Dumbbell Single Arm Row
The classic single-arm row with a bench for support, training the lats and biceps one side at a time — a pull-day staple in any gym.
How to do it
- Place one knee and the same-side hand on a flat bench with your back parallel to the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand with your arm hanging straight down under your shoulder.
- Set your back flat, brace your core, and keep your hips square to the bench.
- Row the dumbbell to the side of your ribs, driving your elbow back along your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine at the top of the row and pause briefly.
- Lower the dumbbell slowly until your arm is fully straight again, then repeat for reps before switching sides.
Key technique cue
No torso twist: row the elbow along the body, back parallel to the floor.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Twisting the torso to heave the dumbbell up, which turns the row into a swing and unloads the back.
- ✕ Pulling with the arm alone and flaring the elbow wide, which swaps lat work for rear-shoulder work.
- ✕ Rounding the lower back instead of holding a flat, braced position, which puts the spine at risk under load.
- ✕ Cutting the bottom range short and skipping the lat stretch, where most of the growth stimulus happens.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds the lats and biceps one side at a time.
- ✓ Trains a large-range pull with the safety of bench support.
- ✓ Fixes side-to-side imbalances in the horizontal pull.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here
About the exercise
The Dumbbell Single Arm Row is the most programmed unilateral back exercise in strength training. Bracing one hand and one knee on a bench and rowing the dumbbell from a full hang to the ribs trains the lats and biceps through a large range of motion, while the bench support keeps the lower back safe and the working side fully isolated. This row deserves a permanent spot on pull day. It works for beginners because the bench setup makes it stable, and it works in advanced hypertrophy blocks because it allows heavy loading one side at a time. It is also a good way to learn the row pattern before moving on to barbell rows.
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