Ground Rows (RC/PE2) - Mastery is impossible

It is so easy to follow the tempo and not maximize the form. If you built week 1 with good form and tempo then it wouldn't be hard to master the exercise. We would like everybody to be able to progress but by experience, shortchanging your execution will only lead to quick plateaus and you will eventually come back and review your previous exercises.

I too am stuck at 5 sets of ten reps and have been for about 2 months. On a whim I tried PE 6, 5 sets of 30 sec. chin up hold with the proper mobility in between. I completed this with relative ease on the first try. I find it strange that here I am stuck in the middle of PE 2 but I can master PE 6. 

Hi Christopher,

Its completely normal to get stuck in one element as your other elements move along. How many times do you do your RC progressions in a week? You might wanna add another session on a non-upperbody workout day to help with the volume.

@John Deliyiannis Just joining the conversation now.  It might be worth while swapping out socks for shoes of something with a little more grip.  I know that if I'm doing rows and my feet feel like their slipping I cant generate as much force as I want into the row. When your feet are firmly positioned, you can generate greater total body tension with no energy leaks.   (That why protestors go limp when being dragged away. Makes it more difficult to lift   )

Hi Leo,

Thanks for your prompt response.  I have actually been doing rope climb as well as the upper body elements three times a week. I was starting to think that perhaps my volume maybe holding me back. Perhaps I should dial it back to two times a week. The extra rest and recovery may be beneficial? 

Hi Christopher, 

I agree. That's a great plan! Dial back your volume, get the extra, recovery, and let us know how it goes. 

Thanks Everett, I will give it a shot.   One other thought I had was to do the ground rows first in the upper body routine until I catch up in levels. 

Awesome idea Christopher! Make sure you do your ground rows first in your upper body routine. 

On 3/13/2017 at 10:43 AM, Leo Trinidad said:

But they fail miserably in rows and part of it is because they are not used to using their scaps properly. 

Hi Leo,

Just wanted to check if I am missing something. How would you define using scaps properly in this PE?

Hi @Felipe Garcia Rosa,

In my experience as a trainer, people tend to use their arms for pulling and not enough scapular retraction. 

So we should retract first and then pull while being retracted?

3 hours ago, Leo Trinidad said:

Hi @Felipe Garcia Rosa,

In my experience as a trainer, people tend to use their arms for pulling and not enough scapular retraction. 

I can only look at myself but I can really relate to that. Compared to standard vertical pull-ups I'm relatively weak in rows. However since I started focusing on scapular retraction I've seen great improvements. I can recommend just doing the retraction (keeping arms straight), as part of the warm-up or between sessions, to activate and strenghten the involved muscles. You'll probably notice that it's tougher than you think. 

Hi Thomas,

Thanks for sharing your experience. This is why all the elements are important. The stronger your strength and range of motion in your scapular shrugs, the easier your rows will be. Same with building your core strength.

I am good at pull up but weak at rows before, after doing 3 months of rows. My undeveloped rear delts are significantly stronger, which contribute to a more

stable shoulder. However, I think I still cannot retract properly.

Hi Chris, 

How is your range of motion in your Scapular Shrugs? This really helps with controlling the scaps when pulling. 

I have experienced similar plateau in ground rows as well.  I'm bouncing back and forth between 5x6 and 4x9 for months.  I put extra hours on scapula retraction exercises such as Face Pull and Bat Wing into my active rest days to teach myself the motor control skill and they've been quite useful.  I emphasize low intensity, high volume approach on these.  Bat Wing, especially, puts my spine in neutral position; therefore, I can fully focus on scapula movement throughout the set, even the load is very light (10-15 lbs).

I'm into ground rows right now. I've been doing different aspects of training for quite some years, but just a month or so ago started doing Gymnastic Bodies Foundation because I said to myself I want to try things the "right way", for which I hope I won't be let down

Anyhow, I also figured that the 5x15 reps will be hard without rest so I started the early progressions with added weight (I use a 10kg vest). Right now I'm on 4x6reps and I can manage it. I intend to use the vest as long as I will be able to and then switch to bodyweight only. My rationale behind is to gain some strenght in the exercise thus making it easier on BW alone. 

On 4/15/2017 at 10:40 PM, Leo Trinidad said:

Hi Chris, 

How is your range of motion in your Scapular Shrugs? This really helps with controlling the scaps when pulling. 

Hi Leo

Please see my latest form check

My question is regarding ROM for ground rows (PE2).

There seems, to my untrained eye, a noticeable difference between the follow-along video, course library exercise video and the distance in the technique video with Wesley. (Probably 12 inches, perhaps more). I may be off with that estimate.

Regardless, is there a specific distance (inches) our backs should be from the ground while at the bottom of the row position?

Thanks for your help, GB community!

Hey Anthony the form you need to reach it is what it is showed in the Wesley's video.

Affirmative!

I'll consult the video with Wesley.

Thanks, Alex.

I am so glad I found this.  I've been doing these for months and am encouraged by everyone else's frustration.  (That sounds bad, but it feels good to know that I'm not alone).   When I read articles about improving shoulder health, almost every article has ring rows as a way to bulletproof your shoulders.  I keep this in mind as I struggle week to week to build the work capacity to do 5x15.  Right now I've worked up to 4x15.  It wasn't until last week that I was able to do 3 sets of 15 and rode the struggle bus,and was unable to complete, the fourth set.  But I am happy to be building the work capacity at ring rows.....although it is a slow process.

Stick with it, Chris! You've got this. 

So I'm with everyone on this and since I'm/was in a rock climbing environment I asked my friends if they could do it and no one can (just as the hinge rows which are a killer, although 5*5 is a joke now).

I would in fact like to see anyone perform 5*15 elevated or even ground rows with no rest and good form because it is something I have yet to witness (unfortunately I don't know gymnasts), is there such a video available somewhere (I always try to touch my shoulders with my fingers on rows, personally, or count it as a no rep).

My personal approach is to work on my pull-ups and keep working on my rows on the side since it's such slow progress anyway (it was even before I started pull ups just to be clear), it also feels like very different body mechanics to me and I just think one should always keep working both on horizontal and vertical pulls anyway, rear delts definitely taking a beating on horizontal variations.

would be good that someone who recently mastered PE2 share some thoughts.

Maybe like try doing additional RC workout but only holding at the top position (as chin up holds).. any thoughts?