An ongoing discussion in the body building community, many argue the merits of rows versus pull-ups in terms of back width and overall back mass in a workout. With so many different versions of rows, the conversation can get complicated, but ultimately, the consensus seems to be that pull-ups – especially weight pull-ups – do more to create a wider back than do any combination of rows.
Benefits of Rows
Rows are an excellent way to build back thickness and mass, but it can also contribute to back width in limited ways depending upon the variation you choose. For example, if you opt for a reverse grip bent over row, you target the lower latissimus dorsi or lower lats. The lower lats are far from the thicker part of the muscle, so working them won’t provide a great deal of overall width, but they will help your lats to appear as if they are popping out a bit more from the waist.
In the same way, seated cable rows also target back muscles like the lats and rhomboids but it primarily targets the trapezius muscle, which some argue does little for back width, and the popular dumbbell rows do more to develop strength without adding much to back development and width.
Benefits of Pullups
According to the experts, including sources like Muscle Chronicle and BodyBuilding.com, the pull-up and weighted pull-up are two of the best workouts to create a strong, wide back. It’s important to note that while pull-ups that utilize your body weight and gravity are an excellent way to begin, you will need to add weight for the weighted pull-ups if you want to continue to increase in size and muscle mass. Additionally, the more weighted pull-ups you perform, the simpler the regular pull-up will be allowing you to increase your reps and definition.
Considerations
It is important to remember form while performing both exercises. Different variations of rows provide more opportunity for injury if performed with too much weight or with incorrect form, but weighted pull-ups can be dangerous if too much weight is used too quickly. It is recommended to choose a weight low enough to allow you to perform the entire movement correctly for multiple sets of reps in order to maximize your workout.
Sources:
Strong Lifts
Muscle Chronicle