Lifting the chest off the bench
Keep the sternum on the pad and lighten the load if you need body English.
Horizontal pull · Dumbbells, Bench
Chest Supported Row
A dumbbell row done lying face down on an incline bench. The bench supports the torso, so you can train the upper back hard without your lower back or momentum getting involved. Ideal for anyone with a cranky lower back or who tends to cheat rows.
- Primary
- Back
- Secondary
- Biceps
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 1.5 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The lats, rhomboids, and mid traps row the dumbbells and pull the shoulder blades together, with biceps and rear delts assisting. Elbows tucked biases the lats; elbows flared at about 45-70 degrees shifts work to the upper back and rear delts.
How to set up
- Set an adjustable bench to about 30-45 degrees.
- Lie face down with your chest on the pad and your chin just over the top.
- Plant your feet or toes on the floor for stability.
- Hold the dumbbells hanging straight down, shoulders reaching toward the floor.
How to do each rep
- Row the dumbbells up by driving the elbows back.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top for a moment.
- Lower for 2 seconds to a full stretch with the arms straight.
- Keep your chest on the pad; do not lift it to finish reps.
Common chest supported row mistakes
Bench too flat or too steep
Find an angle where the dumbbells hang clear of the floor and you can still breathe comfortably.
Cutting the stretch
Let the shoulder blades spread fully at the bottom of each rep.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the chest supported row at 8–12 reps with about 1.5 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Progress reps in the 8-15 range, then move up one dumbbell size. If your gym's dumbbells jump in big increments, add reps or a pause at the top before moving up.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Chest Supported Row alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Are chest supported rows good for the lower back?
They are useful because the bench supports your torso, so your lower back does very little. That makes them a good row option when the back is tired or sore.
Chest supported row vs bent over row?
The chest supported row isolates the upper back better and limits cheating. The bent over row trains the hinge and trunk too, but fatigue there can limit how hard the back works.