Barbell Row

My lower back is not strong ... Started Stronglifts & I am not ready for the barbell row ... Is there another exercise anyone could recommend in place of the row I could do for now ... Thanks ... ... ...

Not sure what positions you can get into after the surgery but there's a fab way to activate your back muscles either laying on your stomach on the ground, on a bench, or (my favorite) on an exercise/balance ball. It may look simple and easy but if you haven't done these before, you'll sure feel them. They're a great way to wake up back muscles in preparation for heavier lifting you plan to do weeks and months later. There's a bunch of related exercises in the video below.

http://www.ehow.com/video_4957687_lower-exercise_-kneeling-fitness-ball.html?cp=1&wa_vlsrc=continuous&pid=1&wa_vrid=4dd06abd-5af7-4553-b405-339a0f4d61e1

This one might not be for you at the moment but I recommend it in the future because it strengthens the heck out of the glutes simultaneously with the lower back: Lay on the ball so that it is right under your lower abs. Roll forward slightly to stabilize yourself so that your arms are like two front legs on a chair and the ball is the back leg. Then, using this balanced platform, raise and lower both your legs behind you as far up as it feels comfortable to do. Move slowly and deliberately, keeping your legs perfectly straight, and do not bounce the ball as you move. Squeeze your glutes at the top. This one helps works kinks out of a back that sits all day and it's a great move to do in the transition from your desk to running in the evening. It also gets your butt ready for squats, literally and figuratively.

If the balance ball puts too much pressure on your abdomen, you can do truncated variations of most of the above from a face down laying position on the floor.

You're on a good path, smart and strong.

Baby Herc

Hi,

Do you feel you must do barbell rows for back? Over the years I have found I get great results with dumbells rows and many other forms of back work, using cables and some free weights.

DB rows will definitely give you good bang for your buck, but also regarding BB rows, are you keeping the bar close to your body, or, doing them a different way? The closer you keep it to your legs vs. being out away from your body, the less strain on the lower back, just something to consider as BB rows can be done different ways, and each one will have different leverages that will impact your lower back differently.

Is it during the rep your back gets tired or is it just holding the position throughout?

In my experience my legs/back were uncomfortable holding the position for the first few weeks as they got use to the isometric contraction (this is normal), holding the position throughout the whole set. At no point was it actually sorer pulling the bar up than when I was in the start position between reps.

What weight did you start with?

It seems anytime I try to get back into BB rows, I end up tweaking my back so I stay away...but maybe I should give them another try. I have done different type of BB rows, with a standard olymipic bar perpendicular to my body and also have done a lot with the bar parallel and using a handle around the bar, similar to how you see Schwarzeneger doing bent rows in Pumping Iron.

I think the best I have found for least amount of strain is having the bar close to the body and using an underhand grip.

I just started SL & am using 65 lbs ... It doesn't hurt while doing the row but after the workout ... I stood with feet closer together, under-hand grip & bar closer ... That helped immensely ... I will keep doing them ... In time I will build the strength ... Just wanted some experienced input ... Thanks ... ...

Are you sure your lower back wasn't rounded? Get your hamstrings stretched out so you can get into position and make sure you're pulling from the floor - that way everything gets a rest between the reps.

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-master-barbell-row-technique/