Horizontal pull exercise
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Add upper-back pulling volume without loading the spine.
- Equipment
- Dumbbells, bench
- Sides
- One arm at a time
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 30X1
Setup
One hand and knee on a bench, opposite foot on the floor, a dumbbell in the free hand.
How to do it
- Set a flat back with your hips square, then drive your elbow back towards your hip pocket and control the dumbbell down.
- Do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 per side.
- The torso stays completely still - if you are rotating to lift the weight, it is too heavy.
Coaching cues
- Flat back, hips square
- Drive the elbow to the hip pocket
- Torso stays still
Common mistakes
- Rotating the torso to complete reps
- Shrugging the shoulder rather than rowing
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Heavy dumbbell | 3 to 4 | 6 to 8 per side | 2 min |
| Size | Moderate dumbbell | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 per side | 90 sec |
Tempo 30X1: Take 3 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, hold for 1 second at the end of the lift.
Related exercises
- Chest-Supported RowBuild upper-back strength with the spine completely unloaded.
- Seated Cable RowAdd safe, high-volume horizontal pulling.
- Barbell RowBuild upper-back and pulling strength to balance heavy pressing.
- Bench PressBuild maximal upper-body pressing strength.
- Incline Bench PressBuild pressing strength and shoulder-girdle mass at an upward angle.
- Dumbbell Bench PressBuild pressing strength with more range and less shoulder stress than a barbell.