Dumbbell rows are a compound exercise that targets the mid back, deltoids, and latissimus dorsi. It is a free weight exercise that offers better range of motion and unilateral compound movement. It is a great exercise to add to a weightlifter’s toolbox.
The latissimus dorsi is the largest back muscle in the human body. Dumbbell rows are a weight-lifting exercise designed to strengthen your back muscles. This exercise is completed in one set of repetitions, with each arm exercised independently. This exercise is considered a compound exercise, targeting the mid back, deltoids, and latissimus dorsi.
Performing dumbbell rows requires a weight bench or platform that can support your knee and arm. The lifter should kneel to the side of the bench placing one knee and one hand or resting the arm on the bench. The opposite foot and leg should be slightly behind the knee line to help support you. The weight lifter should then grab the dumbbell off the floor and lift it in a row until the dumbbell reaches the rib area.
In weightlifting it is important to control muscle balance and contour shape of the whole body. This balance should include the use of multiple back exercises. Back exercises help the body to bend over, lift objects, and throw objects. Dumbbell rows are considered a great mid-back shaping exercise.
In competitive bodybuilding, it is typical to see these athletes perform a lat pose. This pose highlights the shape and size of the large muscles in the back. When performed correctly, it gives the appearance of bat wings or a cobra snake shape around the upper body.
Dumbbell rows are considered a free weight exercise. The term free weight training describes the use of weights that is free from any hardware platform. These dumbbells can be used for multiple exercises and give the weightlifter the added benefit of range of motion during an exercise.
When a weightlifter uses a machine to complete an exercise, they are forced to complete the exercise at a specific angle and trajectory during the extension and contraction portion of the lift. With free weights, the body is forced to use additional external muscles to allow for better overall balance while performing the exercise. By comparison, machine exercises typically focus on isolating muscles and free weights are used to perform free-form motion compound lifts.
There are several benefits to using single-arm dumbbell rows instead of cable rows, machine rows, and barbell rows. These offer better range of motion, offer unilateral compound movement, and focus on overloading the latissimus dorsi. Dumbbell rows are a great exercise to add to a weightlifter’s toolbox.
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