The Importance of Upper Back Strength
When it comes to building a strong back, the inverted row is arguably one of the best exercises you can do. This dynamic back building exercise holds a ton of benefits for both beginners and experienced lifters. Here are the benefits of the Inverted or Body Weight Row
The back is one of the most important parts of the human anatomy. It is also one the most neglected. Back muscles give power to the body, that play a major role in all functions. They connect the hips, butt, chest, shoulder and neck. It is a conjunction between major body muscles of human body parts. Strengthening our back muscles should not be treated as a luxury, but rather an obligation. These muscles do not only serve us in spotting activities and power workouts, they serve us in our daily lives.
Rowing, pull ups, and general back training is key for nearly every athletic endeavor of strength, power, speed, and endurance. The back, which in this case really involves the entire posterior aspect of the body above the tailbone to the back of the neck, can and should be targeted for maximum athletic development and injury reduction.
Many upper-back exercises also contribute to improving and maintaining shoulder health. That's because several muscles of the upper back (primarily the rotator cuff, rhomboids and lower traps) work together to stabilize the humerus (the upper arm bone). The shoulder joint is a "ball-and-socket" joint, and these muscles work to keep the humerus (the "ball") snuggly secured in the glenoid fossa (the "socket").
When it comes to building a strong back, the inverted row is arguably one of the best exercises you can do. This dynamic back building exercise holds a ton of benefits for both beginners and experienced lifters. Here are the benefits of the Inverted or Body Weight Row:
Highly Scalable Movement
The inverted row is a very common movement that is found in scaled WODs and exercise circuits that involves pull ups and/or other bar/ring gymnastic movements. Due it its widely modifiable angle of pull and/or progressions (feet up, feet on floor, slow reps, etc) the inverted row is often used in group settings and other training environments when some athletes have issues performing higher rep based bar and ring gymnastic movements (pull ups, muscle ups, etc), The ease of use, scalability of the movement, and it’s transferability of skill and strength to more complex exercises makes the inverted row a great option for those who lack the ability to perform more complex movements.
Back, Arm, and Grip Strength and Muscular Development
Like most rowing and pulling variations, the inverted row works to increase overall back, grip, and arm strength and performance. The inverted row has an added benefit in that it allows a lifter to move their body weight, which can be very difficult yet rewarding in that the lifter must demonstrate the coordination and muscular control, seeking to maintain a muscle contraction throughout the entire range of motion. Suspension training and other gymnastic based movements are great at producing increased time under tension on the muscle, which has been shown to increase muscle growth.
Body Awareness and Midline Stabilization
Midline stability training is key to increasing strength, posture, and performance in nearly any lift, for any athlete. Bodyweight movements, specifically planks, inverted rows, handstands, etc all require a sense of body awareness and core stability to not only perform the movement but also to hold oneself in proper positioning. The inverted row is a great way to build core stability and lower back strength in the start and finishing positions), yet also offers man of the same core benefits during the rowing motion of the exercise.
Little Equipment and Preparation Needed
The inverted row does not require a great amount of preparation, equipment, or space, making it a great movement to add to any athlete’s and lifter’s exercise arsenal. The ability to perform these movements anywhere in the world, in nearly any environment, opens up the door to fitness throughout every stage of one’s life. Whether you are traveling, training out of your garage, or in a space with a large group of athletes crammed in, inverted rows can be done to increase all the benefits discussed above in very effective and efficient manner.