The Strong Case For Chest Supported Rows

The Holy Grail of back training

I’m a huge fan of the basics when it comes to building a physique. There’s so much bullshit out there from modern-day influencers all trying to stand out, that usually taking a bare-bones approach works best.

Sure beats using a different variation every workout and never making real progress because you can’t actually see the strength or size gains that…you’re not making.

The barbell row is great. It allows for a good deal of freedom of movement and also lets you truly overload the back with heavy weight. You can bend over more and row more towards the belly for a great lat squeeze, or you can row towards the sternum for more traps and rear delts. Or, aim for somewhere in the middle for a nice mix.

You can also stay more upright and move some truly impressive poundages. Plus, the lower back and entire posterior chain get worked in order to maintain your posture and prevent snap city.

However, for those very reasons, it’s worth including chest supported variations in your training.

The barbell row trains the lower back, yes…but that often becomes the limiting factor on both a per-set basis and per-week basis. In other words, you have to stop a set not because of the lats and traps but because of…