Hinge Row - Butt Off The Floor?

(First post, oh yeah!)

In Foundation One, Rope Climb PE1 (Hinge Row) Coach says to start with your butt off the ground, but in the video it looks as though the model is planting it firmly on the mat and moving only his upper body.

What is the proper form? Do I need to keep my glutes in the air throughout the movement? If my feet slide should I brace them against something or find a natural spot where I'm pulling straight up?

I would also like to know.  Coach has said explicitly in another thread that the glutes must be off the floor starting the movement but I am still unsure whether the glutes can rest on the floor at the top of the movement when in the bent arm positon.

Whether the glutes touch the floor at the end of the movement will vary depending entirely upon the length of your individual torso.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I'm confused about this too, Coach says it depends upon the length of your torso, but i've found that i can hinge at the hips and keep the glutes off the floor for the entire movement, and i can also hinge at the hips and finish the movement sitting down. The former is much harder obviously, so should i be training the more difficult version of this exercise to achieve mastery of it?

This is what I posted on another thread and it is my understanding of the exercise.  See if thinking about it like this helps:

The hinged row was harder for me than standing row.  I now realise after analysing the video more that the hinged row is essentially a standing row (glutes and shoulders off the floor) but you just hinge at the hips and in order to hinge at the hips and get your chest to the rings, the rings must be set lower down and your body must be more parallell to the floor.

I also had my shoulders directly under the rings however, like in a standing row, the straps are at more of an angle with the floor rather than perpendicular like they would be in a pull up.

I understand the exercise now I think.  Thanks.

Guys this is only the first exercise of the series...  Unless you are utterly new to strength training it shouldn't be too hard.  It is mostly an aerobic exercise given the high number of reps, so treat it accordingly.  Stop worrying so much!

Thanks dbirchall that does help. And you're right A.J. it shouldn't cause a headache, but i just wanted to do things perfectly right from the beginning no matter how basic. 

I have a problem with my feet sliding forward during Hinge Rows.

I spend more time trying to get my feet to stay in place than anything else.

It it ok to place a weight in front of them to hold me in place?

Or, is this an indication of improper form or a strength deficiency in some body part?

Thanks,
 

Stewart

Are you doing them on a slippery floor? 

Usually on carpet that isn't all that slippery. Next time I'll put on shoes and see if the extra grip resolves it.

whaleysa said:

I have a problem with my feet sliding forward during Hinge Rows.

I spend more time trying to get my feet to stay in place than anything else.

I am having the same problem.

Cole Dano said:

Are you doing them on a slippery floor? 

I do them on tarmac in the park with trainers (shoes) on, so it really is not slippery... Yet, the moment I lift my butt, I need to start fighting the sliding forward... It gets worse as I am lifting up.

I am sure I am doing it wrong, but I tried several ring lengths, and various angles & I don't seem to figure it out... this exercise feels too difficult compared to horizontal rows. To be more precise, it either feels ridiculously easy when abs are used to flex the trunk upwards (but is that a row then?), or really hard (and sliding forward) when not using the abs. (the athlete on the video doesn't look like he is using his abs, and the exercise doesn't appear to be too hard either)

Clues, pointers, advice are welcome.

FredInChina said:

I am having the same problem.

 

I do them on tarmac in the park with trainers (shoes) on, so it really is not slippery... Yet, the moment I lift my butt, I need to start fighting the sliding forward... It gets worse as I am lifting up.

I am sure I am doing it wrong, but I tried several ring lengths, and various angles & I don't seem to figure it out... this exercise feels too difficult compared to horizontal rows. To be more precise, it either feels ridiculously easy when abs are used to flex the trunk upwards (but is that a row then?), or really hard (and sliding forward) when not using the abs. (the athlete on the video doesn't look like he is using his abs, and the exercise doesn't appear to be too hard either)

 

Clues, pointers, advice are welcome.

Same here. The athlete in the video also doesn't have his glutes on the floor it would appear either. Thus no sliding issue as there is more mass to hold one in place.

- Chris

chobbs said:

Same here. The athlete in the video also doesn't have his glutes on the floor it would appear either. Thus no sliding issue as there is more mass to hold one in place.

 

- Chris

Do you mean that it doesn't appear that his glutes are OFF the floor?  I have also been having a heck of a time doing this exercise without sliding despite multiple strap lengths etc.

Sliding shouldn't be an issue from my experience. I've had folks doing them with sock on over a crash mat and no sliding.

Best guess, without seeing video, is you aren't starting out with you shoulders right under the rings.

This one isn't super hard, don't over think it. If you slide, go with it, and you should settle into the right spot.

If not, put up a video so we can figure out whats going on.

xray said:

Do you mean that it doesn't appear that his glutes are OFF the floor?  I have also been having a heck of a time doing this exercise without sliding despite multiple strap lengths etc.

Yes, that is what I meant. Sure looks like he is laying on the ground, toes pointed, with shoulders slightly off. I see no tension in his feet otherwise and I would expect to see that tension when that is your only point of contact with the floor.

Cole Dano said:

Sliding shouldn't be an issue from my experience. I've had folks doing them with sock on over a crash mat and no sliding.

 

Best guess, without seeing video, is you aren't starting out with you shoulders right under the rings.

 

This one isn't super hard, don't over think it. If you slide, go with it, and you should settle into the right spot.

 

If not, put up a video so we can figure out whats going on.

For me, I do this movement outside and the ground is a layer of wood chips. Makes sense why I slide, but I don't see any way that one could do this and not slide even on a mat. Only way I have found to not slide is to plant my feet flat on the ground, and do them with a 90 degree bend in the knees. *shrug* For now I am just digging my heels into the ground and letting it anchor me.

- Chris

chobbs said:

Yes, that is what I meant. Sure looks like he is laying on the ground, toes pointed, with shoulders slightly off. I see no tension in his feet otherwise and I would expect to see that tension when that is your only point of contact with the floor.

 

 

For me, I do this movement outside and the ground is a layer of wood chips. Makes sense why I slide, but I don't see any way that one could do this and not slide even on a mat. Only way I have found to not slide is to plant my feet flat on the ground, and do them with a 90 degree bend in the knees. *shrug* For now I am just digging my heels into the ground and letting it anchor me.

 

- Chris

Hi Chris,

It says in the instructions to keep your glutes off the floor when you START. This makes the exercise. As you hinge, and pull yourself up, your glutes should touch the floor. The time at which your glutes touch the floor during the ascent would vary I guess depending on your body proportions. Focus on the hinge.

EDIT: Another thought: perhaps your glutes are too high off the floor. Only a very, very small amount is required. This would explain why you are pushing into the ground.

I find that keeping my glutes off the floor for the whole exercise adds a nice layer of intensity.

Klaudius Petrulis said:

I find that keeping my glutes off the floor for the whole exercise adds a nice layer of intensity.

I'll try that next time!

Julian Wilson said:

I'll try that next time!

Definitely makes it more fun, but way more demanding on the lats, and your shoulder mobility needs to be pretty decent too! Good luck, let me know how it goes

Cole Dano said:

Sliding shouldn't be an issue from my experience. I've had folks doing them with sock on over a crash mat and no sliding.

 

Best guess, without seeing video, is you aren't starting out with you shoulders right under the rings.

 

This one isn't super hard, don't over think it. If you slide, go with it, and you should settle into the right spot.

 

If not, put up a video so we can figure out whats going on.

Aren't you supposed to keep your hips right under the rings? So in the top position your back is vertical?

It sure looks like it in the video, and that's how I've been doing them.

Yes, but I'm assuming the person in question is too far out. It doesn't feel like the rings are far in front at all with this.

I'm just taking a pot shot here, because this is a new problem for me, and I've seen people mess these up in a few ways. The biggest one being trying to turn it into a ground row rather than smoothly hinging at the hips.

Just sit on the floor between the rings, adjust the height, lay down and start your reps. The correct position should be fairly instinctive.

OKay I understand. Don't overthink it right? 

I will experiment with this a bit more, but I don't think I am overthinking it. It is about reconciling an image/video that doesn't appear to coincide with the description given.

- Chris

Just keep in mind that the butt really doesn't need to be far off the floor, you will feel it unweight but it might not look like much from the outside.

Thanks for the help cole.  I tried it again with my butt just off the floor and it seemed to solve my problems.