Pendlay Row Vs Barbell Row Exercises: Which One Gives You WINGS???

Pendlay Row Vs Barbell Row Exercises

Comparing Pendlay Row and Barbell Row Exercises

Are you ready to sculpt a massive, chiseled back? Mastering our row techniques can truly give you wings! The width and thickness of your back are crucial components of a symmetrical physique. A well-rounded workout routine should target all muscle groups, from neck to toes, with a particular focus on back training. Strengthening the back not only enhances powerlifting performance but also contributes to overall strength and balance.

Achieving proper back form not only enhances back-specific exercises but also facilitates other workouts such as leg, shoulder, and arm training. However, the dilemma arises when comparing Pendlay Row and Barbell Row Exercises—which one reigns supreme? Gym instructors and bodybuilders often have differing opinions on the matter, each praising the exercise they find most comfortable or effective.

At first glance, these two exercises may appear similar, but they have distinct differences. Fortunately, you have the opportunity to explore both variations and determine which best suits your needs. Let's delve into the comparison:

Pendlay Row

It’s a back workout that requires a burst of power to perform. With these exercises, you have a constant start point on the floor.  And as such, what you have to do is pull the weight straight from the floor for several rounds.

The constant position of lifting the weight requires you to generate an immense force to lift the weight. And this is because you lose the back tension that needs to be set after each rep.

How to train

·         With your barbell ready, set the bar right above your ankle

·         Stand upright, and your feet shoulder length apart. However, you can widen your feet 1 to 2 inches in both directions. And this depends on your height to avoid bumping your knee with the bar while lifting. 

·         Then bend over, with your glutes popping at the back and torso aligns with the floor.

·         Grab the weight at the medium grip and your waist as the hinge. Combine your back muscles with arm muscles and pop the weight up to your sternum.

·         Like the barbell row, hold on to the weight at the sternum for two seconds and release it.

·         Slowly, return the weight to the floor and pop it up again for 8 to 12 reps.

The advantage and disadvantages of Pendlay Row

Advantage

·         Enhances the power output of your back

·         Higher rate of recovery due to less impact on your back muscles. Therefore, there is more training and gaining.

·         More beneficial to other workouts like dead-lift and bench press that rely heavily on power.

·         Due to the need for resetting back tension, there is more gain that’s significant to other exercises. Therefore, you will have more tension-building capability for squat, dead-lift, and bench.

Disadvantage

·         Lest impactful in back muscle building

·         Due to the lifting position, you can only manage to lift a lighter weight.

Barbell Row

With Barbell Row, you will be maintaining the back tension throughout a set. That means, there are no breaks within repetition. And the weight remains within the knee position on your hands after every lift. Lastly, body stabilization is vital for this exercise.

How to train

1.      Prepare the barbell with a comfortable weight and place it right in front of you. Ensure the barbell is weighted for comfort.

2.      Standing straight, you can use your shoulder width to part your feet.

3.      Your ankle should be right below your bar

4.      To bend, first engage your knees by slightly bending them, and immediately, bend your back at 45-55 degrees from your waist. That’s the position you will be in throughout when doing reps

5.      Use medium width grip to grab the bar

6.      To lift the weight, bend a little more, engage your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles.

7.      Thereafter, lift the weight to your knee position and assume the brace posture in step 4.

8.      On this posture, lift the weight towards your sternum/ lower chest and hold it there for 2 seconds then release it back to your knee level. Meanwhile, don’t change your 45-55 degree bent pos.

9.      After 8 to 12 reps, you can release the weight to the flow. Take a few seconds break before doing it once more.

The advantage and disadvantages of Barbell Row

Advantage

·         Higher muscular impact due to constant lifting position that enables you to do more reps.

·         You can target more muscles in the back since you can shift the starting and ending positions during a workout.

·         There is more variation in this exercise due to the posture. You can change starting position and mode of gripping for quick muscle activation.

·         As a result of static body tension, you will gain on other areas like the hamstring, glutes, erectors, and lats.

Disadvantage

·         Can be stressful to your lower back leading to longer recovery time.

·         More limitation since you have to stabilize the muscles in the lower back and leg.

Pendlay Row Vs Barbell Row: Differences

·         Muscular Impact

There is a more muscular impact when doing Barbell Row as compared to Pendlay Row. And this is because in barbell row, you need posture stability and muscle tension is constant throughout a set.

On the other hand, Pendlay Row has less muscle impact. And this is because you will be releasing the muscle tension after each rep and then regenerating it again. Here, the Barbell row wins in exercise with the maximum muscular impact.

·         Strength Building

With Pendlay Row, you need a burst of power to lift the weight per rep. And as such, you will be building on muscle power during back training. But when it comes to Barbel Row, you have a constant momentum that saves you energy during exercise. Therefore, there is less impact on strength building. Therefore, Pendlay is the best when it comes to strength building.

CONCLUSION

At last, you need to pick between the two. However, none outdoes the other. And this is because each of the exercises has a unique impact that the other lack. So, it’s up to you to decide what your target in back-training is. Do you want to have enormous back power or an enormous back? However, you can decide to have both capabilities.

If you want enormous back power for lifting things, then Pendlay back training is the best. However, if you want a big and muscular back with less regard to power, then the Barbell row will do. But, if you want a big and muscular back with powerlifting capabilities, then try both at different times. As an athlete, you should do both because of their unique benefits.

The Best Collection of Weightlifting Gear & Gifts on the PLANET!