RC/PE1 Woes ( Hinge Rows)

I am on week two of F1 but still performing week one of RC/PE1.   I feel more like I am pulling up than hinging.   Part of my problem could be that I am not using rings (they arrive Thursday) but instead using these TRX straps at my gym (see image).  I have been studying the video closely and read some of the forum posts on the topic.  When I get my rings I am going to try and start in the same position as the athlete in the video.  He is sitting on floor with legs straight and holding onto rings directly above, then leans back, and lifts up into starting position.   My current start position with these nylon straps was to just line myself up underneath them on my back, grab the handles, lift my butt off the floor, and try to hinge but instead I was doing more of a row pull up and not hinging.  Prior to my purchase of F1, I was doing 5 sets of 6-8  reps of incline rows under a Smith Machine bar (then stumbled across gymnastic bodies.com and quit doing them to begin F1 training).

I've been doing hinge rows for about a year and still don't master alignment straight away.

What I do is start in the up position. I check that my arms and chest make a straight line, my upper arms are parallel with the ground and my elbow is bent at 90 degrees. I adjust ring height and feet placement as necessary to hinge up to that alignment.

Thanks for the tip!

I've been doing it with TRX bands at the gym too, till my rings arrive (I'm hogging the Smith machine, but really, they're useless things anyway). Two things I've found that help:  

Use 2 TRX bands (I don't know if you are, but its WAY harder with one, because you have to separate the handles and keep them separate while also doing the rows. Much easier if they're already separate.)

I think starting the way the guy in the video does is important-- if you start with your butt off the floor and the ropes are already vertical then, in pulling up, the path of least resistance will be to do a full row, whereas if you start like in the video, sitting with the ropes vertical, then when you lean back, the ropes will be pulled towards you slightly, and you're moving with the path they move in naturally to pull your upper body. I don't know if that makes sense in writing; apologies if I've confused things more . 

fairybekk said:

I've been doing it with TRX bands at the gym too, till my rings arrive (I'm hogging the Smith machine, but really, they're useless things anyway). Two things I've found that help:  

 

Use 2 TRX bands (I don't know if you are, but its WAY harder with one, because you have to separate the handles and keep them separate while also doing the rows. Much easier if they're already separate.)

 

I think starting the way the guy in the video does is important-- if you start with your butt off the floor and the ropes are already vertical then, in pulling up, the path of least resistance will be to do a full row, whereas if you start like in the video, sitting with the ropes vertical, then when you lean back, the ropes will be pulled towards you slightly, and you're moving with the path they move in naturally to pull your upper body. I don't know if that makes sense in writing; apologies if I've confused things more . 

No, I am just using one TRX band with the handles unseparated.  So that makes sense why it is so much harder because the rings in the video are much further apart than the handles from one TRX band.  My rings are due to arrive tomorrow.

Your description makes perfect sense.  I will definitely take that approach with my rings.  Thanks!

I think the rings, and cues to keep everything straight and right-angled, will clear it up. When you hinge forward past your elbows, the contraction in your lats, traps, rhomboids, delts and biceps is unmistakable. I'm excited for you to feel it!

wheezer said:

I think the rings, and cues to keep everything straight and right-angled, will clear it up. When you hinge forward past your elbows, the contraction in your lats, traps, rhomboids, delts and biceps is unmistakable. I'm excited for you to feel it!

dat pump.