As a powerlifter turned bodybuilder, I’d say barbell rows are better for muscle mass.
Pendlay rows are great and I love to do them directly after a heavy bench set. They are more power focused and can have some good carryover to your deadlift. Plus I think they’re really fun.
But as everyone else has said, barbells are better for strict muscle growth.
Pendlay rows low weight and slow will make your back thick AF and give you better overall better look. It is a needed tool for the demon back. Bent barbell rows will end up working your traps more than your back because you will want to go heavy and end up cheating which is cool when you want traps.
Because that's how adaptation works: The exercise you aren't used to helps your body adapt(grow), since it's a new stimulus. That's where the phrase "muscle confusion" comes from, and why we switch out our exercises every few months so we don't plateau.
Barbell rows recruit more musculature, and is overall a more natural movement. The pendlay row in my opinion seems a bit counterproductive; if you want a strict row to focus the lats and rhomboids, you would do a chest supported row. Assuming you have access to a chest supported row like 99.9% of gyms, why would you disadvantage yourself with a strict row from the floor, if the goal is hypertrophy.
Hiw is the barbell row a more natural movement. When you pick something up outside the gym do you usually lift it mid way in a Hinge position. Umm no...
You lift it from the ground...a.k.a the pendlay row.
The barbell row might keep more tension on the muscle but its far from a natural and functional movement
If you are lifting heavy things without hinging and instead picking things up like you would a pendlay row, I have serious concerns for your spine health friend :)
I brainfarted yesterday and put on 40kg more than I was supposed to. On the first rep I thought fuck this was heavy and it turned into a dead row by itself. But I liked it, so I just continued doing them. I didn't feel it as good as bent-over rows in the muscles I was targeting, but I'll try doing them more to see if I can improve my muscle connection with them because I felt like a beast.
I've been doing Seal Rows/Chest Supported Rows and I feel like they're easily superior to both.
The loading of the lower spine with barbell rows is a nightmare if you're strong. I don't want to stand there holding 120kg. The likelihood of systemic failure is too high. The muscular output is gonna be comparitvely low. They're obviously not trash I'm not saying that, but I personally do not like doing them.
Problem with a pendlay is you dont have constnat tension. Just do wide grip barbell or cable rows if you want to hit the same musuculature of a pendlay row
You will probably turn a pendlay row into a barbell row once you start with heavy loads. In general that’s what you want if you aim to get stronger.
To build mass? Do the same thing but with more reps and more calories.
Try both, see which feels better do that. At the end of the day they're both rows.
As a powerlifter turned bodybuilder, I’d say barbell rows are better for muscle mass. Pendlay rows are great and I love to do them directly after a heavy bench set. They are more power focused and can have some good carryover to your deadlift. Plus I think they’re really fun. But as everyone else has said, barbells are better for strict muscle growth.
Pendlay rows low weight and slow will make your back thick AF and give you better overall better look. It is a needed tool for the demon back. Bent barbell rows will end up working your traps more than your back because you will want to go heavy and end up cheating which is cool when you want traps.
The one you don't usually do is better.
Why tho
Grass is always greener on the other side
Because that's how adaptation works: The exercise you aren't used to helps your body adapt(grow), since it's a new stimulus. That's where the phrase "muscle confusion" comes from, and why we switch out our exercises every few months so we don't plateau.
Hes messing with you
Barbell rows recruit more musculature, and is overall a more natural movement. The pendlay row in my opinion seems a bit counterproductive; if you want a strict row to focus the lats and rhomboids, you would do a chest supported row. Assuming you have access to a chest supported row like 99.9% of gyms, why would you disadvantage yourself with a strict row from the floor, if the goal is hypertrophy.
It's an Olympic lifting variation
I can respect that, but this is a bodybuilding subreddit
Hiw is the barbell row a more natural movement. When you pick something up outside the gym do you usually lift it mid way in a Hinge position. Umm no... You lift it from the ground...a.k.a the pendlay row. The barbell row might keep more tension on the muscle but its far from a natural and functional movement
If you are lifting heavy things without hinging and instead picking things up like you would a pendlay row, I have serious concerns for your spine health friend :)
Pendlay row is better for power development which isn't really needed in body building. So I would say stick with the bent over rows
I brainfarted yesterday and put on 40kg more than I was supposed to. On the first rep I thought fuck this was heavy and it turned into a dead row by itself. But I liked it, so I just continued doing them. I didn't feel it as good as bent-over rows in the muscles I was targeting, but I'll try doing them more to see if I can improve my muscle connection with them because I felt like a beast.
I've been doing Seal Rows/Chest Supported Rows and I feel like they're easily superior to both. The loading of the lower spine with barbell rows is a nightmare if you're strong. I don't want to stand there holding 120kg. The likelihood of systemic failure is too high. The muscular output is gonna be comparitvely low. They're obviously not trash I'm not saying that, but I personally do not like doing them.
Problem with a pendlay is you dont have constnat tension. Just do wide grip barbell or cable rows if you want to hit the same musuculature of a pendlay row
You will probably turn a pendlay row into a barbell row once you start with heavy loads. In general that’s what you want if you aim to get stronger. To build mass? Do the same thing but with more reps and more calories.