Hello, everybody and welcome to my newest installment of “Exercises You Should Be Doing”! This week I want to talk about one of my favorite exercises. The Inverted Row. This is an exercise that I use with nearly all of my clients no matter what their level. It is very simple to make it as easy or difficult as it needs to be to help all sorts of people, and form-wise it is a very simple exercise to do.
How Do I Do It? Put a bar in a squat rack at about chest level. Lie down on the floor underneath the bar and grab it. Simply pull your chest up to the bar, maintaining a tight core. Pretend your body is a surfboard so you keep everything rigid and in line.
What Does It Do? It works the muscles in your back, shoulders, biceps and core, but what I like about it the most is the way it incorporates your entire core into the exercise, glutes included. If you don’t keep your core tight, you simply won’t be able to get to the bar very effectively. Because of that, like the pushup, it can be a very effective full-body bodyweight exercise. Another great thing is how easy it is to vary the level of difficulty. Do you want it easier? Raise the bar or move your feet a little closer. Want it harder? Lower the bar or move your feet out a little.
It is also a great exercise for simply strengthening the upper back, which is an area that, for many people, is tight, painful and the cause of bad posture.
There are also lots of variations you can use, as well. I go over a few of them in my video blog which you can see at MitchRothbardtTraining.blogspot.com, but the general rule is that the higher the feet the tougher it is, and the higher the hands the easier it is.
As I said before, I go over the form for this exercise and a few variations in my video blog which you can find at MitchRothbardtTraining.blogspot.com. Please drop me a line if you have any questions about the inverted row or anything else and remember to consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Have a great week and keep exercising!
Mitchell Rothbardt, CPT ACE
Mitch Rothbardt Fitness
510-754-7113
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