Bent-Over Dumbbell Row: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
The bent-over dumbbell row targets the middle back, the rhomboids and mid-traps that pull your shoulder blades together, with the lats, biceps, and shoulders assisting to pull the dumbbells up to your torso. It's a staple exercise for building back thickness and pulling strength.
- Primary muscle:
- Middle back
- Secondary muscles:
- Biceps, Lats, Shoulders
Muscles worked
Your middle back, the rhomboids and mid-trapezius, is the prime mover. Squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of each rep is what drives this muscle group, and it's the main reason this exercise builds back thickness.
Your lats assist by pulling your elbows back and down alongside the middle back. Your biceps bend the elbows to help lift the dumbbells, and your shoulders, particularly the rear delts, help draw your arms back through the rowing motion.
Log Bent-Over Dumbbell Row in PR Streak
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How to do it
- With a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing your torso), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward by bending at the waist; as you bend make sure to keep your back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The weights should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
- While keeping the torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your side (as you breathe out), keeping the elbows close to the body (do not exert any force with the forearm other than holding the weights). On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.
- Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Form tips
- Keep your back flat and your torso still. Don't use momentum from your hips to heave the weight up.
- Pull your elbows back and up, not out to the sides, to keep the back doing the work.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of every rep before lowering.
- Lower the dumbbells all the way down for a full stretch instead of using a short range.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Dumbbell |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
| Mechanic | Compound |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the bent-over row work the lats or the middle back more?
Both play a real role, but pulling your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together emphasizes the middle back, while pulling with elbows closer to your sides shifts more work onto the lats.
Is the bent-over dumbbell row a good beginner exercise?
Yes, though the bent-over position does require some hip hinge control and a braced core to protect your lower back. Starting with lighter dumbbells lets you learn the position before adding load.
What's a good pulling exercise to pair with bent-over rows?
A neutral-grip pull-up works the same back muscles from a vertical pulling angle, giving you a well-rounded back workout.
More middle back exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
