Dumbbell bent-over row
- Muscle group
- Back
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Primary muscles
- Lats, Upper back
- Secondary muscles
- Biceps, Forearms, Rear delts
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly and lean forward from your hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, keeping your back straight.
- Pull the dumbbells up toward your waist, keeping your elbows close to your body and squeezing your back muscles.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
Tips
- Hinge forward from your hips until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, and hold that angle steady throughout every repetition.
- As you pull, drive your elbows back and upward past your torso rather than flaring them out to the sides.
- Lower the dumbbells at a controlled pace until your arms are fully extended before beginning the next pull.
Common mistakes
- Jerking the dumbbells upward with momentum rather than pulling them in a controlled arc causes the torso to bob up and down with each repetition.
- Allowing the lower back to round during the hinge means the spine loses its neutral position before the pull even begins.
- Shrugging the shoulders upward as the dumbbells rise brings the trapezius into the movement and cuts the pulling range short.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
