How to do an Elbows Out Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Elbows Out Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Elbows Out Bent Over Dumbbell Row is a variation on the more standard Bent Over Row. Like other row variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. By keeping your elbows flared out, you can better emphasize muscle activation across a wider area of your back muscles, especially the upper back. This variation's unique arm positioning helps recruit more of your rear deltoids and rhomboids, making it a great complementary exercise.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a pair of dumbbells next to your hips.
- Push your hips backward keeping your knees bent to angle your torso to a 45-degree angle with the floor and maintain this position throughout the exercise.
- Position your extended arms so that the dumbbells are underneath your shoulders.
- Pull your elbows up wide so they are almost aligned with your shoulders and squeeze your shoulders blades together at the top.
- Control the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat the movement.
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Alternatives & Variations to Elbows Out Bent Over Dumbbell Row
1. Dumbbell Front Raise
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 209 TIMESDumbbell Front Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise, and can work well to isolate the shoulders to build strength and muscle mass. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
2. Dumbbell Shoulder Raise
97.8 mSCORESWAPPED 176 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the medial deltoid (middle of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise and can work well for building muscle mass and strengthening the shoulders. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
3. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
99.5 mSCORESWAPPED 156 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for slightly more instability than with equipment like barbells. This can help you recruit and develop stabilizing muscles around the shoulders. In addition, by using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
4. Dumbbell Lateral Raise To Front Raise
78.6 mSCORESWAPPED 125 TIMESDumbbell Lateral Raise to Front Raise is a combination of both Shoulder Raise, and Front Raise. Both movements in this exercise are isolation movements that primarily target the shoulder. By performing these exercises together, you can more completely target your shoulders than by using one of these two movements.
5. Dumbbell Standing Front Press
64.1 mSCORESWAPPED 122 TIMESDumbbell Standing Front Press is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Similar to other Shoulder Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your shoulders. The standing position helps improve overall balance and functional strength by engaging your core and stabilizing muscles more than a seated version. Using dumbbells ensures that each side of the body works equally, preventing compensating for any strength imbalances between sides.
6. Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise
94.7 mSCORESWAPPED 85 TIMESDumbbell Rear Delt Raise is a variation of Dumbbell Shoulder Raise. Similar to other shoulder raises, this is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. By hinging your hips back, and leaning forward slightly, you can further emphasize your rear deltoids (back of the shoulder).
7. Standing Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press
65.4 mSCORESWAPPED 84 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Similar to other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. By performing this exercise one side at a time, you add some instability to the movement, as well as ensuring that you aren’t compensating for any strength discrepancies between sides. Performing this exercise while standing can help make this exercise more functional, as well as force you to further recruit your core to maintain good form and posture.
8. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 84 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.
9. Dumbbell Back Fly
93.6 mSCORESWAPPED 84 TIMESDumbbell Back Fly is an isolation exercise that primarily targets your shoulder, more specifically your posterior deltoid (back of the shoulder). It’s most closely related to a shoulder raise, with the main difference being that you’re leaning forward into an incline bench. This position allows you to better isolate the back of your shoulder. In addition, the incline bench adds more stability than some other variations.
10. Arnold Dumbbell Press
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 72 TIMESArnold Dumbbell Press is a compound movement that primarily targets the shoulders. The difference between the Arnold Press and a standard Shoulder Press is that you bring the dumbbells in front of you at the bottom of the movement rather than stopping when they reach your shoulders. Bringing the dumbbells in front of you can be more a comfortable movement as well as improve muscle activation.