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IRON FACE/OFF: Which Row is Best for Bigger Lats?

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Rating: 4.0; Vote: 1

If you could only do one row variation in your back workouts and your goal was getting bigger lats, which would you choose? In this video, I-m going to break down the one armed dumbbell row, the barbell row and the standing single arm high cable row. I will cover the pros and cons of each back exercise and come up with the single best version of them all things considered. Now, each of the rowing exercises covered here are great movements. They each belong in a complete back workout and training program. That said, due to the drawbacks and potential complications of one vs the other, the place in your program that you perform each of these becomes critically important to you seeing your best gains. For the purposes of this series, one of the exercises shown has to be selected above the others and that is where the science comes in to support that decision. In this Iron Face/Off exercise showdown, I am putting the three row variations head to head. First up is the one armed dumbbell row. Right away, the unilateral aspect of this movement allows you to isolate one side from the other and avoid any strength imbalances that could be hidden by an exercise like the barbell row that has both hands on the bar at the same time. Next, the freedom gained by the arm lets you get a full lat contraction by approximating the origin and insertion of the lat and bringing the elbow not just back but across the back towards the spine. The downside to this movement is that you are never able to get a good stretch on the lats and that the leg setup usually puts the groin in a vulnerable position for a hernia unless you square up the feet and do it in a more upright position. Finally, because the strength curve of the exercise places the highest demand when you are at your mechanical weakest, you will find that you have to limit the weight you are using on this row variation in order to get the most from the move. On the barbell row, the locking in of the hands on a fixed barbell eliminates the ability of fully contracting the lats because of the inability to fully adduct and extend the elbows. Beyond that, the amount of lower back strength required to perform this exercise is high, and a lack of it can lead to injury and compensation. That said, the athletic position from which you perform the barbell row is a great benefit to the move as well as the fact that you are able to load up the exercise with more weight than you can on the one armed row. Finally, the one armed cable high row is compared to both of these row exercise variations. Here, you will find that the stretch on the lat that is nonexistent on the other two versions is capable of being performed here. Because of this, the eccentric overload is much better (a key to creating muscle hypertrophy) and the ability to perform forced eccentrics after reaching failure on the concentric part of the lift is crucial as well. Once again, it-s an athletic position that the exercise is performed from and the lat can undergo a full contraction without the muscle imbalance issues. The only detriment to this version of the row is that it doesn-t help strengthen the lower back as the barbell row does but that is easily overcome with an alternative low back exercise included in your routine. As you can see, there are many pros and cons to these three row variations, but at the end of the day if I could choose only one for building a bigger back it would be the high cable row for the reasons explained. Not to mention among the benefits is that you can really load up the weight used on this exercise and perform the move for greater hypertrophy with very minimal compromise or downside. If you are looking for a program that puts the best exercises in your workouts at just the right time, head to and get the ATHLEAN-X Training System. See what it means to train like an athlete and watch how much faster your body responds and builds muscle by doing so. Use the right exercises at the right time for the right purpose and you will blow the roof off of what your genetic potential for building muscle really is
Date: 2022-04-22

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Comments and reviews: 10

Darren
I'm 53 years old(also a naturally skinny guy, and I have just started(about 8 weeks ago) training again after many years of start-stop(actually more stop than start) training due to injury related setbacks and some other factors. The anatomical insight given in many of your videos has helped me avoid some common injuries that kept popping up and killing my enthusiasm, time and time again. Face pulls and carries have already made big differences in my posture and shoulder stability. I especially enjoyed this video because of the simple pros & cons of each exercise being presented clearly. So far, so good. Thanks for the awesome information and advice. I'm hoping there will be no stopping Me this time around.
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Michael
That bent over bar row looks so dangerous to get a lower back injury. I have injured my back several times doing squats, good for, weight belt, slow controlled reps. and still got hurt. OK so what are the best legs and back workouts, for someone that had back injuries from squats, and does not want to do that again? I am not going to do any bar squats, again, that is for sure. I am sure this is a very common thing. Seems everyone has lower back injuries. So what are the best ways to get the best workout and get around that issue?
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sport
One thing I am learning from your consistent emphasis on the issue is. Full Extension and movement range of whatever you are doing and technique is more important than weight ( that comes later with natural progression. All simple common sense stuff but crazy we all find it so easy to forget when we walk into a gym and are mesmerised by the bigger stronger advanced patrons. We just copy others bad habits and try to much to soon. Love this chennel. Training is as much about how you Think when you train is everything: )
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Keerthi
Cable row is good but i prefer barbell rows, the lack of abduction in that exercise is not a bad thing because it activates almost all the back muscles including traps, lower back, lats. and also many studies backs the barbell row clamming it shows more growth than all individual back muscle exercise, you just got to perfect the technique and start with less or no weight ( don't listen to those dumbass in your gym, always perfect the technique before adding weight even if it just the barbell without weight)
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Greg
You talked over seated up rows and I liked the idea of using the straight lat pull down bar which got my elbows behind my body. (WORKS GREAT by the way I finally figured what you meant by squeezing the muscles) How is this different from the cable pull row that you're showing in this video. I don't know that's why I'm asking. I think what your doing on weight lifting information is awesome. G
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Richard
If I can Only choose one which I do. The seal row is by far the best you can do on the planet of any back movement for everything. The whole back and I get great results. And for strength as well and no one seems to talk about that exercise. The only problem is it's a pain in the neck to put together. So I have mine in the corner.
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James
Jeff, I was gonna say that I disagreed with you, that rotation is caused by the obliques, not the lats, but now that I actually _DO_ the exercise as described, it sure as $h; +n' FEELS like I'm getting an extra squeeze of the lat, due to the added rotation. Hmm, I guess the -Mind-Muscle Connection- trumps -Just Thinkin'! -
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Rohit
M watching your vedios and acually getting benefits from doing it right way m hardgainer, all m trying to do is gain strength and muscle mass rite now just started, could you help me to suggest home exercises for latissmus dorsi at home without equipments as it's a lockdown. Just to make the base as for now.
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Jansen
Hi Jeff, thanks for your tips in the videos. Question: How many times do you think is the best to train lats with the back in a week? Do you think to grow a wider, bigger (V-Taper) backs enough to be trained in only once a week?
Your tips would be very greatly helpful.
Thanks.
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Diptanshu
Wait wait wait, what if you set the cables down to the ground, put a bench in front of it or maybe just bend over and do the rows like that, you get lower back activation and you can just take a step back to get the most extension on your back
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