Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row

Technique

The chest-supported dumbbell row is a two-arm row performed lying face down on an incline bench, which removes the need to hold a hip hinge and takes almost all stress off the lower back. With the torso supported, momentum is hard to use, so the lats and upper back have to do the work from a full stretch to a strong squeeze. Keep the chest on the pad, row the dumbbells toward the lower ribs and lower them slowly until the arms are straight.

Steps

1. Set an incline bench to about 30-45 degrees and lie face down with the chest on the pad
2. Let the arms hang straight down holding a dumbbell in each hand
3. Pull the shoulder blades back slightly to start the movement
4. Row the dumbbells toward the lower ribs, driving the elbows back
5. Squeeze the upper back, then lower slowly to a full stretch

Common mistakes

• Lifting the chest off the pad to heave the weights up
• Shrugging the dumbbells toward the ears instead of rowing back
• Stopping short at the bottom instead of reaching full stretch

Variations

• Chest-supported row with a neutral grip and elbows tucked for more lats
• Chest-supported row with elbows flared for more rear delts and upper back
• Single-arm chest-supported row to focus on each side

FAQ