Twisting the torso
Keep hips and shoulders square to the floor and reduce weight if you need to rotate to finish.
Horizontal pull · Dumbbells, Bench
Dumbbell Row
The dumbbell row is a one-arm row with your other hand and knee braced on a bench. It trains the lats and mid-back one side at a time with a long range of motion and good lower-back support, suiting all levels.
- Primary
- Back
- Secondary
- Biceps
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 2 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The lats and mid-back pull the dumbbell up; biceps assist. Pulling toward the hip with elbow tucked biases the lats, while pulling toward the chest with elbow flared shifts work to the upper back and rear delts.
How to set up
- Place one knee and the same-side hand on a flat bench.
- Set the other foot on the floor, out to the side for balance.
- Hold the dumbbell with arm straight below your shoulder.
- Keep your back flat and roughly parallel to the floor.
How to do each rep
- Pull the dumbbell toward your hip, keeping the elbow close to your side.
- Stop when your elbow passes your torso and squeeze briefly.
- Lower to a full stretch, letting the shoulder blade reach down.
- Keep your torso square; avoid twisting to lift the weight.
Common dumbbell row mistakes
Pulling to the chest
Drive the elbow back toward the hip to keep the lats doing the work.
Partial reps
Lower to a full stretch every rep rather than bouncing in the top half.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the dumbbell row at 8–12 reps with about 2 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Use 8-12 reps per side and move up a dumbbell when you hit the top of the range with no twisting. Do the weaker side first and match reps on the stronger side.
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.
Dumbbell Row alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Dumbbell row vs barbell row?
Dumbbell rows offer more range, train each side separately, and spare the lower back thanks to the bench support. Barbell rows allow heavier total loads but tax the lower back more.
Should you do dumbbell rows on a bench?
A bench is the easiest way to support your torso and lower back. You can also brace a hand on a rack or dumbbell rack in a staggered stance.