Should my palm face in or out during the bent over dumbbell row?

A neutral grip with your palm facing your body or the bench is most common and feels natural for most lifters. You can also use a supinated grip with your palm facing forward to increase bicep involvement, but the neutral grip typically allows for better back engagement.

How do I know if I am using my back and not just my arm?

You should feel the contraction between your shoulder blade and spine at the top of each rep. If you only feel your bicep working, focus on driving your elbow back rather than curling the weight, and consider reducing the load to practice proper form.

Can I do bent over dumbbell rows without a bench?

Yes, you can perform the movement by hinging at the hips without support, keeping one hand free or placing it on your thigh for balance. This variation requires more core stability but works the same back muscles effectively.

Bent Over Row (Dumbbell)

The bent over row with dumbbell is a unilateral pulling exercise that builds upper and lower back strength while allowing you to work each side independently. It suits lifters at all levels who want to address strength imbalances and develop a thicker, stronger back.

Muscle group: Back
Primary muscles: upper back, lower back
Equipment: Dumbbell

How to do the Bent Over Row (Dumbbell)

Place your left knee and left hand on a flat bench for support, keeping your back flat and roughly parallel to the floor.
Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your arm hanging straight down and your palm facing your body or the bench.
Pull the dumbbell up toward your hip by driving your elbow back and keeping it close to your torso.
Squeeze your shoulder blade in at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbell under control to the starting position.
Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other arm.

Form tips

Keep your torso still throughout the movement by bracing your core and avoiding rotation through your spine.
Pull your elbow back toward your hip rather than flaring it out to the side to maximize upper back engagement.
Focus on initiating the pull with your back muscles rather than using momentum or excessive bicep involvement.

Common mistakes

Rotating the torso upward during the pull reduces back muscle activation and places unnecessary stress on the spine.
Pulling the dumbbell straight up toward the shoulder instead of back toward the hip shifts emphasis away from the back muscles.
Using momentum by jerking the weight up prevents proper muscle engagement and increases injury risk.

Sets and reps

For strength, perform 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps per arm with heavier weight, and for hypertrophy, use 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps per arm with moderate weight.

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Frequently asked questions

Should my palm face in or out during the bent over dumbbell row?: A neutral grip with your palm facing your body or the bench is most common and feels natural for most lifters. You can also use a supinated grip with your palm facing forward to increase bicep involvement, but the neutral grip typically allows for better back engagement.
How do I know if I am using my back and not just my arm?: You should feel the contraction between your shoulder blade and spine at the top of each rep. If you only feel your bicep working, focus on driving your elbow back rather than curling the weight, and consider reducing the load to practice proper form.
Can I do bent over dumbbell rows without a bench?: Yes, you can perform the movement by hinging at the hips without support, keeping one hand free or placing it on your thigh for balance. This variation requires more core stability but works the same back muscles effectively.

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