Body And Fitness Blog

Almost an identical exercise to bent over barbell rowing, but this exercise uses dumbbells. This can either be done using a dumbbell in each hand and copying the movement used in bent over barbell rowing, or you can use a bench to support yourself, performing each side of the back separately. To do this as per barbell rowing, read the training guide for bent over barbell rowing, but swap in the barbell for a dumbbell in each hand.

You will need a flat bench to perform this exercise with dumbbells, however you only need one dumbbell, as you will exercise each side of the back separately, using the arm that is not working to steady yourself on the bench.

Stand with your right foot at the bottom right hand corner of the bench, then kneel on the bench with your left knee, and use your left hand to steady yourself on the bench. You should be in a position whereby your back is parallel to the floor, and the your body is steadied by the left knee and left hand on the bench.

Reach down to the side of the bench with your right hand and pick up the dumbbell (which you will position alongside the bench before the workout starts). Pull the dumbbell up to your chest and hold for at least a second. Squeeze the back at the top, you should be able to feel the back muscles nicely contracted. Lower the weight slowly, and lower it so that your back is stretched, the more you can lower it, the greater the range of movement in the exercise and thus a larger proportion of muscle fibres are worked. To work the left side, just swap over so that your right hand and right knee are supporting you, with the dumbbell coming up and down the left side of the bench.