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Old 11-04-2007, 11:06 AM
EricT EricT is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 6,314
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Yes, the idea is that it is an "explosive" row off the floor. I personally would never do a strength oriented exercise intentionally slow, so I find it a fairly minor difference. I.E. when I do rows they are pretty darn fast, yet I don't call them "dynamic rows". Part of strength development is to do things in a forceful manner. It's kind of like the differentiation between the "slow lifts" and the olympic lifts.

The olympic lifts rely on a very quick initial output of power to accelerate the bar in order to complete the lift. The slow barbell lifts are about lifting as much weight as possible. Therefore the emphasis is more on overall force development rather than initial force development. BUT no one intentionally tries to lift "slow".

In the case of the rows I think it is an artificial invention designed to make rows similar to the likes of cleans and the like. To me if you want to do an "power" exercise, just do a olympic lift or some version thereoff and leave the rows for what they are for..which is training the mid-back.

So the decision on whether you want to do that, to me, depends on what you think the purpose of rows are. IMO, doing "explosive rows" all the time with the idea that that is superior is no different than doing the same thing with bench or squats. EXCEPT for the very important difference that when people do dynamic effort bench or squats or deads or the like, they are careful to maintain proper technique. Apparently with rows it's ok to suspend these rules...which allows your to pull more weight off the floor with dynamic rows. While with bench and the other lifts doing it dynamically would never mean doing it with max weights. So ultimately, to me, they are cheat rows and are no different than cheating shrugs or anything else. I personally reject them.

Anyway, the idea is that you do the rows off the floor, keeping the lower back set, of course, but pulling it off the floor in an a very fast and explosive manner. In order to do this you end up forcing a little flexion and then dynamic extension in the upper back. I never do them this way anymore and stick to various row variations to keep the shoulder girdle healthy and strengthen the scapular retractors, etc. I never got much from "dynamic rows" but mid back problems.

I'm not at all certain how Rip himself describes these rows since I've never paid attention but on the internet the closest you will come it what is known as JS or Pendlay rows.
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If you act sanctimonious I will just list out your logical fallacies until you get pissed off and spew blasphemous remarks.
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