Dumbbell Back Row Description

Go To The 4 Workout. 4 is a full body workout plan, free online fitness ebook, and also a great restarter or beginner exercise routine. See The Dumbbell Back Row Pictures Demonstrating The Beginning, Middle, and End of the Exercise. Watch The Dumbbell Back Row Video.
  1. 1st step: Place the dumbbells on each side of the same end of the bench; then place one knee on the bench in line with your hip, perpendicular to the floor, and place that same knee's side hand flat on the bench in line with your shoulder, perpendicular to the floor, near the end of the bench where the dumbbells are off to each side while keeping the leg of the foot that is on the floor slightly bent. Remember to keep your back as naturally straight as possible.
  2. 2nd step: Next, reach down and pick up the dumbbell with the hand that is not on the bench and hold it firmly. Your arm should be almost fully extended and in-line with your shoulder, and parallel to your other arm, and the weight should be off of the ground. Your palm should be facing towards the bench or your body the entire time until you are finished doing the exercise for this arm and have set the weight back on the floor. This is the starting position. This is the beginning of the repetition.
  3. 3rd step: As you keep your back naturally straight and your face looking forward, while firmly holding the weight, breathe out as you lift your elbow towards and past your rib cage until the dumbbell touches or nearly touches the side of your rib cage with one end of the dumbbell close to your hip. Squeeze your back muscles at this position for a moment. Even at this position your lower arm should still be nearly perpendicular, vertical, to the floor. This is the positive movement of the repetition. This is the middle of the repetition.
  4. 4th step: Now breathe in as you slowly extend your arm back towards the floor to lower the dumbbell so that the weight moves in a downward motion back to the starting position. This is the negative movement of the repetition. This is the end of the repetition. The dumbbell can come close to the floor when you lower it back down to the starting position, but remember not to let the dumbbell touch the floor.

    Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have finished doing all the required repetitions for this exercise for the day.
  5. 5th step: In order to do the other side of your back you will have to stand back up and move to the other side of the bench and place the other knee on the bench in line with your hip, perpendicular to the floor, and place that same knee's side hand flat on the bench in line with your shoulder, perpendicular to the floor, near the end of the bench where the dumbbells are off to each side while keeping the leg of the foot that is on the floor slightly bent. Remember to keep your back as naturally straight as possible.
  6. 6th step: Next, reach down and pick up the dumbbell with the hand that is not on the bench and hold it firmly. Your arm should be almost fully extended and in-line with your shoulder, and parallel with your other arm, and the weight should be off of the ground. Your palm should be facing towards the bench or your body the entire time until you are finished doing the exercise for this arm and have set the weight back on the floor. This is the starting position. This is the beginning of the repetition.
  7. 7th step: As you keep your back naturally straight and your face looking forward, while firmly holding the wait, breathe out as you lift your elbow towards and past your rib cage until the dumbbell touches or nearly touches the side of your rib cage with one end of the dumbbell close to your hip. Squeeze your muscles at this position for a moment. This is the middle of the repetition. Even at this position your lower arm should still be nearly perpendicular, vertical, to the floor. This is the positive movement of the repetition. This is the middle of the repetition.
  8. 8th step: Now slowly extend your arm to lower the dumbbell so that the weight moves in a downward motion back to the starting position while breathing in. This is the negative movement of the repetition. This is the end of the repetition. The dumbbell can come close to the floor when you lower it back down to the starting position, but remember not to let the dumbbell touch the floor.

    Repeat steps 7 and 8 until you have finished doing all the required repetitions for this exercise for the day.
  9. 9th step: Once you have finished the number of repetitions required for the other arm, you can lower the weight back down to the place where you picked it up from, and then stand up.