a lot of climbing, my horizontal pulling strength isn’t on par with my vertical pulling strength. Its a weakness I’m trying to correct.
I love pull ups and chin ups, but maybe try switching back and forth between rows and chins to keep some balance and bring up your horizontal and vertical pull strength equally.
Using Chins should be fine and also protects the shoulder better on this kind of program.
If you do deadlifts in the same workout, space plenty of time betweeen the two excercises so that gripping doesn’t become an issue.
I had a similar problem. DB rows on a bench worked excellent for me. They took tension off my low back and permitted me to concentrate on really squeezing the muscles I care about.
I suggest using a combination of vertical and horizontal pulling in your program.