Dumbell or Barbell rows

J

Jerm2410

0
I've seen some people use a barbell when doing bent over rows. They just grab a bar, lean over and row. I've always used a dumbbell with one knee and one hand on a bench, one arm at a time.

Any reason to do one way over the other? I would think with the dumbbells it would be easier on your lower back?
 
I like bent-over rows without a bench with both DBs or a BB because it's not as easy for the lower back, and the hamstrings and bum get involved too. But I'm one who likes to increase overall involvement.

If that isn't so much your aim, I would think that leaning on a bench will allow you to focus on your upper back more.
 
DBs would probably be easier on your lower back, but you'd have some rotation you'd have to stabilize. With one knee on the bench the body will want to rotate, which you will have to prevent. Though, this is just good training for the abs. Doing it with a BB is just preference or for variation. I've done both and they compliment each other fine. No reason to stick to only one exercise.
 
My preference is single arm basically because I suck at horizontal pulling and find bent over rows very difficult.

Im with the others these exercises compliment eachother and variation is key.
 
The advantages of the BOR are the extra weight you can add (like Marko said) and also the time you save. I dislike the DB rows particulary because of this. You have to do a set with your right arm, switch, left arm, switch again...

Concerning the lower back, it has a lot to do with proper form. If you bend the knees just right, your lower back won't bend. It's something you'll have to experiment and, the way I feel it, has a lot to do with keeping the axis of your body in a way that you don't have to strugle for balance. The gravity axis has to be somewhere along the line of the rowing movement. I really can't explain this right enough, so here's a link:

Barbell Bent-over Row

I also use a belt with this one as it helps me to isolate the lower back from involvement on this exercice.

BOR can also be tough on your sholders if your grip is to narrow on the bar, or your wrists if your grip is too wide.
 
I do more barbell than dumbbell.

My wife has lower back problems between L4 and L5, so she does dumbbells cuz doing the barbell just hurts her lower back.

however she can deadlift and squat still (thankfully)
 
Barbell FTW for me! Partly because of what the others said such as involving other muscles and you can shift more weight but primarily because it is more time efficient.
 
IMO, one needs to examine the various uses (and difference in muscle recruitment) that DB's can bring, even with the back.

For example, the various muscles that the DB/BB pull-over (and its variants) bring to the table when it comes to the back (such as assisting in developing the: Serratus anterior). Along with the: 45 degree Prone Incline DB-row (which uses two DB's). I have used both of these as SS's in the past.

Personally I prefer heavy BB Bent-Over-Rows, and T-Bar Rows, but I do not self limit my education and examine what other types of exercises have the potential to do (or recruit if you will), and have implemented Wide and Narrow weighted Chins, and the Incline DB Shrug (middle back), for example, as SS's (as well) at certain times in my training.

I remember one time after doing the Bent-Over-Rows and the T-Bar Rows for a few months, I included the Incline DB Shrug into the mix. I became sore in spots that I hadn't before. In this exercise, you get on a Incline (mobile bench), grab "a pair" of DB's, and move both in line with the elbows and squeeze the shoulder blades together in a short motion. My shoulders and upper middle back were sore, which "tended" to tell me something. ;)

Compounds should be the staple (keeping things equal in health and starting point of the person), but one should also examine various lifts (including DB's) and see what it can offer. Some times they have hidden benefits.


Best regards,

Chillen
 
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