Beginner

Incline Bench Dumbbell Row

Lying face-down on an incline bench removes the lower back and momentum from the equation, forcing the lats and mid-traps to do the rowing in a fully supported position. It is one of the safest, most joint-friendly ways to build rowing strength and a good default for beginners or anyone with a cranky lower back. Use it as a primary horizontal pull or a high-quality accessory.

Equipment
Bench, Dumbbell
Body part
Back, Lats
Type
Strength
Browse by movement
Horizontal Pull
Muscles worked
Target
Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius Middle
Secondary
Trapezius Lower, Deltoid Posterior, Biceps Brachii Long Head, Biceps Brachii Short Head
Tertiary
Infraspinatus, Brachioradialis

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set an incline bench to about 30 to 45 degrees and lie face-down with your chest against the pad.

  2. 2

    Hold a dumbbell in each hand hanging straight down, palms facing each other.

  3. 3

    Row both dumbbells up by driving your elbows toward the ceiling and back toward your hips.

  4. 4

    Pinch your shoulder blades together at the top without shrugging.

  5. 5

    Lower under control to a full stretch and repeat.

Tips

  • Keep your chest glued to the pad so the torso cannot cheat the weight up.
  • Lead with the elbows, not the hands, to bias the back over the biceps.
  • Pause briefly at the top to reinforce full scapular retraction.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Setting the bench so low that the dumbbells touch the floor before your arms are straight. You lose the stretch at the bottom, which is the part the incline was there to give you.
  • Cranking the bench up close to vertical. Past about 45 degrees the pull turns into a high row and the upper traps take over from the lats.
  • Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides so the dumbbells travel wide. That turns it into a rear-delt raise; keep the elbows tracking back toward your hips.
  • Pressing your forehead into the pad to brace. Rest the chest, keep the chin clear of the pad, and let the neck stay long rather than held in extension for the whole set.
  • Leaving the feet dangling so you slide down the pad as the set goes on. Plant the toes or straddle the bench so your position at rep 10 matches rep 1.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the incline bench dumbbell row should a beginner do?
Three sets of 10 to 12 with a one-second pause at the top of each rep. Because the bench takes your torso out of the equation, you can read your progress honestly: if the dumbbells go up but the chest starts lifting off the pad, the load has gotten ahead of you. Move to the next dumbbell size only when all three sets reach 12 with the chest down. It costs little recovery, so two or three sessions a week is fine.
What can I do instead of the incline bench dumbbell row at home?
Any firm surface you can lie face-down on works: an adjustable weight bench is ideal, but a sturdy coffee table or an ottoman with a cushion lets you row dumbbells or kettlebells in the same supported position. Without an incline, a single-arm dumbbell row with one hand on a chair keeps the lower back out of it. A chest-supported machine row is the direct gym equivalent.
What is the incline bench dumbbell row good for, and when is it the wrong pick?
It is the back exercise for anyone who wants rowing volume without asking the lower back for anything: the pad holds your torso, so momentum and hip drive are off the table and the lats and mid-traps get exactly what you give them. That makes it a strong default for beginners and for training around a sore lower back. It is the wrong pick if you want to train the braced hinge itself, and it caps out once the gym's heaviest dumbbells stop being a challenge.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Back exercises