RC/PE3 Form clarificatiom?

In the video for ground rows, it looks like he's bringing his shoulders up until they touch his thumbs. Is this an important detail? I have trouble doing that when I'm just standing without resistance.

yes it's important. remember that one of the 2 functions of lat it's more the upper arm behind the upper body. so as you move the hands closer to chest or elbows as much down as possible, you are doing the correct movement.

Ok, thanks.

Is there a good way to work on improving that range of motion? I've been working on bringing my thumbs closer to my shoulders while just standing but is there anything else that will help?

Have you tried not to let your elbows flare out (Keep them really close to your body) ? I think that bringing your hands touching your shoulders but touching the outside <<edge>> of your pecs is possible. Posting a video would be really helpfull.

I'm not really able to make a video but elbows are at my side and not flared out.I push the elbows back and feel a stretch in the pecs and my hands stop a couple inches short of my shoulders. Maybe the pecs and shoulders are just a bit tight. I'm hoping that just trying to achieve that range of motion will help. I've been practicing kind of a standing version of Dan Johns batwing exercise but would welcome other ideas.

Thanks.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/the_right_way_to_stretch_the_pecs&cr=

http://www.mikereinold.com/2010/10/new-stretch-for-pec-minor.html

And a quick way to do some soft tissue work. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kOtSeKKJDmc

mcneuen said:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/the_right_way_to_stretch_the_pecs&cr=

http://www.mikereinold.com/2010/10/new-stretch-for-pec-minor.html

Thanks! That stretch in the first link feels promising. I'll have to work on it.

For me, it's just strength. I can pull all the way back in an incline row, but not in a ground row. I just need a little bit of incline to make the exercise just a little easier and I can get the full range of motion. Interestingly, RC2, RC4, and RC5 don't bring the hands to the shoulders.

It's a matter of practice. It's usually the first thing to fail in RC/PE3 and RC/PE4 as fatigue sets.

Looking at the video more closely, it looks like his hands are a little inside the shoulders like the thumbs are going to the armpits. That makes it a bit more doable.

If the last bit of the ROM is difficult, then you could try holding that position in an isometric hold in between sets of pec and lat stretches (post - workout obviously).