How To: Commando Rows
Have you gone commando?
The fact that everyone can see your cock and balls swaying all over the place suggests that you have!
Working out without underwear, like you apparently love to do, is certainly one way to go commando in the gym but it’s not the only way. Another way to go commando is with your rows.
Performed in a plank position, commando rows are an exercise that you should probably add to your routine, if they aren’t already a part of it.
As the name suggests, commando rows are a row variation, which means they work the back. However, while commando rows work back muscles like the lats and rhomboids, they’re not the best exercise as a back builder for two reasons. One is because of the movement’s short range of motion. The other is that it’s not possible to exert the force necessary to lift heavy weight because of the instability that’s created by the exercise’s positioning, which involves being on your tippy toes and supporting your weight with one arm as you row a dumbbell with the other arm. Those factors make commando rows less than an ideal choice for building a stronger back but that’s not the case for strengthening the core, as those muscles are significantly activated during the exercise to stabilize the body. Due to these considerations, it’s better to think of commando rows as an advanced core exercise to improve balance and stability instead of as a primary back exercise for hypertrophy of that muscle group.
INSTRUCTIONS
1). Place two hex dumbbells on the ground about shoulder-width apart.1You may also use kettlebells.
2). Get down on the floor, grab the dumbbell handles with a neutral grip (i.e. palms facing each other), and assume a high plank position so your shoulders are directly underneath your wrists and your legs are fully extended behind you and spread wider than shoulder-width apart.2Here, your body should form a diagonal line from your shoulders to your heels as you prop your lower half up on the balls of your feet and the weight of your torso rests on your arms.
3). While squeezing your glutes, fixing your gaze on a spot straight down on the ground, and pulling your belly button into your spine to keep your core engaged and spine neutral, breathe out and row one of the dumbbells up towards your rib cage without allowing your hips to rotate.3NOTE: Your hand only serves as a hook to hold the dumbbell. Concentrate on using your elbow, NOT your arm, to generate the force to move the weight. To further take your arm out of the movement, use a suicide (i.e. thumbless) grip around the dumbbell.
4). Pause for 1-2 seconds at the top.
5). Breathe in and lower the dumbbell toward the ground.
6). Once the dumbbell is returned to the floor, allow it to rest and then repeat the movement with the opposite arm to complete the rep.
7). Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
NOTE (1): If working out barefoot or while wearing socks, then set up on an exercise mat to reduce the possibility of sliding out of position while executing the exercise, which can increase the risk of injury.
NOTE (2): There’s a variation of the commando row that’s known as the renegade row. The setup is the same. The only difference is that a push-up is performed before each individual row or after the dumbbells are rowed on both sides of the body.
NOTE (3): A weighted vest can be worn while performing the exercise to increase the demand placed on the core.
For a workout routine that possibly includes commando rows, as well as other exercises geared specifically to your goals, training experience, injury history, and available equipment, then find out more HERE
Glossary: arms, dumbbell, exercise, exercise equipment, goal, glutes, gym, hypertrophy, lats, muscle, muscle group, plank, reps, routine, train, work out
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