Are bent over barbell rows sufficient for rear delt development?

[Old and Grey]

A slight modification. I was basically doing two days on and one off for the metabolic-type bodyweight work. Now with adding weight (50 pounds right now) I find I need more recovery time so I am now switching to every other day for the chins. That is about a 30% drop in frequency but also about a 25% increase in load stress. I belive the increase in load stress more than makes up for the shortfall in frequency but I won't know for 2 or 3 weeks probably. I will also do one metabolic 15 reps set at the end of the day to keep the erk's happy.

In keeping with the theme of other threads, I should also state emphatically that this is also putting a lot of stress on my quads and lower back too.

 

[wungun]

Me, I do BB rows like the Pendalay, just not extremely leaned over to such a degree.
Wide-ish grip, elbows out as far as comfortable.
I don't think this gives much work to the lats...but again, it's a seriously compounded lift.

To target my lats more, I go shoulder width grip and keep my elbows against my sides.
TOTALLY different feeling as far as engaged muscles used. Very similar to a DB row.
Which is identical to pull-ups, except the position of the arm in the start position.

So I do both in my routine...

I have a hard time seeing how a wide grip elbows out row hits the lats or to some extent, traps.

 

[Sci]

A wide-grip bentover barbell row heavily targets the rear deltoids and middle trapezius and rhomboids. Also the small infraspinitus and teres minor rotator cuff muscles contribute too. All the muscles that cross the shoulder blades in the upper back are the prime mover in a wide grip row.

As you correctly pointed out, a narrower grip with elbows closer to the sides will take stress off the rear delts and put more on the lats. Since the lats are much larger than the rear delts, most guys can move a lot more weight with this style than with a very wide grip.

 

[Jester]

I certainly advocate ~shoulder width or somewhat narrow, as a grip for rows. For chins, I tend to do neutral grip. Just get the narrow/moderate-width V-Bar attachment, clasp it to a hook in the beam (garage, basement, sling a chain over a piece of swing-set playground equipment) and get to it.