One Arm Dumbell Rows Home -> Exercises -> One Arm Dumbell Rows   Primary Muscles Worked: Description: Latissimus Dorsi (Lats) The largest muscles of the back. Secondary Muscles Worked: Description: Rhomboids, Teres Major, Trapezius Upper back muscles that move the arm backwards. Biceps Brachii Flexing muscles of the upper arm. The One Arm Dumbell Row is a good exercise for building thickness in the lower and center back. If done properly, with correct body position, it can also develop strength in the lower back. If done improperly, this exercise can aggravate the lower back and lead to injury. How to do it: Put one knee up on the end of a flat bench then place the hand of the same side on the bench. Your other leg will be on the ground (knee slightly bent), not directly beside the bench but about a foot out to the side. This completes the triangular base of support. Grasp a dumbell in the other hand. Stretch your shoulder down and forward to get a complete stretch then pull the dumbell back and up towards your waist/lower abdomen in an arc, not a straight up and down movement. The dumbell will come up the outside of your thigh when you are using lighter weight. When you start using heavier weight, the dumbell should come up the inside of your thigh. This is contrary to what you may see elsewhere but it is a more comfortable and healthier position for your lower back when using heavier weight as the resistance is within the base of support rather than outside it. This means less torque on the lower back. Your upper body should be parallel to the ground. It is also very important that your lower back be arched throughout the movement to maximally activate the lats. This arch also helps to protect your lower back from injury. Remember, the arch is the strongest architectural structure. Bring the elbow back and up as far as you can go. The range of motion will depend on the amount of weight being used, though try to keep the range as large as possible even when using heavy weight. Lower slowly, down and forward, rotating the torso in that direction to get a fuller stretch. Tricks: 1. Ensuring you're not hunched To ensure you are not hunched over for this movement, move your hand further forward on the bench. This will force you to stretch out and will automatically flatten your back. Another way to accomplish this is to look up and forward rather than down. 2. Keeping a tight back If you find that you can't keep your back tight during this movement, try doing it without your knee on the bench. Keep both feet on floor. Strive to maintain a horizontal upper body position. Keeping your knee off the bench will tighten your back on the non-working side during the movement. 3. A better grip To get a better grip, hold the dumbell so that your thumb and forefinger are pressed right up against the inside of the forward dumbell plates. This trick can be used with all grip-limited dumbell exercises to prolong your grip without using straps. 4. Keeping the shoulders square If you have a tendency to twist and jerk the weight, look to your non-working shoulder during the movement. This will help counteract that tendency by forcing you to keep your shoulders square. Common errors: 1. Rounded lower back This is essentially rowing in a hunched over position. This is very harmful for your lower back as the erector spinae (stabilizers) are not able to contract to support the spine, therefore the load goes directly onto the spine. Keep your back relatively flat with an arch in the lower back. To ensure you maintain this position, do not look down. Look forward. The lumbar (lower back) vertebrae will mimic what the cervical (neck) vertebrae do. A round neck will result in a round back. 2. Using momentum and body movement This movement should be done strictly without resorting to jerking the weight up. The arc of the movement is similar to starting a lawnmower, but the action itself should not be as explosive as that. 3. Rowing straight up and down This error involves the biceps strongly. Let the dumbell go forward as you lower it down then row it back and up in an arc. Other Back Exercises Close Grip Pulldowns Bent-Over Barbell Rows Seated Cable Rows Wide Grip Pulldowns to the Front