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Back ยท Horizontal pull

Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row

A compound horizontal pull exercise for the upper back and lats, done with a dumbbell and a bench. It also works the rear delts and biceps.

DumbbellBench Compound Reps and weight Also called: incline dumbbell row, incline bench row

Muscles worked

Primary

Upper back and Lats

Do most of the work.

Secondary

Rear delts and Biceps

Help during each rep.

  • Upper backMid traps, rhomboidsPrimary
  • LatsSides of the backPrimary
  • Rear deltsBack of the shouldersSecondary
  • BicepsFront of the upper armSecondary

How to do it

  1. Pick your dumbbells. Choose a weight you can control for every rep of the set.
  2. Chest up, shoulders pulled back before the arms bend.
  3. Pull the elbows back towards the hips.
  4. Let the shoulder blades reach forward at the stretch, then repeat.
  5. Control every rep. Breathe out through the hardest part and stop the set when your form changes.

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the body. If you rock to move the weight, it is too heavy.
  • Shrugging. Think elbows back and shoulders down, not up toward your ears.
  • Cutting the stretch short. Let your arms go straight between reps.

Alternatives that train the same movement

General guidance, not medical advice. If a movement hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach or physio.