Dumbbell One Arm Row
Category
compoundDifficulty
beginner
Equipment
dumbbell, bench
Force Type
pull
How to Perform the Dumbbell One Arm Row
- Place your left knee and left hand on a flat bench with your right foot on the floor, creating a stable three-point base.
- Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your arm fully extended toward the floor, maintaining a flat back parallel to the ground.
- Pull the dumbbell upward toward your hip by driving your elbow back and squeezing your shoulder blade.
- Row the dumbbell until your elbow passes your torso and you feel a strong contraction in your lat.
- Lower the dumbbell slowly back to full arm extension under control.
- Complete all reps on one side, then switch to the other arm.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rotating the torso to heave the weight up
Keep your torso square to the floor and row with your back muscles, not by twisting.
Shrugging the shoulder up instead of retracting
Focus on driving the elbow back and squeezing the shoulder blade rather than shrugging the trap.
Using too much bicep to curl the weight
Initiate the pull by retracting your shoulder blade, then use the arm as a hook to pull through.
Muscles Worked
Benefits
- ✓Trains each side of the back independently to identify and correct imbalances.
- ✓Excellent for building lat width and overall back thickness.
- ✓The supported position reduces lower back stress compared to barbell rows.
Pro Tips
- ●Think about pulling your elbow toward your hip pocket to maximize lat engagement.
- ●A slight pause at the top of each rep helps build the mind-muscle connection with the back.
- ●Keep your lower back flat and avoid rounding or hyperextending your spine.
Recommended Sets & Reps
Strength
4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM
Hypertrophy
3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM
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