Turning Rows to Shrugs.

I’ve been messing around with the Hammer Stength Plate Loaded Seated Isolateral Row. It’s a pretty decent machine, and if I clack on a good amount of weight it works my upper and mid back rather well.

Of late, after doing a lot of heavy sets, when my arms don’t seem to be working, I’ve started grasping the handles where they’re furthest from the body and pinching my shoulder-blades together, sort of like a shrug but it’s a horizontal movement as opposed to a vertical movement. I find it hits the traps and mid back very well.

Does anyone else do this exercise? What’s your favourite trap (middle and lower fiber) exercise?

DEADLIFTS!

What? Someone had to say it.

It sounds like a variation of one the shrugs mentioned in Kelso’s Shrug book.

Bent over rows also work well in this fashion, with all credit given to Kelso for that one.

I would love to deadlift. I have the worst shin-splints, they’re going away slowly. If I carry a really heavy load they come back. That’s why I’ve been experimenting with other back exercises.