Chest-supported row
- Muscle group
- Back
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Primary muscles
- Lats, Upper back
- Secondary muscles
- Biceps, Forearms, Rear delts
- Set an incline bench to a low angle (30-45 degrees). Lie with your chest against the bench and plant your feet firmly on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other, letting your arms hang straight down.
- Keeping your chest on the bench, pull the dumbbells up towards your torso. Focus on driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the dumbbells with control until your arms are fully extended again.
Tips
- Keep your chest in contact with the bench throughout the set so that your torso cannot swing or rise to assist the pull.
- Drive your elbows back and upward past your torso rather than pulling primarily with your hands, and finish each rep by drawing your shoulder blades toward each other.
- Lower the dumbbells at a controlled pace until your arms are fully extended before beginning the next rep, allowing a full stretch at the bottom.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the chest off the bench during the pull turns the movement into a partial row with torso momentum rather than an isolated back exercise.
- Flaring the elbows out to the sides rather than driving them back causes the upper arms to travel away from the intended rowing path.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
