Bend To Extend With Row

Of all of the seven primal movements, none of them will allow you to move as much weight as a bend to extend movement with your hips. This exercise uses the strongest lifting muscles of your body, the glutes and hamstrings, to lift anything heavy off the ground. When it comes to the upper body, pulling is considerably stronger than pushing and the combination of the two will deliver some real power. You will also add a little bit of rotation in your torso with this exercise when performed with one hand, which will allow you to generate even more strength. Today I am teaching you how to use the bend to extend combined with a pulling movement to develop glutes and abs of steel when training in the gym. I recommend you learn how to deadlift, with excellent technique before trying this progression as it is the foundation of this power phase move. Keep your feet flat, stay in control of the weight, and don’t forget to breathe (breathe in, come down, power up, breathe out).

The first way I am demonstrating this combination is using a resistance band that will allow me to rep out one hand and then switch to the other. In the gym, you can use a low pulley with an adjustable weight stack for almost unlimited challenge. This variation is best when done to a one-two-three count from beginning to end. Count one is returning the hand from hip to straight out front (reversing the row), the two count is bending at the hip and the three count is the bend to extend with row follow through in one smooth motion. Make sure you are using your hips to make the row feel lighter.

The second demonstration for this exercise, is pulling a rope with a kettlebell tied at the end of it using a hand over hand motion. This variation will make you switch hands with each pull and you will definitely notice the rotation side to side with each rep. I really like this variation, it seems like such a natural movement that we don’t often get to do in the gym. You will of course need a rope, a bell and the appropriate amount of space to do this. I have personally had many workouts where I pulled a heavy kettlebell around the perimeter of a park for forty five minutes using this technique.

In addition to training some major muscles with this exercise, you will also drive up the heart rate very quickly, you will be sore in your glutes, upper back, abdomen and maybe even your grip from this exercise. It will demand excellent concentration to combine these movements this way, stay focused and keep your core tightly braced as you drive through those hips. Have fun with this exercise and see how you can mix it up using both hands, different equipment, or even while standing on something completely unstable!

Thanks for joining me,
Peter Hirsh