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Dumbbell Row

Dumbbell Row trains 7 of the 18 muscle groups Full Coverage tracks: Mid-back / traps 90%, Rear delts 55%, Biceps 45%, Lats 40%, Forearms 35%, Lower back / erectors 20%, Obliques 10%.

Backbone movement Level: Beginner Dumbbells Pull Easy on the lower backEasy on the kneesNo load on the spineEasy on the shoulders

Dumbbell Row - Start position
Start position
Dumbbell Row - Finish position
Finish position

How to do it

  1. Put one knee and the same-side hand on a bench, the other foot on the floor.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in your free hand, arm straight, back flat and parallel to the floor.
  3. Pull the dumbbell to your hip, elbow close to your side.
  4. Squeeze, then lower to a full stretch.
  5. Do not twist your torso to lift it higher - that is your spine doing the work, not your back.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

Light Main

How it compares

Compared with the Seated Cable Row, it loads Lower back / erectors 20 points higher, Rear delts 15 points lower, Obliques 10 points higher. It needs Dumbbells where the other uses Cable machine. Compared with the Dumbbell Shrugs, it loads Rear delts 55 points higher, Biceps 45 points higher, Lats 40 points higher.

Other ways to train this

Other exercises for the Mid-back / traps

Related guides

Exercise illustrations and data by RepDB (repdb.co), used under licence.

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