How to do a Dumbbell Row
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Dumbbell Row
Flat Bench
Dumbbells
Workouts with Dumbbell Row
Instructions for Proper Form
This compound movement primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps, as well as requiring some core activation for stability. By bracing yourself on the flat bench, you can position your torso parallel to the ground, without needing specific equipment. This is a great exercise with or without limited equipment, and a staple in many back workouts.
- Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.
- Place your right knee on top of the bench and right hand on the other side of the bench. Your torso should be parallel to the floor.
- Grasp a dumbbell with your left hand while keeping your back straight. The palm of your hand should face your torso.
- Pull the dumbbell straight up to the side of your torso. Engage the muscles in your back and breathe out as you perform this step. The torso should remain stationary as your arm moves.
- After a brief pause at the top of the movement, reverse this movement by lowering the dumbbell back to the starting position.
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Resisting Rotation
Your core is responsible for stabilizing your upper body during this exercise. Because the resistance isn’t balanced between both sides, you’ll naturally engage your core to resist this rotation. Ensure that you’re only resisting the rotation, and keeping your upper body stable. Don’t use your core to assist in performing the exercise.
Over Recruiting Biceps
While your biceps should be involved, you should be feeling a majority of the tension in your back. Try focusing on driving your elbow back instead of bringing the weight towards your chest. This mindset shift will help you recruit the proper muscle groups for this exercise.
Don’t Use Momentum
Extending your lower back can help you move more weight by recruiting additional muscle groups to help you build momentum. Keep your torso stable by engaging your core, and limit your movement to the desired exercise. You may need to reduce your weight to maintain proper form.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Dumbbell Row standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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Alternative Exercises to Dumbbell Row
1. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 35,535 TIMESThis compound exercise primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. The movement itself is based on a Pull Up, however, by locking your legs into place, you can add significantly more stability to the movement making it easier to complete a rep, as well as getting control over the resistance. This exercise can be easily adapted to meet your needs with different handles.
- Beginner
- Back
- Lat Pulldown
2. Cable Row
99.8 mSCORESWAPPED 30,026 TIMESCable Row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders and biceps. This exercise is often done with a specific cable machine that sets you into the perfect position, but you can also use an adjustable cable to have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This is a great exercise for building muscle mass and strength in your back, and is a common addition to most upper body or pull workouts.
3. Machine Row
95.6 mSCORESWAPPED 17,345 TIMESLike other row variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. Unlike other variations, using a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is excellent exercise for learning or practicing the movement of a seated row.
- Beginner
- Back
- Row Machine
4. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 13,495 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits biceps. The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for any discrepancies in strength between sides, as well as adds more instability to the movement compared to equipment like barbells. This can be a great addition to any back workout for building muscle mass and strength.
5. Bent Over Barbell Row
97.1 mSCORESWAPPED 12,531 TIMESBent Over Barbell row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders, traps, and biceps. The use of a barbell adds more stability to this movement compared to something like dumbbells which can help you focus on exerting strength rather than stabilizing the movement. It’s a great exercise for building strength, and can be a way to start learning more advanced exercises like Olympic Lifts.
6. Hammerstrength Iso Row
93 mSCORESWAPPED 9,543 TIMESHammerstrength High Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This movement is fairly similar to other seated rows, however the Hammerstrength Machine will restrict your range of motion to an arc, rather than a straight line. The machine also adds stability to the movement, which allows you to focus your attention on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Back
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
7. Hammerstrength High Row
91.5 mSCORESWAPPED 8,757 TIMESHammerstrength High Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This movement is somewhere in between a Lat Pull Down and a Seated Row. The Hammerstrength Machine helps restrict your range of motion by moving on a set path, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is a great exercise for building strength, and the use of a machine allows you to focus more of your efforts on exertion rather than form.
- Beginner
- Back
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
8. Pull Up
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 8,408 TIMESPull Ups are compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily target the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. While this exercise does have a decently high barrier to entry, it can be easily adapted to match your current conditioning with weighted or assisted variations. This is an excellent exercise for building functional strength and body control.
- Intermediate
- Back
- Pull Up Bar
9. Incline Dumbbell Row
90.5 mSCORESWAPPED 6,369 TIMESThis is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. It’s a variation on the more standard Bent Over Row, that uses an incline bench to stabilize your upper body. This added stability ensures that you can't assist yourself by recruiting other muscle groups. The added stability also allows you to focus on moving the weight rather than stabilizing your upper body in the right position.
10. Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly
81.9 mSCORESWAPPED 4,094 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the posterior deltoids (back of the shoulder). The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for strength discrepancies between sides. Leaning forward during the exercise allows for better isolation of the targeted shoulder muscles while also recruiting some muscle activation in the upper back.