The one-arm dumbbell row is a better way to work your back muscles than the bent-over barbell row.
Exercising with one arm at a time helps to target major back muscles, including the lats, traps, and more effectively than when doing a traditional two handed method.
The extra focus allows for a much more thorough exercise, and allows for maximal stimulation of the larger back muscles.
This can lead to increased size and strength in your upper body over time, making it a great addition to any workout program.
For those looking to build strength, dumbbells provide a great alternative to the traditional barbell.
They offer several advantages, such as preventing you from relying too heavily on one side of your body during lifts.
Additionally, using dumbbells instead of a barbell can help highlight any existing imbalances in strength between your two sides for targeted improvements.
Moreover, exercises such as the one-arm row allow for a greater range of motion then its bent over row counterpart when using dumbbells.
However, it is important to note that while they are tremendously beneficial, as with anything in fitness, consistency and proper form are key when it comes to ensuring desired results.
The right way to do a one arm dumbbell row
The one arm dumbbell row is a great exercise for targeting the muscles in your back.
Here’s how to do it properly:
Step 1: Begin by grabbing the desired dumbbell and placing it next to a standard weight bench.
Step 2: Position your body in a kneeling stance on the bench with one knee while keeping a flat back and an outstretched arm to hold the dumbbell.
Step 3: Make sure that your neck is in a neutral position, looking straight down towards the ground and not up or forward.
Step 4: Activate your core muscles to ensure your posture is correct throughout the entire exercise, as this will help to maximize results and avoid injury.
Step 5: Bend forward until your upper body is parallel with the floor, then reach down to grab the dumbbell and immediately resume a flat neutral position of the spine, which should look like that of an ‘L’ shape with a bent elbow pointing up towards the ceiling.
Step 6: Now, taking care not to hyperextend your arm too far behind you, slowly raise the dumbbell up towards your torso while maintaining correct form and posture throughout this motion.
Step 7: Pausing briefly at the top of this motion should amplify benefits by tensing all involved muscle groups for a few seconds before lowering once more back down to starting position in a controlled manner without allowing momentum to take over during this step as it can increase risk of injury or strain on muscles or joints involved in movement.
Step 8: Complete these steps for desired repetitions before switching arms and repeating process from step 1 onwards again for desired number of sets!
Dumbbell Row Variations
Symmetrical stance one-arm dumbbell row
Taking the one-arm dumbbell row to the next level is an excellent way to progress your strength training workout.
The symmetrical stance variation requires greater stabilizer muscle engagement, as you work to keep a stable torso while executing the exercise.
To properly perform this advanced version, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hinge at the hips over a bench, positioning one hand for support.
Row the weight up in an alternating movement using only one arm, ensure that only the arm moves and not your core throughout each repetition.
Implementing this modified variation of the one-arm dumbbell row will help challenge and build strength in your back muscles while increasing stability and balance throughout your body.
Gym ball one-arm dumbbell row
Switching the bench for an unstable inflatable ball adds a whole new dimension to the traditional rowing exercise.
Perfecting the stability of your core while performing this exercise can give you more than just strength and power in your upper body it can also help develop a level of control in your core muscles that will benefit other exercises and activities as well.
While leaning on a stable surface such as a bench may allow you to lift more weight, using the ball will give you an all-round strength workout that utilizes multiple muscle groups at once.
Dumbbell incline row
The dumbbell incline row is an effective exercise for building shoulder strength and stabilizing the muscles of the upper back.
To perform this exercise, the person should set a bench up at a 45° incline, then lie chest-down on it while grasping a dumbbell in each hand.
Next, they should row the dumbbells to their chest while squeezing their shoulder blades together but without letting their chest come off the bench at any point during the movement.
Because you are lying on a bench like this, it is easier to keep your back straight and prevent it from rounding while performing the movement.
