Back
Dumbbell row
The dumbbell row pulls a dumbbell toward your hip with one arm at a time while your other hand braces on a bench.
- Primary
- Lats
- Secondary
- Biceps, Upper back
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Type
- compound
Why it earns a spot
Training one side at a time exposes left-right differences and the bench support lets you pull hard without managing your lower back.
How to do it
- Place one hand and the same-side knee on a bench, with your back flat and the other foot on the floor.
- Let the dumbbell hang with your arm straight and your shoulder blade slightly forward.
- Pull the dumbbell toward your hip, leading with your elbow.
- Squeeze your back at the top, then lower under control to a full stretch.
- Finish all reps on one side before switching.
Common mistakes
- Twisting your torso to heave the dumbbell up; keep your shoulders square to the floor.
- Pulling toward your chest instead of your hip, which turns it into a shrug.
- Cutting the stretch at the bottom; let the shoulder blade glide forward.
How to program it
| Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8-12 per arm | 90 sec-2 min |
Climb to 12 reps on each arm, then step up to the next dumbbell. Match the weaker side.
Routines that use it
Swaps and alternatives
Fortis · free while in beta
Log every dumbbell row set.
Fortis keeps your sets, reps and weights in one place and shows the trend over time, so progress is a number instead of a feeling.
Create your free account