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pullcompoundbeginnerdumbbellbench

Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row

Rowing face-down on an incline bench removes lower-back demand and momentum, so the upper back does the work. A great pick for strict back training.

Muscle activation

  • Rhomboids30%
  • Lats30%
  • Traps15%
  • Rear delts15%
  • Biceps10%

Approximate share of work; varies with grip, stance and tempo.

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Step by step

  1. 1. Start position

    Set a bench to about 30–45° and lie face-down with your chest on the pad.

  2. 2. Mid-rep

    Row until the dumbbells reach the sides of your ribs.

  3. 3. End of the movement

    Pause and squeeze without lifting the chest off the pad.

  4. 4. Common mistake

    Lifting the chest off the pad to finish reps

Ways to do it

Row on 8 different setups — pick whatever is free in your gym. Progress is tracked separately for each.

How to do it

Setup

  1. 1Set a bench to about 30–45° and lie face-down with your chest on the pad.
  2. 2Plant your feet or toes on the floor for stability.
  3. 3Let the dumbbells hang straight down from the shoulders, palms facing each other.

Execution

  1. 1Pull the shoulder blades back, then drive the elbows toward the ceiling.
  2. 2Row until the dumbbells reach the sides of your ribs.
  3. 3Pause and squeeze without lifting the chest off the pad.
  4. 4Lower slowly to a full stretch.

Breathing

Breathe out as you row, breathe in as you lower.

Tempo

2-0-1-2 (eccentric-pause-concentric-pause)

Muscles worked

Primary

Rhomboids, Lats

Secondary

Traps, Rear delts, Biceps

Key form cues

  • Chest glued to the pad
  • Blades together
  • Elbows high and back
  • Slow lower

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the chest off the pad to finish reps

    Keep the sternum in contact and use a weight you can row strictly.

  • Craning the neck up

    Keep the chin slightly tucked and eyes on the floor ahead of the bench.

  • Shortening the range at the bottom

    Let the arms hang fully and the shoulder blades spread before each rep.

Range of motion

From arms hanging straight with the shoulder blades apart to the dumbbells beside the ribs with blades squeezed.

Variations

  • Easier

    Machine row with chest pad

  • Harder

    Chest-supported row with 2 s pause at the top

  • At home

    Prone band row on a bench

  • Machine / cable

    Chest-supported T-bar or seal row machine

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