Dumbell row

[Jeffstar]

See too many people pulling it with their arms not lifting with their back (if that makes sense).

Just off to train back now!!

Exactly, was going to mention this. Its no good just mindlessly rowing away with the arms, i like to really draw back the shoulder and squeeze the back muscles when lifting plus the 2 second contraction at the top, then lower back down slowly. Great back exercise

 

[The Mad Rapper]

I'm enjoying the dumbell rows at the mo too. Definitely feeling a better contraction in the back with these over BB rows. They're especially good when you hold the top position a couple of secs and really contract the lats too. Gotta love training back

I think I've been doing mine too fast then. I've still been using my back to lift as opposed to my arms, but I've been banging the reps out. I was watching Ronnie Coleman on his Relentless DVD and he never does a slow rep for anything, guess I got carried away

I'm doing them again on Monday, so I'll slow them right down and try the contraction at the top as you describe and see how that goes

 

[Fusion]

I was watching Ronnie Coleman on his Relentless DVD and he never does a slow rep for anything, guess I got carried away

Ronnie's form is bad in most exercises. He seems to use a small ROM, look at his DB benching. Nevertheless, it obviously works well for him!

 

[ethos]

Ronnie's form is bad in most exercises. He seems to use a small ROM, look at his DB benching. Nevertheless, it obviously works well for him!

Full range of motion is overrated.

 

[The Mad Rapper]

Full range of motion is overrated.

What would you suggest is optimal?

The other aspect I find confusing is speed. Ronnie bangs his reps out, but a lot of people suggest performing each rep slowly. Is it one of those situations where there is no right answer?

 

[Skull]

Personally I would try both. If slow eccentrics and concentrics gives you better strength/explosiveness/hypertrophy then use them, and if fast reps give you better strength/explosiveness/hypertrophy then use them!

Don't try and microanalyse everything. See what works best for you and stick with it!

 

[Chong Warrior]

Full range of motion is overrated.

Quoted for the truth

For example I don't get why people think it's superior to go all the way down and bounce the barbell off the chest when benching. It does absolutely NOTHING but put a lot of extra stress on the shoulder joint.

Another is chins. Do you have to got all the way down until your arms are completely straight and locked out? or is going down and leaving arms with a 10 degree bend just as good, if not better? I'd say the latter.

Barbell Shoulder Press is dangerous (and is the reason I have a Rotator Cuff strain right now) when you lower the bar all the way down to your chest. It's a lot safer only going as low as the chin. Also completely locking arms at top of lift doesn't do anything but give the triceps a little workout.
This exercise is actually harder and a quite a bit better when not using full ROM as there's zero rest and maximum time under tension for the delts.

Can say same for many exercises. Some are perfectly ok and better with full ROM but as with most things everyone is different and so are the exercises.

 

[@if ®afiq]

Since we are talking about ROM's, can some advise on Lat Pulldown's?