Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: Light Up Your Back, Arms, and Abs

When creating a fitness plan, practical workouts that mimic everyday activities are highly effective. One prime example? The single-arm dumbbell row is an upper-body smoker that also targets your core while delivering several additional advantages.

Here, we look at all the one-arm row has to offer, as well as professional advice for integrating it into your training program. Continue reading to learn everything about your new favorite back-of-the-body workout.

What muscles do single-arm dumbbell rows work?

According to Teddy Savage, CPT, national head trainer at Planet Fitness in Baltimore, the single-arm dumbbell row works many upper-body muscles. These include the latissimus dorsi (the widest of your back muscles), rear deltoids (a shoulder muscle), rhomboids (upper back muscles), and biceps. It also targets the trapezius (upper back and neck muscle).

There are other methods to accomplish the maneuver, but one of the most typical is to take a staggered stance, hinge forward at the hips, and put one hand on your quad. This bent-over pose, which focuses on one side of the body, works your core muscles as well.

What are the benefits of the single-arm row?

There’s a lot to love about this classic upper-body exercise. Do it regularly, and you can build strength in all of the muscle groups above. Plus, compared to a double-arm row or barbell row, the unilateral version “promotes a greater focus on muscle activation and form,” says Savage. That’s because when you’re working both sides of your body at the same time, “your dominant or stronger side tends to create momentum for your weaker side,” Savage explains. This can lead to muscle imbalances or overcompensation.

But when doing unilateral moves, like the single-arm row, you can place all your focus on activating the muscles needed to complete the exercise correctly, thus upping your chances of good form (and building more balanced whole-body strength).

The unilateral aspect also makes this move a sneaky abs smoker: Your body wants to naturally rotate toward the side that’s holding the weight, but you have to really call on some core stability to prevent that. What’s more, the stance automatically tests your balance, which fires up your core stabilizers to prevent you from tilting to one side. And the bent-over posture, essentially a hip hinge, activates your core muscles in your lower back so they can help steady your spine and keep it in a flat position, explains Savage.

Another benefit: The single-arm row can contribute to better posture, since it strengthens important back muscles that help you sit or stand up straight, Savage says. Finally, because the motion is so similar to common life activities, like pulling a heavy door shut or tugging the starter cord on a lawnmower, it has strong carryover to a bunch of everyday pulling motions—making it a great functional exercise, he says.

What are some common mistakes people make?

Allowing your body to rotate while pulling might divert attention away from the muscles you want to target and activate others that should not be the primary movement drivers—for example, your lower back. To avoid this, Savage recommends bracing your core while drawing the weight back to minimize twisting through your body.

You'll also want to keep your elbows from flaring out too much, since this might put extra stress on your shoulders. Consider keeping "your elbows as close to your body as possible and feeling the fabric of your shirt with each pull," adds Savage.

Next, make sure your shoulders aren't slouching forward and your back isn't rounding, since these might put stress on your lower back, compromising your posture and perhaps causing discomfort. Savage suggests pressing your shoulder blades together, as if you were holding a pencil between them, and keeping your back flat while doing repetitions.

Then, he adds, choose a location on the floor slightly in front of your lead foot and keep your sight fixed on there for the length of your performance. This will prevent you from craning your head and gazing up, which may interfere with your ability to maintain a straight back and strain your neck.

Finally, Savage recommends that you keep your weight under control. Avoid selecting a dumbbell that is excessively heavy, as this might disrupt your technique, and instead choose one that you can "pull and resist with proper control and without relying on momentum," Savage adds.

How can you incorporate the row into your workout routine?

The single-arm row fits well into a dedicated back workout, since it hits a bunch of those muscles. You can also use it in an upper-body push-pull session, slotting it in alongside other pulling movements, like pulldowns, pull-ups, and bicep curls. Another option: Perform it as part of a full-body strength routine that includes moves like the bench press, deadlift, and squats to hit a bunch of different muscle groups across your body.

Aim for three sets of 10 to 12 reps, says Savage. Use a moderate weight that places noticeable tension on your muscles, “but still allows you to confidently control your pace and range of motion throughout the movement,” he explains. Once you get comfortable with the movement and can do it with good form, you can gradually progress to heavier weights.

New to strength training and not quite feeling comfortable with free weights yet? If you have access to a gym, you can get the motion down first by trying the seated row machine; this beginner-friendly option allows you to sit upright without having to worry about keeping your balance or twisting to the side. “The machine will help guide the path of resistance to keep your elbows in line and the right muscles engaged,” explains Savage. Another option is to perform the move with a resistance band instead of dumbbells, which can allow for a “more steady pull without the worry of choosing a weight that’s too heavy and compromising your form,” says Savage.

More experienced exercisers can progress the move by slowing down the tempo during the eccentric part of the move, when the weight is lowering back down. This will increase the amount of time that your muscles are under tension.

How to do a single-arm row:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in your left hand with your arm at your side. Step forward about two feet with your right foot, and rest your right hand on your right quad. (You can also place your right arm on a flat bench; this gives you more stability.) This is the starting position.
• With your core engaged, hinge forward at the hips, pushing your glutes back, and bend your right knee, making sure you don’t round your shoulders. (Your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility will dictate how far you can bend over.)
• Gaze at the ground a few inches in front of your feet to keep your neck in a comfortable position.
• Pull the weight up toward your chest, keeping your elbows hugged close to your body, and squeezing your shoulder blade at the top of the movement. Your elbow should go past your back as you bring the weight toward your chest.
• Slowly lower the weight by extending your arms toward the floor. This is 1 rep.