Dumbbell Rows
There aren’t many workouts in the gym that men perform more frequently than the traditional dumbbell row on a weight bench. Few exercises are also more prone to poor form than others. This is a back-building exercise that your average meathead may be doing wrong for a variety of reasons, including improper form, hyper-speed repetitions, and possibly dangerous posture. A solid back workout involves more than just snatching up a big dumbbell, putting their leg up on a bench, and going to town.
Because rowing exercises immediately counteract the horizontal push positions that we encounter in daily life, they are perfect for strengthening your back.” When you drive, open a door, or type at a computer, you extend your arms in front of you throughout the day. In addition to strengthening your lats, rowing helps you develop your rhomboids and rear delts, two important muscle groups that counteract all of life’s pressing activities.”
The position that guys usually believe is best for the exercise is more of the problem with the dumbbell bench row, though. Here, we’ve broken down the dumbbell bench row so you can steer clear of typical blunders that impede your progress.
How to Do the Dumbbell Row
Performing the dumbbell row with one’s knee resting on top of the bench is the largest mistake that most men make. This places strain on the spine, which can impede the development of the back muscles you want to strengthen and put you at risk for injury. He advises you to work from a hinge posture and to take your knee off the bench. Even though you’ll be in a much better balanced position, you’ll still need the bench for support.
In front of the bench, take a stance with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body by pushing your butt back and extending your off arm such that your palm rests on the bench. Keep your shoulders higher than your hips at all times.
Take hold of the dumbbell with your dominant hand. To build tension throughout your entire body tighten your abs and glutes. Your head should be in a neutral position and your back should be flat.
To row the weight, drive your elbow up by tensing your midback muscles. Avoid twisting your lower back and maintain a level shoulder stance.
Return the weight to its lower position after a brief pause.
Follow these suggestions.
Row With a Better Stance
Fitbulk states that while there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the way most people perform the dumbbell row—with one knee and one hand on the bench—it does encourage a great deal of hip and spinal instability. It’s critical to develop hip and spinal control, particularly when beginning the dumbbell row. Because of this, it’s best for beginners to begin with one hand on a bench and their feet in an even stance.
From this point on, you should focus on maintaining your hips parallel to the floor the entire time, which calls for continuous activation of your core during rowing. To protect your lower back from lifting the weight, make sure your shoulders are slightly higher than your hips. To achieve this, you’ll need to activate your back extensors.
Maintain Mid-Back Tension
Fitbulk advises starting the row by pressing your shoulder blades together. By doing this, you’ll avoid performing the row with a rounded upper back and will eventually assist safeguard your shoulders. Many new gym-goers forget to do this, and when they do, they end up trying to row from a posture that invites the humerus (your upper arm bone) to come in close proximity to the clavicle (your collarbone), which can cause problems for the rotator cuff and labral tendons. Squeezing your shoulder blades will assist stop that from occurring. Additionally, it guarantees that you gain more from the row because each rep now gives you an opportunity to engage your rhomboids and lats. Initially, squeeze your shoulder blades purposefully with each repetition; as you get better, it will become a smooth, seamless movement.
Pull With Your Back, Not Your Biceps
Eb states: It’s simple to underestimate the row once you’re in position. Just raise the dumbbell. Still, the technique matters. It’s simple to overuse the biceps with this exercise, however the lat and rhomboid are the main targets. To prevent it, focus solely on raising your elbow as high as you can; attempt to see your forearm as a big hook holding the dumbbell. Either way, your biceps will be working during the row, but they shouldn’t be the main mover on every rep.
Advantages of a Dumbbell Row
Regain your strength and muscle.
greater range of motion compared to alternative tools
safer posture
When it comes to executing variations with barbells or other fixed objects, using a dumbbell is quite useful. The unilateral tools will give you a greater range of motion, enabling you to work the muscles along their whole range of motion.
Target Muscles for the Dumbbell Row
Traps
Rhomboids
Lats
Dumbbell rows target the primary muscles of the back, such as the rhomboids, lats, and traps.
Although you can perform the dumbbell row carefully bending over to protect your spine, it’s more customary to use the bench as support during your workout.
Avoid These Common Errors in Dumbbell Rowing
Poor posture is the main cause of dumbbell row errors. The knee on the bench position has already been discussed, and it can easily cause your spine to become misaligned.
When in the hinge posture, some men bend over excessively, causing their hips to protrude above their shoulders. Keep your hips underneath your shoulders instead of doing that. Don’t raise your head or rotate your shoulders either. Rather than curling the weight up or swinging your arm, row up using your mid-back. Stretching your lat to work within a larger range of motion is possible if you’ve developed strong form, but be cautious not to rotate at the lower back. Maintain a strong core to stay in good shape.
How to Use the Row with a Dumbbell in Your Exercises
Dumbbell rows ought to be a mainstay of back training. Add it to your days of upper body and back workout for three sets of eight to twelve repetitions each arm. To truly build muscle and strength, you can use heavier weights and lower the repetition count (think 6 to 8 reps) after you’re more comfortable with the exercise.
As a seasoned content writer specialized in the fitness and health niche, Arun Bhagat has always wanted to promote wellness. After gaining proper certification as a gym trainer with in-depth knowledge of virtually all the information related to it, he exercised his flair for writing interesting, informative content to advise readers on their healthier lifestyle. His topics range from workout routines, nutrition, and mental health to strategies on how to be more fit in general. His writing is informative but inspiring for people to achieve their wellness goals as well. Arun is committed to equipping those he reaches with the insights and knowledge gained through fitness.