Body Weight Row Help

[veggieguy]

Hello fellow nerds! I'm relatively new to Nerd Fitness. I've just reached the half-way point of Basic Training. Things are going well with one exception -- body weight rows. I just haven't been able to come up with an arrangement that works well for these. I don't have a random bar sitting 3 feet above the floor at my house, and my attempts to hack a solution together have not worked well. I've been using the "kitchen table" alternative, but my table is pretty hard on the hands. It has very square edges which are quite uncomfortable after just a couple of reps.

Any suggestions for an in-home setup that will work better? I'd even be willing to go with an alternate exercise if I knew of one that was interchangeable.

Thanks!

[Sloth the Enduring]

I use a Go Fit Chin Up Bar. It has two sets of brackets that you screw into a doorway. It does not change easily from one postion to the other. I ended up sawing the safety tabs off and sanding the burrs off the end of the bar, it's still kind of sticky, I might ream the screw holes out so the screws sit flush - it was kind of a hassle. Or you could build a PVC dip station.

[cianalas]

You could try wearing work/weight-lifting gloves to cushion your grip on the table some.

[azm]

I found this problem with Inverted Rows too, so instead I do Ring Rows. http://www.fitstream.com/en/gb/exercises/ring-rows-body-rows-a23

I have one of the removable canter-levered type chin up bars that hooks onto the doorframe, and I've hung a set of Olympic rings off it on adjustable straps. Its a reasonably cheap, quick and easy solution that doesn't cause damage to your door or furniture. And you'll need the bar eventually anyways, and rings are always useful.

[veggieguy]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[alice-on]

I take two chairs with open backs and stick a broom stick through them.

[Thrillho]

I take two chairs with open backs and stick a broom stick through them.

I snapped my broomstick on the first one. This solution might not work for everyone.

[alice-on]

True on the broomstick possibly snapping, but you can take the idea and make something work. They make some pretty sturdy brooms and mops out there that are non hollow plastic/metal, and there might be something cheap at the local lowes or home depot that is cylindrical/cheap/sturdy. There is always a way.

[Thrillho]

Oh, absolutely Just not broonsticks. Buy a length of 1" hemlock closet rod, it's only 2 bucks a foot.

[veggieguy]

I was able to set up a variation on azm's suggestion of Ring Rows. I bought an Iron Gym bar and attached the hand grips from an old Total Gym that was gathering dust in my garage. It worked out perfectly. Just the right height from the ground, and the rows are much more pleasant now. Thanks again.

[Deanna]

I was trying to think of a way to mod this for body weight rows when I get that far.

http://trinitytraining.blogspot.com/2010/06/diy-gear-dip-station.html

If anyone does it, post pictures!

[veggieguy]

Seems like it would be about the right height if you turned it on its side and gripped that cross piece.

[rtalencar]

Have you tried getting some heavy duty rope and hanging it from a tree?