Demonstration
Watch the Form Demo
Technique
How to Do the Bent Over Dumbbell Row
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and hinge forward until your torso is around 45 degrees.
- Let the dumbbells hang straight down with your back flat and core braced.
- Row both dumbbells up toward your hips, driving the elbows back past your ribs.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top for a beat.
- Lower under control until your arms hang fully straight.
- Hold the torso angle constant for the entire set.
Anatomy
Muscles Worked
Do This
Form Cues
- Hinge to roughly 45 degrees and hold that angle for the whole set.
- Row the dumbbells toward your hips rather than straight out to the sides.
- Let the arms hang fully at the bottom to keep the lats stretched.
- Row to your hips, not your chest. The elbows finishing low and back is what keeps the lats in charge.
Avoid This
Common Mistakes
- Standing up as you pull, which shortens the range and loads the lower back.
- Flaring the elbows wide, which turns it into a rear delt exercise.
- Letting the shoulders round forward at the bottom.
- Turning it into a shrug-row hybrid by letting the shoulders creep toward the ears mid-set.
More to Explore
Variations & Related Exercises
Variations of this lift
Bent Over Barbell Row
Single Arm Dumbbell Row
Seated Cable Row
Trains the same muscles
Assisted Chin-Up
Assisted Machine Pull-Up
Barbell Deadlift
Barbell Rack Pull
Barbell Shrug
Barbell Upright Row
Put It Into Practice
Workouts Featuring This Lift
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30-Minute Home Workout Plan
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4-Day Dumbbell Home Split
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4-Day Gym Fat Loss Program
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4-Day Upper Lower Split
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4-Week Dumbbell Workout Plan
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5-Day Dumbbell Split
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5-Day Gym Workout Split
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8-Week Bench Press Specialization Program
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8-Week Deadlift Specialization Program
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8-Week Dumbbell Workout Plan
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Chest and Back Workout
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Dumbbell-Only Workout Program for Beginners
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Your first structured fat loss plan. Three gym sessions per week using dumbbells and machines, active rest days to keep…
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Full Body Dumbbell Workout Plan
A full body dumbbell workout hitting every muscle three times a week. Simple, effective, and perfect for building muscle and…
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HIIT & Strength Fat Loss Plan
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Pull Day Workout
The complete pull day: back, rear delts, and biceps in one focused session. Run it three times a week or…
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