Chest-supported dumbbell row

The incline bench takes the lower back out of the equation: there is no torso to hold up, so all the effort goes to the back and volume can pile up without systemic fatigue.

• Compound
• Dumbbell
• Beginner

How to do it

• Bench at 30–45°, chest supported and feet planted
• Let the arms hang and start from the stretch
• Elbows back; squeeze the shoulder blades at the end
• Do not peel the chest off the bench to pull more

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 8–12 reps · 1–3 RIR

Tempo: Pull for 1–2 s, squeeze at the top and lower for 2–3 s resisting the load

Common mistakes

• Lifting the chest and turning it into a free row
• Pulling with the arms without retracting the shoulder blade
• Cutting the range by overloading

Muscles worked

Primary

• Back

Secondary

• Lats
• Biceps
• Traps
• Rear delt

Alternatives

• Chest-Supported Machine Row
• Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
• Machine Row (chest-supported)