Know Your Exercise – Part 8: Floor Barbell Chest Press X Inverted Back Row (superset)
This is the eighth in a series of blogs in which we analyse some significant weight training exercises that generally miss the attention of fitness buffs. The exercises look simple and yet they are TOUGH! They look simple – so why do them? But then, the very objective of exercise is to CHALLENGE yourself. Do you not want to increase intensity through exercise variations?
Ratnadeep Tagde, GĀYO’s Executive Director for Academics and Training introduces us to this fantastic superset exercise – “Floor Chest Press X Inverted Back Rows”.
She can be contacted at meenaxidhaka133@gmail.com. Dr Meenakshi will write regularly on exercise and sports injuries management.
Dr Meenakshi presents the early management of Lower Back injuries in Part 10 of her Sports Injury Management Series.
Says Ratnadeep: “Chest and back make a great pairing because they are antagonistic – when the chest muscles are engaged to perform concentric contraction, the back muscles contract eccentrically. This exercise gives the ultimate body pump!”
He explains the benefits of this exercise:
- By super-setting the chest with back, you can lift more volume into that session as compared to the standard sets. Training volume is one of the main drivers of muscle growth. You train your entire upper body. It provides a good workout for your shoulders, biceps, and triceps too.
- It saves time and increases intensity.
- It is a great way to shock the muscles.
Of course, the technique must be safe and perfect. So, let us first study the two exercises independently.
TECHNIQUE
Inverted Rows aka Australian Pullups
Ratnadeep explains the technique for the inverted rows first, given that it is uncommon as compared to the chest press. Senior personal trainer, Deepak Gorule shows the start and finish of the movement.
- Stand in front of a Squat Rack or Smith machine, set the bar to the desired height. Your waist height will allow your arms to fully extend while keeping your body off the floor.
- Get under the bar and lie down. Look up at the ceiling such that the spine is in its natural alignment.
- Reach up for the bar. Your arms should be fully extended so you can grab the bar with a pronated grip. Your body will be just off the floor, with your heels being the only thing in contact with the floor.
- Contract your core muscles and glutes to brace the lower back and maintain your body in a straight line from your torso to your feet.
- Pull yourself up, leading with your chest. Your body should remain straight and glutes and core tight throughout the entire movement. The bar does not need to touch your chest – the chest should be a couple of centimeters below the bar.
- Pause for a second and make sure the shoulder blades are retracted before slowly lowering to the starting position, with your arms fully extended.
- Do 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps.
The muscles
Ratnadeep lists the muscles worked during an inverted row – quite a total body workout!
Upper body
- latissimus dorsi
- trapezius
- rhomboids
- infraspinatus
- teres minor
- erector spinae
- posterior deltoids
- biceps
- forearms
Abdominals
- rectus abdominis
- external and internal obliques
Lower body
- hamstrings
glutes
Benefits of the inverted row
- It is a great exercise for beginners. Whether you’re new to pullups starting with an inverted row can help build upper body strength without compromising your form.
- It targets arms more than a traditional pullup. Here’s why! Your biceps play a minor role when doing a traditional pullup or chin-up. But when you initiate the pull part of the inverted row, you will feel a greater emphasis on these muscles.
- It is easy to incorporate into upper body workouts. You can incorporate inverted rows into a full-body or upper body workout. They also work well as part of a super-set combination.
- Recruits lower body muscles. Traditionally, vertical pullup does not require much effort from your lower body. However, for an inverted row, you need to engage the glutes and hamstrings isometrically throughout the entire movement.
- Improves grip strength. The exercises like the inverted row, which activates the forearm muscles, can improve overall grip strength.
- Improves scapular retraction. Scapular retraction is the backward rotation of the scapula (shoulder blades) toward the spine. This helps stabilizes the shoulder joint. To improve scapular retraction, you need to focus on the rhomboid muscles, something the inverted row does more than a traditional pullup..
- Start by positioning yourself on the floor underneath the barbell (eyes should be underneath). With the legs either straight or bent, be sure to place the feet, hips, and upper back on the floor, similar to that of a bench press.
- With the body actively gripping the floor, firmly squeeze the barbell and pull the elbows down towards the torso. Once the back of your arms touches the floor, stay tense and reverse the movement so that you’re primed to lift the weight.
- Now drive the weight until your elbows are fully extended. Make sure to not over protract (bring your shoulder blades forward) at the top when completing a rep, as this could throw your positioning and base out of line.
- Lower your elbows back to the floor.
Floor Barbell Chest Press
Ratnadeep breaks down the technique. Senior personal trainer, Deepak Gorule shows the start and finish of the movement.
- Positioning yourself on the floor underneath the barbell – make sure your forehead is directly under the bar. With the legs either straight or bent (great for stiff lower back), place the feet, hips, and upper back on the floor – just as you would press on the flat bench.
- With the body pressing firmly against the floor, grasp the bar and pull the elbows down and laterally towards the torso. Once the back of your arms lightly touches the floor, maintain the tension and reverse the movement so that you’re primed to lift the weight.
- Now drive the weight until your elbows are fully extended, making sure that the shoulder girdle does not protract at the top when completing a rep, as this could throw your positioning and base out of line.
- Lower your elbows back to the floor. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
The muscles
The floor chest press’ ROM is stopped by the floor and to this extent, the deltoids work less and the shoulder joint is less stressed. Consequently, the pectoralis major and even the triceps get a better workout. Not only that, in a traditional bench press, legs can help drive the barbell upwards against the gravity but this is not possible in the floor variation.
Benefits
Because of the shorter ROM, you can lift heavier loads in the floor press than in the traditional bench press. This allows you to concentrically contract with heavier weights at the top of the ROM than you would normally use.
Be safe. Follow correct techniques. Fix the number of reps and sets according to your goals.
So, in sum, the next time you superset with floor barbell chest press and inverted rows, do send us your reactions!
Do let us know! Let’s share the joy of weight training!
The exercise is demonstrated by Pratiksha Karkera, well known personal trainer and competing strength athlete.