DB Rows vs BB rows and Over head presses vs DB presses

[Raiman]

My question is in regards to assistance work on my heavy squat day and heavy bench day.

My current routine is 531 like so:

Mon - Heavy squat, overhead press (assistance not heavy), barbell rows. The purpose of the overhead press assistance is to increase that as well as some carry over to my shoulders in the bench and the purpose of the BB rows is upper back work.

Wed - Squat assistance, Heavy Bench, Good Mornings. The Good mornings are there to improve my hamstrings with the thought that it would help me off the floor in the deadlift and overall in the squat.

Friday - Squat assistance, Heavy OHP, Heavy Deadlifts. Self explanatory I believe.

My question is would swapping my monday assistance for DB bench and Rows be more beneficial with the idea of improving upper back and shoulders? Would swapping good mornings for another pull movement be beneficial for my deadlift? I mean considering I squat everyday and my assistance squats are essentially triples of my 3x5 week percentages would it be better to change that movement?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Tosa]

A) Personally, I'd do the Good Mornings, or whatever you might swap them for, on Monday, and the bent over rows on Wednesday. While it might depend on the individual, I think it'd make for being fresher for the heavy deadlifts on Friday.

B) What variations or assistance exercises you might benefit from depend on individual weaknesses. As deadlift assistance, I prefer Romanian deadlifts to Good Mornings, since I can start each rep from the ground.

C) Stick with either barbell bench or press. Not that DB bench is a bad exercise, but both bench and press benefit from frequency and volume.

 

[Raiman]

How do you feel about swapping bb rows for db rows? For my back is there benefit to the swap?

 

[Tosa]

Both are good. It's a question of whether you want to train the posterior chain with the lower back.

 

[golvmopp]

IMO Db rows (Kroc rows specifically) are superior for the upper back but do nothing for the lower back. BB rows are good for core- and posterior chain stability but won't do as much for your upper back.
DB presses work the shoulders more (equal setup assumed - i.e sitting/standing, supported/unsupported) and can be a valuable compliment to the OHP. I still consider the barbell version to be the main lift though - 1rm DB presses have never been contested. Though to be fair, come to think of it, the DB presses are probably a better exercise in terms of muscular recruitment and development due to working the shoulder stabilizing muscles. Entirely subjective opinion doe.

 

[Raiman]

I guess adding 3x10 of db rows would be beneficial.