Seated row hip movement

[Josh]

What's the deal with leaning a bit forward or back (bending at the hips, I guess) during seated rows? Some people say there shouldn't be any movement at all, but then you see some huge guys with some pretty wild forward & back movement. I figured if I was moving back & forth about 10 degrees each way, it was letting me use a bit more weight, and maybe giving me a more effective workout. Should I be keeping my lower back & hips rigid, and only allow my arms and upper back to do the work?

Thanks,
Josh

[natenator]

I go forward and backwards.

Forward is to get a better stretch and back (a little bit) is to help with the squeeze. All my rowing however is doing with the concentration on elbows as the levers pulling the weight so I take the bi's out of the movement as much as possible.

[dainbramaged]

Likely depends on how you want to use the exercise. If it's just for a horizontal row, then keeping your spine in a neutral upright position with no play in the hip would be okay. If you're looking for a more proper functioning of the lats, then some hip movement would be more productive. Keep in mind, a more proper function of the lats is to draw the arms both DOWN and BACK. If you lean forward slightly in a seated row, it's the equivalent of having your arms extended somewhat over the head (ie. so you're pulling DOWNwards - vertically) and when you sit up during the movement, you pull BACKwards - horizontally. As natenator said, you'll end up with a much better contraction in the back when you lean back slightly. The only problem is using momentum to carry you through. When doing a seated rowing motion, you should be concentrating on the lats/whole back pulling the weight...if you're getting too much assistance from the flexion/extension of the hip, using your hips to 'throw' the weight backwards, then you're taking work away from the back. Who cares if you're doing more weight if the area you're trying to improve is doing less work? I'd suggest a bit of leaning into the motion and a bit of leaning back but the VAST MAJORITY of the movement should be the row. If you're in control of the movement, momentum shouldn't be too big of a factor!

Always, always, always keep the spine in a neutral position though. Even when leaning forward. Do not round the spine at any time. Keep the chest up and the belly button out.

[Josh]

Thanks, guys. Very helpful.

[sdonnell]

yea that was helpful thanks. But also another question along those lines.

When doing Lat pull downs, i also see some guys lean backwards when pulling down, then see people not move? i find leaning back just a little helps the movement be easier but is that wrong?

[dainbramaged]

yea that was helpful thanks. But also another question along those lines.

When doing Lat pull downs, i also see some guys lean backwards when pulling down, then see people not move? i find leaning back just a little helps the movement be easier but is that wrong?

Just depends on how vertical you want to be I'm thinking. Personally, I always suggest leaning backwards a bit to enable a better contraction in the back (when keeping the chest and navel slightly out). It also helps when trying to not hit either your nose or your chin when performing the movement too. The biggest issue with leaning backwards, is how far and for what reason is it that far? I've always recommended a slight leaning backwards [from the waist, and as mentioned]; some people lean back to 'cheat', using too much momentum so that the weight will fly down of it's own accord and not that of muscular force. Again, you may be using more weight but are your muscles doing the work? If they're not, then what's the point, really??

Considering too, that a lat pulldown is MEANT to be almost exclusively a vertical movement, you should never be in a horizontal position at the bottom. It means you've leaned back too far (in my opinion), way too far.

[arcnspark77]

i enjoyed watching a guy doing pulldowns with 3/4 of the stack with his lower back yesterday. from the top, ass off the seat then quickly lean all the way back and like you guys said, using the momentum to complete the movement. His back wasnt too impressive. lol

[gsxr750]

^^ Lol, got one of those at my gym too. He groans and then does the lat walk to the fountain.