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One-arm Dumbbell RowONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW Taken from Dave Draper's book, Brother Iron, Sister Steel This potent exercise stands alongside barbell rows in mass and power-building seriousness. Executed with the same intensity, they are wisely done as alternatives to the barbell. Stabilized in a powerful tripod stance — none of this knee-on-bench stuff — one-arm dumbbell rows remove the load from the lower back, enabling you to tough your way through lumbar overload. Relief in this overworked area is priceless. I stagger my legs, bend at the waist and lean on the dumbbell rack before me, extend my free arm to grasp the dumbbell, position myself for desired muscle recruitment and pull the weight to the body in a muscle-intense movement with an ample twist of the torso at the top to accentuate contraction. Too much thrust early on and the effect is lost to momentum. The target of the tug is important: high on the torso (toward shoulder), more upper back; low on the torso (toward the obliques), more lower lat. In all your exercises focus, form, and practice yield perfection of some variety.
One-arm dumbbell row Whereas pulldowns and chins add width to one’s back, dumbbell rows add power and muscle thickness. I start with a reasonable weight for 10 to 12 reps and work my way up the rack to four or six reps for the final set, sometimes doubles and singles when the stars are right. To satisfy our musclebuilding quests, where muscle fullness is a prime target, I find the moderate rep-range most effectual. Therefore, heavy weight gives way to moderate, manageable weight. Reps go where you direct them for maximum muscle effect, not anywhere any way you can. I assume a three-point equidistant stance with the upper body leaning forward the legs and the forearm resting on a handy dumbbell rack. Most stable. I mention this cuz I’ve assumed this powerful position since training in Vic Tanny’s Gym in Jersey 45 years ago. There’s no other way, see! Kneeling on a bench for support is for boy scouts. Before affecting my various rowing motions, I secure a grip of steel. Strengthening the grip and developing the forearms should always be included among your purposes for lifting the iron and moving the steel. Using hand straps is for girl scouts... or apes setting world records. The first action is pulling the dumbbell with vigor from a hanging position to a place high and above the deltoid. This is a sweeping motion that resembles a one-arm bentover lateral raise. Sounds ambitious, but the back and torso are engaged simultaneously, giving thrust to the dumbbell, yet always demanding muscle control. This is not an arbitrary weight toss. At the peak of the movement, contraction is directed to the upper back and rear delt region; a controlled negative adds muscle exertion to the upper back and the entire length of the lat. The fact that one side of the body at a time is being engaged allows this grand action, and exertion of force and energy. Five is the outside number of reps for this phase. The second action is the old-fashioned lawnmower pull. However, our lawn mower is hunky and requires a full forward extension of the dumbbell and a magnificent tug, bringing the dumbbell to the vicinity of the... um... armpit. Contract big-time. Four, five or six reps will start anybody’s grass cutter. We just concentrated on the deep muscles of the back; the ones that give ridges and lumps and might to the broad sweeping expanse. Pulling the dumbbell straight up and down with a minimum of thrust is the wisest expenditure of the remaining energy, will and consciousness. This mass-building motion exerts the upper-back muscles with no energy or force lost to defining lat length or rippley stuff. Do what you can in these culminating three or four reps. I don’t have the nerve -- the audacity -- to define rigid requirements moments before you pass out. Now for the other side. He he he... Last edited by Laree. Contributors: |