Seated Cable Rows

[BulkMeUp]

Looking at this example is how i do it. Knees slightly bent. Pull to touch bar to abs, while retracting shoulders. short pause and release forward to full stretch.

But i dont keep my back that straight. I tend to lean back. I havent checked, but i guesstimate 30-40deg. Is that acceptable or should i focus on holding back at 90deg or near thereabouts?

 

[Tough Old Man]

Looking at this example is how i do it. Knees slightly bent. Pull to touch bar to abs, while retracting shoulders. short pause and release forward to full stretch.

But i dont keep my back that straight. I tend to lean back. I havent checked, but i guesstimate 30-40deg. Is that acceptable or should i focus on holding back at 90deg or near thereabouts?

Nothing wrong with leaning back a little as long as your still pulling with the arms and touching. You can't touch regardless of how far back you lean if the weight is to heavy. Make sure the weight is not to heavy and when you touch to sqeeze the shoulder blades together. Low cable rows are a good back thickness exercise.

 

[P-funk]

the more you lean back, the more you pull with the arms, the more you start to engage your upper traps and the less you hit your upper back (because you are shortening the ROM).

Sit up.

 

[PWGriffin]

the more you lean back, the more you pull with the arms, the more you start to engage your upper traps and the less you hit your upper back (because you are shortening the ROM).

Sit up.

I sit up, but when lowering the weight I tend to lean forward and really stretch....it's not what you think...it's not so I can snap back and throw a bunch of weight up....I sit up first then pull. Granted I haven't done these in FOREVER. But I always felt a nice stretch in the lats when I let it pull me forward a little. Good, Bad, Switzerland??

 

[Focus]

the more you lean back, the more you pull with the arms, the more you start to engage your upper traps and the less you hit your upper back (because you are shortening the ROM).

Sit up.

+1
It turns into an upright row practically, taking a lot of the load off the back.

 

[BulkMeUp]

You can't touch regardless of how far back you lean if the weight is to heavy. Make sure the weight is not to heavy and when you touch to sqeeze the shoulder blades together.

If i cant pull my shoulders back and touch the bar to my abs, i reduce the weight to achieve that.

Sit up.

I have tried sitting up in the past, but that seemed to stress my back in the middle. Guess i need to focus on keeping my back tight throughout and not leaning forward?

 

[Tough Old Man]

Patrick since I have never been in a commercial gym, do they have back supports for the lower pulley rows.

 

[SuperFlex]

Looking at this example is how i do it. Knees slightly bent. Pull to touch bar to abs, while retracting shoulders. short pause and release forward to full stretch.

But i dont keep my back that straight. I tend to lean back. I havent checked, but i guesstimate 30-40deg. Is that acceptable or should i focus on holding back at 90deg or near thereabouts?

Sitting up is without question better form. On the last rep or two, if needed, a little rocking motion is cool. Even then I slightly lean into the negative and rock back with the postive...

 

[P-funk]

Patrick since I have never been in a commercial gym, do they have back supports for the lower pulley rows.

i have never seen one. you mean like chest support? the only support you have is to put your feet up on the metal plate, like the guy in the video.

 

[Tough Old Man]

i have never seen one. you mean like chest support? the only support you have is to put your feet up on the metal plate, like the guy in the video.

No I meant a back support. 1) it would keep you from leaning back. 2) Should the cable ever break, it would keep you from rolling out the door if it snapped while pulling real hard. I have been thinking of making one that bolts to the floor with removable pins so it could be easly removed.

Shit a car seat from your local wrecking yard would work and then you could recline it a little if needed. Strap in your seat belt and your good to go...LOL

 

[min0 lee]

I have a friend place his/her knee against my back.

 

[Tough Old Man]

I have a friend place his/her knee against my back.

I want to try that with you. Can I be your friend..

 

[min0 lee]

I said knee in my back.

 

[Focus]

No I meant a back support. 1) it would keep you from leaning back. 2) Should the cable ever break, it would keep you from rolling out the door if it snapped while pulling real hard. I have been thinking of making one that bolts to the floor with removable pins so it could be easly removed.

Shit a car seat from your local wrecking yard would work and then you could recline it a little if needed. Strap in your seat belt and your good to go...LOL

That's not a bad idea... the back support idea, not the car seat.
It would make sitting perfectly straight so much easier - but that is also the fault. It would eliminate stabilizers, making it more of a "machine" than it already is. Good idea though. I'd definetly give it a go if I came across one.

 

[CowPimp]

I try to sit up, but occasionally I end up getting a little lean back on the last rep.

 

[P-funk]

No I meant a back support. 1) it would keep you from leaning back. 2) Should the cable ever break, it would keep you from rolling out the door if it snapped while pulling real hard. I have been thinking of making one that bolts to the floor with removable pins so it could be easly removed.

Shit a car seat from your local wrecking yard would work and then you could recline it a little if needed. Strap in your seat belt and your good to go...LOL

I have never seen a row machine with a back support.

it would not be a good idea at all because, by laying your back up against a support, you are going to be locking down the scapula and preventing proper movement, leading to more harm then good.

 

[BulkMeUp]

So yesterday i reduced the weight and tried to stay upright. But this hurts my mid back during the reps. I know without seeing what i am doing it might be difficult to say what the cause is, but any tips on avoiding this.

In my original post i wasnt very clear so to clarify, I meant I lean back 10-30deg from vertical.