Horizontal Rows: Tips for Engaging Your Lats

Horizontal Rows: Tips for Engaging Your Lats
Video by Kirsten Ahrendt

A common fault we see in horizontal pulling movements like dumbbell rows, bent-over barbell rows, ring rows, and others is that the athlete’s shoulder rolls forward at the end of the pull. When what we want is for the shoulder to stay set back tight, without any rolling or movement within the joint.

When this fault does happen, it could mean a couple of things. One, the athlete could be missing internal rotation of the shoulder. Or, two, the athlete is missing a mind-body connection to engaging and pulling with the back and there is an overreliance in pulling with the bicep and trap.

Some cues we like to use to correct this are:

1) Loosen your death grip. Pretend you have Captain Hook hands.
2) Imagine you’re pulling your elbow behind your body rather than pulling your shoulder to the implement (rings, dumbbells, etc.)
3) Slow it down or lighten the load!

Check out the video where Coach Kirsten explains how to make the mind-body connection and use the cues above to make sure your lats are being used to their max.