What Are the Benefits of the Dumbbell Bent Over Row?

The bent-over row with dumbbells is a popular exercise and provides excellent conditioning for the upper body. The rowing movement is smooth and rhythmic. As a low-impact exercise, it doesn’t tax your joints as long as you’re employing correct form. Runners use this exercise to strengthen upper back muscles and generate more forceful arm action while sprinting. In everyday activities, you rely on these muscles to bend over and lift things such as grocery bags.

  1. Building Strength

    • To achieve symmetrical development of your body, you need to do exercises for one muscle group at different angles. In the bent-over row, you can isolate and blast the rear deltoid, or the muscles in the back of your shoulder, according to Dr. Edward Laskowski, M.D., on the Mayo Clinic website. People tend to concentrate on building only the muscles in the front of the shoulder. The bent-over row allows you to achieve a balanced workout for your shoulders. If you have problems with slouching, this exercise will help to straighten your back and improve posture.

    Step-by-Step Execution

    • To perform the bent-over row, hold the dumbbells with your palms facing each other. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Lean forward from your hips, establishing a 45-degree angle to the rest of the body. Maintain a straight back and allow your arms to hang down. Slowly lift both dumbbells until your upper arms are parallel to your angled torso. Your arms should form 90-degree angles at that point. Lower arms back to the starting position. Perform 12 to 15 reps for at least one set. To vary the exercise, perform an alternating row. Lift only one dumbbell up at a time. As you lower it, lift the other dumbbell up. Continue the simultaneous lifting and lowering of both dumbbells.

    Focus on Movement not a Single Muscle Group

    • Coach Mark Verstegen, who pioneered the idea of performance training and wrote the book “Core Performance Essentials,” advocates the training of movements, not muscle groups, to achieve maximal gains in strength and power. According to Pete Williams’ article “Pro Training Secrets” in Men’s Health, Verstegen reveals how you can perform the same training regimens used by leading athletes. The key is to tweak a common exercise so you’re not isolating one muscle but rather are training the entire body in a movement to build strength, mobility, stability and flexibility. If you’re going to do a bent-over row, do a row with one leg and one arm, which will also work your core stabilizing muscles and lower body.

    Total Body Exercise

    • To perform a single-leg bent-over row, which is an advanced exercise along the lines of what Verstegen suggests, use a dumbbell that is medium or heavy weight. Hold the weight in your left hand. While standing only on your right leg, raise your left leg straight up behind you. Your trunk and back leg should form a straight line parallel to the floor. Turn in your lifted foot to help your balance. Allow both arms to hang down. Draw your lats together and tighten your core as you raise the dumbbell straight up and back. Execute 12 to 15 reps, switch sides and repeat.