How do rows target specific muscles?
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Rows target specific muscles by engaging them through the motion of pulling weight towards your body. The primary muscles targeted in rowing exercises are the latissimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, and trapezius (traps), which are located in the back. The biceps and different parts of the shoulder also get activated to assist with the movement.
However, you can also modify rows to emphasize different muscles. For instance, by changing your grip (overhand, underhand, or neutral) and the width of your grip (wide, narrow, or standard), you can affect how much emphasis is placed on the upper back or the lats. Additionally, the angle of your torso during the row (more vertical or more horizontal) can shift the focus between upper and lower parts of these muscles.
The experts from the demonstrate this specificity. explains using the seated row as an example. Normally targeting the rhomboids, traps, and lats, he modifies the exercise to focus on the rear delts by lightening the load, flaring the elbows slightly, and maintaining a particular shoulder position, turning it effectively into a rear delt-focused exercise 1.
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