Bodyweight Rows

Bodyweight rows have become very popular among men and women alike, for a number of reasons. Men and women, who suffer from hunchback, can benefit a lot from this back exercise. People with minor forward shoulder rotation difficulties can have the problem corrected with bodyweight rows. This back exercise also helps in improving the posture, and makes the person look taller and leaner. Not to forget this exercise will boost performance in all the other workouts. It helps in burning fat and also helps in getting rid of those bat wings and build lean toned arms faster, than most of the other isolation arm exercises. This exercise works the muscles of the back and you will be able to perform more repetitions, as compared to the pull ups exercise. This is due to the mechanics of the bodyweight exercise, which place you in a stronger position. And you do not have to lift your entire body weight, when you do the exercise. There are different ways of doing this exercise. It can easily also be done at home or in the gym.

How to do Bodyweight Rows

Often times, we hear about exercises, but we do not know how to do them, rather how do we do them, so that we do not hurt ourselves. When you are doing any exercise, it is absolutely necessary, that you use the right posture to do the exercise, so that you do not have any exercise induced injury.

With Bar
This exercise can be done with the Smith machine. Set the bar at waist height. Now place an exercise bench about 4 to 5 feet away from the Smith machine bar. It is recommended to use the Smith machine, so that the bar is solid and stays in place, when you are doing the exercise. To do the exercise, lie under the bar and hold the bar with overhand grip a little wider than shoulder width and place your feet on the exercise bench. Keep your body straight and slowly row your body up, till your chest touches the bar. Then slowly lower yourself again to come back to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

At Home
You do not really have to be a member of any gym to be able to this exercise. You can perform the rows without equipment as well. You can use your kitchen platform to perform this exercise. If you use a bench under your feet, you will increase the difficulty of the exercise. If your feet is on the floor, it will move some of your body weight off your back and the weight is balanced on your feet. The procedure to do the exercise is the same, as mentioned above. The kitchen platform is stable like the Smith machine, which will ensure, you have stability, when you do the exercise.

Inverted Bodyweight Rows with Swiss Ball
Most people like doing the stability ball exercises for they give better benefits, same is the case with this exercise as well. Using the Swiss ball will add to the intensity of the exercise. To do this exercise with the stability ball, place a bar on a rack about three to four feet off the ground. Ensure, there is something, which will support your bodyweight. Lie under the bar and grab the bar with overhand grip. Now straighten your back using your feet as the lever point. This is the place, where the Swiss ball will be placed and place your feet on the Swiss ball. Pull your elbows back, till your chest touches or comes close to touching the bar. Then slowly come down till your elbows are straight and your arms are extended. Repeat the exercise 10 to 12 times.

Most people like bodyweight rows, because they do not require expensive exercise equipment and it is a compound exercise, which will work the back, biceps, traps and also the stabilizer muscles, hence it is included in the bodyweight workout. When one does a number of push up exercise and bench press this exercise should be included in the workout to avoid injury.