The Pump in the Wrong Places?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

The past couple workouts I’ve been doing some DB rows. The workout calls for 3 sets of 15,12, and 20 reps. This is part of a light upper body day.

I’m using around 65-80 lbs depending on the reps. I usually get a pretty good bicep pump by the time I’m done with this. I do feel like I got my back muscles worked, but I’m wondering why I don’t feel as much of a pump in my back. Also, is it bad to be getting a bicep pump when you’re doing rows? I know I read somewhere that if you are feeling your biceps getting worked, that you are incorporating too much bicep in the movement. But I’m not sure how to correct this.

My form is correct as far as I know.

2

Your biceps are supposed to help with the exercise. If your not feeling it enough in your back it’s probably a mind/muscle connection type of problem.

I always get more of a pump in my back if I go lighter and go through the concentric part of the movement slowly.

3

Are you holding your back level throughout the exercise or dipping your shoulder down towards the ground then up towards the ceiling?

4

Okay, I find that a lot of people have trouble ‘feeling’ their back muscles. Try to think of the row movement as more of a shrug, but along a different spatial plane. You should be able to contract your back without even bending your arms if you’re doing it correctly. I actually couldn’t train my biceps for a year, but was still able to work, and even add detail to my midback during that time by keeping this in mind. Definitely lower the weight. I’ve seen very few people do a correct db row with an 80 in my gym.

S

5

[quote]Brant_Drake wrote:
Are you holding your back level throughout the exercise or dipping your shoulder down towards the ground then up towards the ceiling?[/quote]

I’ve experimented with both. I read some bodybuilders really try an increase the ROM by reaching as far down as possible without tilting you back plane and pulling up(slightly towards the hips).

I’ve tried going straight up and down without dipping or raising my shoulder. Not sure which method is better.

6

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Okay, I find that a lot of people have trouble ‘feeling’ their back muscles. Try to think of the row movement as more of a shrug, but along a different spatial plane. You should be able to contract your back without even bending your arms if you’re doing it correctly. I actually couldn’t train my biceps for a year, but was still able to work, and even add detail to my midback during that time by keeping this in mind. Definitely lower the weight. I’ve seen very few people do a correct db row with an 80 in my gym.

S
[/quote]

Perhaps that’s it. Drop the weight a little, especially since I’m doing high reps.

At the top of the range you are really suppose to squeeze the back together as if you were doing BB rows, correct?

It’s possible that the weight is just to heavy to get the extra contraction at the top of the rep…

Thanks guys!

7

I’m curious, when did a pump=growth?

Is your back growing? If so who cares about where you get a pump. If it’s not then reevaluate your form and or the exercise.

8

read this…
http://www.T-Nation.com/article/bodybuilding/4_directions_to_a_kickass_back&cr=

9

[quote]tw0scoops2 wrote:
Brant_Drake wrote:
Are you holding your back level throughout the exercise or dipping your shoulder down towards the ground then up towards the ceiling?

I’ve experimented with both. I read some bodybuilders really try an increase the ROM by reaching as far down as possible without tilting you back plane and pulling up(slightly towards the hips).

I’ve tried going straight up and down without dipping or raising my shoulder. Not sure which method is better.[/quote]

I feel it much more with the dip method. By doing it that way I can focus on making my scapulae move (instead of the DB), which as stu pointed out, is the key to feeling it in your back.

10

[quote]Scott M wrote:
I’m curious, when did a pump=growth?

Is your back growing? If so who cares about where you get a pump. If it’s not then reevaluate your form and or the exercise. [/quote]

I didn’t really mean it as growth, but rather the pump meant my biceps were being recruited to do work, and I was wondering if it was doing TOO much of the work.

I know bi’s get worked during rows, but I just want to make sure my back is taking the brunt of it. Thanks.

11

I agree with Scott. When I do rows and chins, sometimes my biceps are pumped, but my back never is. Meanwhile, my lats are getting wider and my biceps are still tiny. I wouldn’t worry about it.

If you feel like you just have to have that pump, you might superset the big move with some straight-arm pulldowns or something just for activation.

12

I have a feeling that I’m simply trying to work with too much weight. I’ll drop back 5-10 pounds and see how that feels.

13

I expected this thread to be about accidental erections in the gym.

14

[quote]mr popular wrote:
I expected this thread to be about accidental erections in the gym.[/quote]

lol

15

If you’re squeezing the DB’s hard, you’re going to activate more of your biceps. If you really want to focus on your back, try using straps.

16

Also, when you do DB rows, imagine pulling the DB back with your elbow, and pull it back to your hip.

Ever since I read this, I think from Poliquin, I’ve been feeling it way more in my lats than previously.

17

I was never able to get this exercise to work until I start doing it supported on my knee instead of using a bench. AT first I pract the movement with no weight, just flexing my back muscles, then I use a 15lbs dumbbell to help me feel the exercise correctly. Then slowly building up 5 to 10 lbs at a time until I am at a working weight. At the end of my workout my biceps don’t feel like I have done a thing, but my back sure does.