Thread: Same sort of exercises, different muscles?

Sounds like you might just have terrible form. For barbell rows, you have to bend over. Bending slightly forward doesn't do much to recruit your whole back. It basically becomes an upper trap lift if you don't bend over far enough. Dumbbell rows are easy to put momentum into, and it's probably the reason you can do a lot more. Your form isn't good because you can't lift much? Are you saying that you're trying to lift heavy and you are breaking your form just so that you can move the weight? For something like BB rows, that's a bad idea, and asking for injury.

There is no alternative to squats. None. Do your squats then move to hack squats as accessory. You probably just have to learn how to squat. With a hack squat it's easy because the path is locked.

Bicep curls... well those don't really matter for anything. Do whatever you want for those.

thanks for the advice, I thin I will use lower weights and practice more on form for the bb row, the curls I will do with dumbells and the squats I will practice my form.

Any good videos that show good form for a barbell row please?
This is how I was doing my one arm rows with my barbell but I used a bench making a tripod like you would with a dumbell:

Managed to find this video and it does like you said but I am not sure if this is 100% what you meant(I am confused because he is using a different grip to others on youtube, his hands are facing away from his body, will this target his biceps?:

Also will this exercise target my biceps aswell as my back?

There are several ways to do BB rows, all of which are very core intensive since you'll be holding a low position statically. If you are going to do 1 arm rows, I'd stick to doing them with DBs. If you want to do a BB row, use both hands to keep things less complicated than they already are. So here are some comments on BB rows. You can pick which you like the best.

-keeping the grip pronated (over hand grip) will help recruit a lot of the upper back, with not so much focus on the biceps.
-using a supinated grip (under hand) focuses more on the lats and biceps.
-pulling from a dead stop off of the floor (as in the video) is called a Pendlay row and can be a great variation
-try to keep the upper body at least 45 degrees or less from the floor. The closer your upper body is to parellel with the floor, the better the ROM and recruitment. Eventually you will find the sweet spot where you can keep adding weight and keep growing.

Personally, I prefer the majority of my rows to be overhand since it works the mid to low traps very well. It's always good to strengthen that area of the back to prevent imbalances.

And as far as squats go, check this thread out.
Great Squat Video Series

Thanks for the help, do you know which one would be the one which is considered more of a compound lift for a begginer please? I do a 3 day split workout and do push,pull,legs/abs, the row is for the pull day and on that day I do deadlifts, rows and bicep curls, which type of bb row would be most benefitial in this type of workout routine? I tried this workout and a day after the pull day I realised my lower back was sore my elbows(the inside of my elbow joint between bicep and forearm) were sore but my biceps were not, just incase that helps.
I am sorry about asking all these questions but I see that you are much more experienced than me and your advice can make a big difference to my workouts.
Thanks

This is a forum, if you can't ask questions and get answers here, where can you?

If you are using dead lifts as a back exercise, I would actually not use BB rows in the same workout. That is a lot of lower back work and the fatigue in your posterior chain would limit the amount that you can do for BB rows, making them not as effective as other rows. For a good back day I always pair a horizontal row with a vertical row, for example, DB rows then pull ups.

sounds like you have a hard time creating a stable base position. you might want to stay away from the bb rows for now. you can build you lats with a ton of other exercises.
for squats, focus on some key points: 1. position the bar lower, push your elbows back. that will create a kind of "shelf" to seat the bar. 2. push your ass backwards and drop into the squat. think of strippers when you do this. 3. when your thighs are parallel to the floor, you should be planted firmly on the balls of your feet and heels (you can pick your toes up off the ground and wiggle them in your shoes). 4. don't initiate ass first (stop thinking of strippers, if you can). keep your chest up, push your knees out and hips forward. you should be driving through your heels.
have someone watch you from the side and make sure you don't lift your butt before the bar starts to move.