Dumbbell Row

How to perform

1. 1Hinge forward, support yourself on the chair, and row the dumbbell to your hip.
2. 2Lead with your elbow and squeeze the shoulder blade at the top.

Technique in detail

Stand beside a chair or bench with a dumbbell in one hand. Hinge at the hips until your torso is close to parallel with the floor and support yourself with the free hand, back flat, letting the dumbbell hang straight down. Start each rep by drawing the shoulder blade back, then row the dumbbell up toward your hip — elbow close to the body, not flared toward the shoulder. Squeeze at the top, then lower with control until the arm is completely straight and the shoulder blade glides forward again. That stretch at the bottom is part of the rep, not a rest.

Common mistakes

• Twisting the torso to heave the weight up. If your chest rotates toward the ceiling on every rep, the dumbbell is too heavy — the torso stays square; only the arm and shoulder blade move.
• Rowing toward the shoulder with a flared elbow. Pull toward the hip with the elbow brushing your side; the flared version shifts the work off the back and onto a shoulder that will pay for it.
• Cutting the bottom of the rep. Lower until the arm is completely straight and the shoulder blade reaches forward — half-length reps train half the muscle.

Equipment

• Dumbbell