# Bent over DB row as an ego lift?!!



## Mythos (Feb 4, 2016)

This probably doesn't apply to the powerlifters here, but does anyone have ego lifts that aren't the usual (bench , squat, deads, and for some fat bastards, *shudder* barbell shrugs)?
 I always had a thing for going big on bent over rows.. at one point I got up to some reps at 120. I know that's probably not major poundage for a lot of you but for my long armed frame it's pretty hard. This is one area where when max out it's the elbow joint that stops me before grip or muscle. Dammmmit! Idk if I'll ever breach that barrier..


----------



## PillarofBalance (Feb 4, 2016)

Bb rows used to be a thing.  I would body English the hell out of them. Now I am stricter to some degree. A little momentum or cheat doesn't hurt but can help for sure. 

Really anything row for me.  I can max out any of the latest Pulldown or row machines and still use decent form.


----------



## Mythos (Feb 4, 2016)

True.. my general intention is to use just enough cheat with a twist to get a little more lower lat in there. Tbh I'm not exactly sure about 'proper' form for one arm DB BORs. I've always just tried to stay fairly parallel with the bench


----------



## PillarofBalance (Feb 4, 2016)

Mythos said:


> True.. my general intention is to use just enough cheat with a twist to get a little more lower lat in there. Tbh I'm not exactly sure about 'proper' form for one arm DB BORs. I've always just tried to stay fairly parallel with the bench



Try this instead - slight lean, row the dumbbell so the head of it comes up next to the hip.  Alternate sets of bent over and this.


----------



## snake (Feb 4, 2016)

Lower cable rows makes my pp feel big. MP's have the reverse effect.


----------



## Mythos (Feb 4, 2016)

Cool...I'd have to use two different weights though I'm sure. Might just try that!


----------



## Tren4Life (Feb 4, 2016)

Military presses will make a man out of you. I used to be pretty good at them.


----------



## Mythos (Feb 4, 2016)

Tren4Life said:


> Military presses will make a man out of you. I used to be pretty good at them.



How do you keep from hurting your lower back with militarys though? Mine seizes up like crazy


----------



## HydroEJP88 (Feb 4, 2016)

Maybe your not stretching enough? 

Mine kinks if I don't


----------



## Mythos (Feb 4, 2016)

HydroEJP88 said:


> Maybe your not stretching enough?
> 
> Mine kinks if I don't



I feel like I want to tie myself to a seat to keep from arching too much, which is what seems to do it. I guess I just have to fight that tendency to want to get upper chest involved.
Generally I avoid them though.. for overhead shoulder stuff I use db presses, arnold presses, shoulder press machines.
It would be cool to have it as an ego lift though! Hadn't thought of that one


----------



## BigGameHunter (Feb 5, 2016)

At some point they are all ego lifts.  I have an ego and I feed it daily.  Its good for you keep doing it man.


----------



## BiologicalChemist (Feb 5, 2016)

I'm all for the heavy "ego lifts" or lifts with slightly improper form or momentum involved..they do help strength and breaking plateaus. I still like to control the heavy weight as best for like 3 sets, I'm not like those idiots on youtube though....I'll switch from those first 3 heavy sets and go down to lighter weight for full control (still high volume) for the pump/reps.


----------



## Mythos (Feb 6, 2016)

BiologicalChemist said:


> I'm all for the heavy "ego lifts" or lifts with slightly improper form or momentum involved..they do help strength and breaking plateaus. I still like to control the heavy weight as best for like 3 sets, I'm not like those idiots on youtube though....I'll switch from those first 3 heavy sets and go down to lighter weight for full control (still high volume) for the pump/reps.



Always. 
I'm scared to watch youtube lift fails...I have seen enough stupidity in my home gyms over the years.


----------



## ToolSteel (Feb 6, 2016)

My favorite ego lifts would have to be bulldozer laterals and barbell shrugs. 

Hook grip shrugs sure turned some heads but was one of my worst ideas ever... Took weeks for those blisters to heal.


----------



## Tren4Life (Feb 6, 2016)

Mythos said:


> How do you keep from hurting your lower back with militarys though? Mine seizes up like crazy



I always wear my belt


----------



## ECKSRATED (Feb 6, 2016)

ToolSteel said:


> My favorite ego lifts would have to be bulldozer laterals and barbell shrugs.
> 
> Hook grip shrugs sure turned some heads but was one of my worst ideas ever... Took weeks for those blisters to heal.



So u check to see how many people are watching u? They probably look at you because of those super tight tights u wear all the time. Lol


----------



## ECKSRATED (Feb 6, 2016)

Tren4Life said:


> Military presses will make a man out of you. I used to be pretty good at them.



What u mean used to? 

One of the best lifts out there is standing OHP. Love em.


----------



## ToolSteel (Feb 6, 2016)

ECKSRATED said:


> So u check to see how many people are watching u? They probably look at you because of those super tight tights u wear all the time. Lol



I'm not even gonna try lol


----------



## RISE (Feb 7, 2016)

Incline dumbell press and leg press for me.  I guess you can throw squats  and deads in there.  I can get up to the 130's on incline db for 6-8 reps, leg press 1200 for 8-10 and squats 365 for a good 8 and 405 for 6-8 reps on deads.  My weight fluctuates from 200-205.  That ain't shit compared to some of you power lifters but I don't see many guys my size putting up the same weight.


----------



## Megatron28 (Feb 7, 2016)

Mythos said:


> This probably doesn't apply to the powerlifters here, but does anyone have ego lifts that aren't the usual (bench , squat, deads, and for some fat bastards, *shudder* barbell shrugs)?
> I always had a thing for going big on bent over rows.. at one point I got up to some reps at 120. I know that's probably not major poundage for a lot of you but for my long armed frame it's pretty hard. This is one area where when max out it's the elbow joint that stops me before grip or muscle. Dammmmit! Idk if I'll ever breach that barrier..



I prefer barbell rows.  It is fun rowing more than most guys in the gym can deadlift.


----------



## Schredder (Feb 9, 2016)

I don't have any 'ego lifts' anymore.  I did years and years and years ago when I first started training but I really don't remember what they were though if there was a specific one, or I just ego lifted everything, lol.  Ego lifts don't accomplish anything, except for a possible rise in the likelihood of getting injured.  As a bodybuilder if form is improper or sloppy and all your thinking about is moving that weight at all cost then you are cheating yourself, you are burning energy for no reason. Just moving weight does not build muscle.  What does though, is using the intended muscle group to fully stretch and contract and move the weight.  The only time I can warrant slightly sloppier form is maybe the last 2 or 3 reps of the last set n a certain exercise to fully fatigue the muscle.


----------



## Beedeezy (Feb 9, 2016)

Mythos said:


> How do you keep from hurting your lower back with militarys though? Mine seizes up like crazy



Strengthen the entire core, I find if you are arching your back its one or all of three things.

1.Weak core
2.Using too much weight
3.Poor shoulder mobility. <-- this is a big one. If people can't get their shoulder/arms in the correct position when performing the lift they tend to arch the lower back to compensate.


----------



## saltylifter (Feb 14, 2016)

Love arms so hammer db curls. I can do reps with your 120 lbs you use for rows, not to many but it's good form.


----------



## ToolSteel (Feb 14, 2016)

saltylifter said:


> Love arms so hammer db curls. I can do reps with your 120 lbs you use for rows, not to many but it's good form.



Vids or ban


----------



## Mythos (Feb 14, 2016)

Beedeezy said:


> Strengthen the entire core, I find if you are arching your back its one or all of three things.
> 
> 1.Weak core
> 2.Using too much weight
> 3.Poor shoulder mobility. <-- this is a big one. If people can't get their shoulder/arms in the correct position when performing the lift they tend to arch the lower back to compensate.



I've never looked in to shoulder positioning on that..I'll have to revisit that. It's been a long time since I've done militarys tbh.


----------



## ToolSteel (Feb 14, 2016)

Mythos said:


> I've never looked in to shoulder positioning on that..I'll have to revisit that. It's been a long time since I've done militarys tbh.


^^^^ I'm one of those people. My shoulder mobility is horrible.


----------



## RISE (Feb 15, 2016)

Schredder said:


> I don't have any 'ego lifts' anymore.  I did years and years and years ago when I first started training but I really don't remember what they were though if there was a specific one, or I just ego lifted everything, lol.  Ego lifts don't accomplish anything, except for a possible rise in the likelihood of getting injured.  As a bodybuilder if form is improper or sloppy and all your thinking about is moving that weight at all cost then you are cheating yourself, you are burning energy for no reason. Just moving weight does not build muscle.  What does though, is using the intended muscle group to fully stretch and contract and move the weight.  The only time I can warrant slightly sloppier form is maybe the last 2 or 3 reps of the last set n a certain exercise to fully fatigue the muscle.



I don't think the OP means that kind of ego lifting, just lifts that you know you are stronger at that not many people can do.  At least that what I got out of it.


----------



## ECKSRATED (Feb 15, 2016)

Schredder said:


> I don't have any 'ego lifts' anymore.  I did years and years and years ago when I first started training but I really don't remember what they were though if there was a specific one, or I just ego lifted everything, lol.  Ego lifts don't accomplish anything, except for a possible rise in the likelihood of getting injured.  As a bodybuilder if form is improper or sloppy and all your thinking about is moving that weight at all cost then you are cheating yourself, you are burning energy for no reason. Just moving weight does not build muscle.  What does though, is using the intended muscle group to fully stretch and contract and move the weight.  The only time I can warrant slightly sloppier form is maybe the last 2 or 3 reps of the last set n a certain exercise to fully fatigue the muscle.



And this is so far from the truth. I've been powerlifting for almost two years now and my main objective is moving weight fast. I lift with lots of speed and some of these guys have seen how I lift and I've never been bigger or had as much muscle. I've done the BBing type stuff for 15 years and it worked but for me powerlifting and moving weight fast as possible brought on muscle I never saw from slow controlled high rep stuff.


----------



## saltylifter (Feb 15, 2016)

ToolSteel said:


> Vids or ban



I'll make a video so I'm not just saying I can.


----------



## ECKSRATED (Feb 15, 2016)

Curl videos. Yayyyyyyyyy


----------



## Mythos (Feb 15, 2016)

https://youtu.be/p7RvVBpbYPk evidently this is what that looks like. I don't think I could ever get my grip strength up enough to do that.. I can probably hammer 75s- 80's for a few. But then I'm still natty, have monkey arms so . I battled  up from literally the skinniest kid in my class to where I'm at so I have nothing to be ashamed of.. I will say that if I ever get my hands on gear I will fking explode. I have been smashing, grinding, and torturing my genetics for years and a little help would go a long way.


----------



## Mythos (Feb 15, 2016)

RISE said:


> I don't think the OP means that kind of ego lifting, just lifts that you know you are stronger at that not many people can do.  At least that what I got out of it.



That's pretty much my definition.. it's that movement you love that's been a staple for you and that you kill at because you know it so well.. that kind of thing . It's the one you whip out when you're showing off for someone too lol


----------



## ToolSteel (Feb 15, 2016)

Mythos said:


> https://youtu.be/p7RvVBpbYPk


I feel like several dudes here could do that, with that kind of form.


----------



## SuperSaiyan (Feb 15, 2016)

nothing makes me feel bigger in the gym then weighted belt dips and pull-up.


----------



## Mythos (Feb 15, 2016)

ToolSteel said:


> I feel like several dudes here could do that, with that kind of form.



It's not outside of the realm of possible.. you'd need a pretty crazy strong grip though


----------

