How many sets and reps of the dumbbell seal row should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps with a pair of moderate dumbbells, pausing at the bottom of every rep to kill any bounce before pulling again. Add reps toward 15 before adding weight, since the strict, momentum-free pull is the entire point of this row.

What can I use instead of dumbbells for the dumbbell seal row?

A barbell on the same elevated bench setup works just as well and forces both sides to move together instead of independently. Without a bench high enough for either version, a chest-supported row on an incline bench gets you close to the same strict pulling motion.

What is the dumbbell seal row good for, and when should I use the barbell version instead?

Independent dumbbells let each side of the back work through its own full range, which is useful if one side is noticeably weaker or tighter than the other. If both sides pull evenly and you would rather load more total weight at once, the barbell version lets you go heavier without managing two separate weights.

Intermediate

Dumbbell Seal Row

Lying prone on a bench elevated high enough for the dumbbells to clear the floor, the seal row eliminates every trace of momentum and body english, isolating the lats and mid-traps through a full stretch and squeeze. It is the strictest horizontal row you can do and a favorite for building a thick, detailed upper back. Slot it in when you want honest back stimulus without loading the spine.

Equipment: Bench, Dumbbell
Body part: Back, Lats
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius Middle
Browse by movement: Horizontal Pull

How to do it

1
Set a flat bench on secure risers so the dumbbells will hang clear of the floor.
2
Lie face-down with your chest and hips on the bench and a dumbbell in each hand.
3
Let the dumbbells hang at a full stretch directly below your shoulders.
4
Row them up by driving the elbows toward the ceiling until the handles reach the bench.
5
Pause and squeeze, then lower slowly to a dead hang with zero body movement.

Tips

Keep your feet and hips still so only the arms and back move.
Pause at the bottom each rep to kill the stretch reflex and stay strict.
Ensure the risers are stable and rated for your bodyweight plus load.

Variations

Common mistakes

One arm finishes its pull a beat before the other since the dumbbells move independently, letting the weaker side quietly ride the stronger one's momentum.
The elbows flare out to the sides instead of driving toward the ceiling, turning a lat-dominant pull into a rear-delt movement.
Bouncing the dumbbells at the bottom of the stretch off the momentum of the drop instead of pausing skips the dead-stop the strict version depends on.
A wrist twist that brings the dumbbells in toward the body changes the bar path the exercise is built around, since the handles are meant to travel straight up to the bench, not inward.
Risers too low for your arm length leave the dumbbells clipping the floor at the bottom, so check the clearance with your arms fully straight before the first rep.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the dumbbell seal row should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps with a pair of moderate dumbbells, pausing at the bottom of every rep to kill any bounce before pulling again. Add reps toward 15 before adding weight, since the strict, momentum-free pull is the entire point of this row.
What can I use instead of dumbbells for the dumbbell seal row?: A barbell on the same elevated bench setup works just as well and forces both sides to move together instead of independently. Without a bench high enough for either version, a chest-supported row on an incline bench gets you close to the same strict pulling motion.
What is the dumbbell seal row good for, and when should I use the barbell version instead?: Independent dumbbells let each side of the back work through its own full range, which is useful if one side is noticeably weaker or tighter than the other. If both sides pull evenly and you would rather load more total weight at once, the barbell version lets you go heavier without managing two separate weights.

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