Matt,I don't believe that inverted rows are part of the CrossFit regimen of exercises. The only type of rowing I have seen is done on a rower, but then again, I have only been doing CrossFit for a year and a half. I don't know if they are excluded because they are not felt to be functional movements, but might be considered either sport or job specific. However, I could be mistaken with this.In any case, inverted rows are great and I do put them into workouts. I do BJJ and we need to have strength for pulling, so that is why I utilize them in my training. I either do bent over rows with the barbell or I kneel on the bench and do single arm rows with a KB. Thanks,Personally I believe they are a great exercise (especially on the rings)-and a great parrallel to the body pulling movement to balance out parrallel to the body pushing movements (like push ups and bench)-lots of cool progressions as well-requires good scap and core stability-for a cool exercise-look for a 1 arm rotational inverted row (rings or TRX).
At home I sometimes don't sail for weeks and then for days in a row. On trips when it's. Do and how often? Surfing as often as possible besides the usual fitness workouts. It is good to be lean for a better power to weight ration. It is good to be. Surfing and SUPing every time there are waves.
Enjoy.they are a good exercise, especially for those who are working up to pull-ups. Never seen them programmed directly, but 'ring rows' appear regularly on the puppies/buttercups workout at BrandX. (w/f/s) This is Craig Smith doing inverted rows. He has a 300+ OH press, a 400+front squat, a 600+ deadlift, etc.I don't know about anyone else, but I can't get many more inverted rows than chins. So I don't know why they'd be limited to good for a beginner.And I don't know why they'd be unfunctional.
Can someone explain to me what functional is? I looked at the Crossfit faqs and couldn't find the definition of what functional is in the Crossfit definition. The last time I heard teh word functional fitness it entailed squating while stabilizing on a bosu ball. I thought inverted rows were like the opposite of a push-up, not what that guy is doing in that video which seem like assisted pull-ups.I gotta say though, inverted rows with the bar or rings set low enough and your feet in a chair or something, are HARD, as hard as strict pull-ups for me. They are written as scaling for newbies but I suspect they use the rings higher and their body doesn't get horizontal. If you can do many reps of inverted rows on a set-up where your body is horizontal at the TOP of the ROM, then you definitely can do some strict pull-ups. Jamie, I don't have all the answers, and my response about the lat pull-down was a bit of a joke, that's why I put a smiley next to it.Now, if we're gonna talk about things that don't make sense, we can argue that comparing the inverted row to the bent over barbell row doesn't make much sense.
I don't mean to be rude, but they don't even look alike. Lets see: The inverted row lets you pull completely horizontal, while in the bent row your back is at an angle with the path of the barbell, it's not perpendicular (hope I phrased this right, my english is not too good).
Another thing: in one you have a great state of hip flexion, while in the inverted row you must contract your posterior chain muscles in order to keep your hip extended. Totally different in that aspect. Next, just like in the pull-ups vs. Lat-pull-down discussions, in the barbell bent row you move weight towards your body (like lat.P.D.), in the inverted row you move your body (like pull-up). I don't know if I could go on, but they are just different. Oh, wait, there is more: you have to stare at the dirty floor doing rows, while you can stare at the sky and birds flying in the IR, which makes you stronger. You can 'cheat' in the rows easier by lowering your torso to 'complete' a rep (if by complete we mean touching bar to ribcage or whatever), it's harder to cheat that last bit of ROM (which is the toughest) in the inverted rows.
You also can do IR's almost anywhere, so no need for equipment or going to a gym, some folks even get under a sturdy table and do them there. Ok I'll stop now:). Fair enough, I figured you were messing around'The inverted row lets you pull completely horizontal, while in the bent row your back is at an angle with the path of the barbell, it's not perpendicular'This isn't necessarily true, you can do Barbell rows with your back at any angle you wish.
THe fact that you can perform the barbell row with a horizontal back is one of it's assests, it's a great assistance excersize for the lower back.' Another thing: in one you have a great state of hip flexion, while in the inverted row you must contract your posterior chain muscles in order to keep your hip extended. Totally different in that aspect'THis is true but I'm not sure if it changes the excersize with respect to the prime movers.
I don't think it does, but certianly changes the work (chemical, not mechanical) done by the lower back. Weight inverted rows with the weight placed on the lap would work your trunk in a similar (though opposed) way as a weighted push up with the weight at the same position.' Next, just like in the pull-ups vs. Lat-pull-down discussions, in the barbell bent row you move weight towards your body (like lat.P.D.), in the inverted row you move your body (like pull-up)'I never got this distinction. I don't see how it changes the adaption'Oh, wait, there is more: you have to stare at the dirty floor doing rows, while you can stare at the sky and birds flying in the IR, which makes you stronger.' Really can't argue against this'You can 'cheat' in the rows easier by lowering your torso to 'complete' a rep (if by complete we mean touching bar to ribcage or whatever), it's harder to cheat that last bit of ROM (which is the toughest) in the inverted rows.
You also can do IR's almost anywhere, so no need for equipment or going to a gym, some folks even get under a sturdy table and do them there.' All good pointsMy problem with the inverted row is similar to my problem with the weighted push up. It's logistically difficult to get progressive overload with it. It's a bit easier to do than the push since the weight is on your chest, but it still slides and you can gain or lose weight.I think it comes down to goals, just like everything else. I use the bent over row as an assistance excersize for the lower back and figured I'd get a little pulling done ot the same time.
My goals are also strength biased, and I can load the bent over row more easily and with greater weight.If your goals are not strength biased and you are more concerned with the prime movers, the inverted row is a great excersize, better than the bent over row.For a real treat, try a 1 armed bent over db row without leaning on anything. Your midsection will hate you.SO like everything else, the answer to 'Which is better BB bent over row or inverted row?'
Is 'well, it depends'. I didn't realize how difficult they were until I tried them.plenty easy to do if you let your back drop or go vertical, but keep your back parallel to the ground, legs up and pull so your hands touch your belly.damn, that is a different beast and one I need to work on. My horizontal pull is weak. So is everyone else's I've trained with, even folks with pullup numbers better than mine.I agree with Kelly and with everyone else who supports the benefits of Inverted Rows.
They are highly useful and functional. I do them as well as with standard pull ups and kipping. It really works the chest, back lats, rear delts and core quite nicely especially while wearing my weight vest. Matt, don’t worry if you don’t see much love given to IRs. If they work for you then rock on. I have a laundry list of both CF and non-CF exercises as well. To each their own!:highfive.
For comparison I did both bent over barbell rows and inverted rows.Body weight 233 lbsBar bell rowsback was horizontal, weights did not touch the ground during the excersize. THe bar was pulled to the bottom of the sternum.
No movement of the trunk was allowed during the movement. Pinky was on outside ring of the barI did 3 sets of 6 using 185 lbsInverted rowsI used a smith machine with a bar height such that when my back was straight and scapula retracted I was about an inch off the ground and my arms were perpendicular to the floor at the beginning of the set. I kept my body rigid during the set. Feet were together on the floor.
Immediately after my first set of 6 on the bent over row, I did 7 reps on the inverted row.My impression is unchanged. I expect the inverted row to get progressively easier as the bent over row goes up in weight and the inverted row doesn't work the lower back any were closer to the bent over row. Hi everyone,Thankyou for your replies-pretty sure the people who do the inverted rows who find them challenging-are using the correct movements-they are not easy when done correctly-mirror image of a push up with feet inverted-great for push/pull balance & shoulder injury reduction-good pictures of exercises in Mike Boyles book-functional strength for athletes.Only count the ones were your sternum touches the bar-or ribs touch the rings. A true parallel to the body pulling movement-chins & pullups are overhead pulling strength movement.I can do pullups (with sternum touch bar at top) with 30kgs hanging off me.If you find invert rows easy-throw on a weighted vest-top position (chest touch bar/rings) is the most important part of movement-enjoy.
There is a reoccurring mistake I see made when doing kettlebell bent-over rows, and it means that the target muscles are not isolated/worked.Rows are a pulling exercise and are supposed to work the back. With kettlebells you also 100% involve the core and legs with each variation. Unlike machines there is nothing to hold you up, lean against or sit in, thus you need to hold yourself up.The odd thing about this exercise is that the range feels very short, but this is just a feeling, however, that feeling will cause a lot of people to pull the kettlebell up too far —don’t over exaggerate the range by pulling it up too far—, your elbows should just come past your ribs and that’s enough, If you’re a coach, then you’ll want to provide a cue for your clients at which point to stop. But that’s not it, the Nr. 1 mistake is further down below.Kettlebell Row VariationsThe degrees refer to the angle between the elbow and ribs.Renegade rowsDouble-arm, deadBent-over rows wide (90°)Single-arm or double-arm, dead or hangBent-over rows hybrid (45°)Single-arm or double-arm, dead or hangBent-over rows narrow (0°)Single-arm or double-arm, dead or hangFor the bent-over rows, you can hip hinge with bent knees or locked-out knees.Squat rowsSingle-arm or double-arm, dead or hangLong lunge rowsSingle-arm, dead or hangNr.1 Mistake Made With Kettlebell RowsLet’s talk about the Nr. 1 mistake I see made the most with the kettlebell row. If you want to see it, watch my video here at,.
First things first, kettlebell rows are designed to target the back, the rear delts and rhomboids. Russian Girevoy Sport Institute Kettlebell Coach, Cavemantraining Certified, IKFF Certified Kettlebell Teacher, Kettlebell Sport Rank 2, CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, CrossFit Judges Certificate, CrossFit Lesson Planning Certificate, Kettlebells Level 2 Trainer, Kettlebell Science and Application, MMA Fitness Level 2, MMA Conditioning Level 1, BJJ Purple Belt and more.
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