Overview
The row on a low row machine is good substitute exercise for all type of free weight row movements. If you have back injury and you have to reduce the work of the lower back muscles or you just want to refresh your back workout and hit the muscles from different angle this is your exercise.
Preparation
Set up for the exercise by first load the desired weight on the machine and then adjust the seat and the chest pad at the right level for your body. If you do that right the top of the chest pad should be right under your lower chest and your feet must be flat on the floor. Grasp the handles with neutral grip* (palms facing each other) and lift the weight just a little bit so that your arms are fully extended and your back is straight. Look toward the ceiling and puff your chest out. This is the starting position.
*If the machine doesn’t have neutral grip use overhand grip.
Execution
Inhale and start pulling backward the weight using your shoulder blades first than the arms. When your palms stand right in front of your chest flex your back muscles by squeezing your shoulder blades together for a second and exhale. Return the weight back to the starting position and begin the next repetition.
Recommendations
- Keep your torso stationary and don’t lean forward or backward during the movement.
- Grasp the bar at that height so when you are at the finishing position your forearms and your upper arms form a 90-degree angle. Any different angle will not give the same tension on the back muscles and your arms will do the work.
- Keep your elbows as close to your body as possible to keep the tension on the lats.
- For overhand grip keep elbows pointed outward and your upper arms parallel to the floor.
- When you perform the exercise think not for pulling the weight with your arms think for pushing back with your elbows and squeezing the shoulder blades together.
- Perform the negative phase of the movement for twice longer time than the positive.