The One-Arm Dumbbell Row

THE ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW The one-arm bent-over row is typically used to develop the lower lats. However, by going through a full range of motion and modifying the technique slightly you can also strongly affect the upper portion of the lats and the middle back muscles. As a result, the one-arm dumbbell row can be extremely valuable to bodybuilders and athletes. EXECUTION

• Assume a wide stride position alongside an exercise bench. The inside leg should be in front and the outside leg behind.
• Bend over from the hips maintaining the normal curvature of the spine until the back is horizontal (level to the floor). Bend the knees as necessary to ensure a level spine and good balance.
• Hold a dumbbell in the outside hand and place the inside hand on the exercise bench for upper body support.
• Grip the dumbbell with a neutral grip, i.e., with the palm facing in towards the body. The arm should hang straight own and the shoulder should be somewhat relaxed and down.
• Inhale slightly more than usual and hold your breath as you pull the weight up by raising the arm as high as possible. Raise the elbow well above the level of the back.
• After maximally raising the elbow, raise the shoulder as high as possible to get a maximum contraction of the rhomboid, middle trapezius and the upper latissimus dorsi.
• Contract the back muscles hard when reaching the upper most position and hold for up to 2 seconds.
• After reaching the upper most position, exhale as you return to the down position and relax the muscles.
• Initiate the upward movement with a vigorous pull, especially when using heavy weights, to ensure a full range of motion.

WORKOUT TIPS

• To get maximum shortening of all the muscles it is important that you go through a full range of motion. The key is to raise the elbow well above the level of the back and to raise the shoulder as high as possible.
• Do not rotate the trunk as you raise the outside shoulder; Isolate the action to only the arm and the shoulder connected to the working arm.
• Do not use excessively heavy weights. When you do this not only is the range of motion compromised but you will have to jerk the weight to overcome its resting inertia. This could cause injury. The key is to use a strong initial pull and then concentrate on contracting the back muscles to raise the dumbbell.
• To ensure maximum contraction of the muscles involved maintain the back in a horizontal position with the normal curvature of the spine. In this position the muscles involved work fully against gravity and must overcome maximum resistance. If your trunk is at an angle to the bench not only does the execution change but also the muscular involvement.
• To isolate the action to the middle back and upper lat muscles use a pronated grip (palm to the rear). As a result the arm stays in line with the shoulders (perpendicular to the trunk). Also, be sure the elbow rises well above the level of the back.
• For best development of the lower section of the latissimus dorsi, use the neutral grip, i.e., keep the arm (elbow) alongside the body during execution.
• To maximize middle upper back development, pull the scapula in as close to the spine as much as possible as you raise the arm and then the shoulder.
• Before beginning to pull up, allow the arm to hang freely to get a good stretch of the muscles across the upper back. Then pull strongly with the back muscles to get them contracting strongly as early as possible with full shortening occurring when the elbow is well above the level of the back.
• Do not place the inside knee on the bench for additional support. When the knee and arm are on the bench the back muscles tend to relax making it difficult to maintain the normal curvature of the spine. As a result, stability is decreased and the chances of injury are increased.
• For variety and to get full development of all the muscles noted, do sets with neutral and pronated grips.

MAJOR MUSCLES INVOLVED The major muscles in the shoulder joint are the latissimus dorsi, teres major, and lower pectoralis major. They are assisted by the posterior deltoid and long head of the triceps. The latissimus dorsi is a large muscle covering the sides of the middle and lower back. In this exercise it is mainly the lower portion that is involved with the upper portion coming into play at the end of the movement. The lower pectoralis major is used in the early part of the movement but not when the elbow is level and moves above the level of the back. The teres major is a round muscle located alongside the upper portion of the latissimus dorsi. Its function is basically the same as the latissimus dorsi. The posterior deltoid is a key muscle involved when using the pronated grip and with a relaxed shoulder, the teres minor and infraspinatus also become involved. In the shoulder girdle the rhomboid, middle trapezius, and pectoralis minor are the major muscles involved. The rhomboid is a deep muscle lying underneath the trapezius in the middle of the upper back. The middle trapezius is located in the middle of the muscle, which runs from the base of the skull through the twelfth thoracic vertebrae. MUSCLE AND JOINT ACTIONS In the one arm dumbbell row the main action is shoulder joint extension. In this movement the arm remains in a vertical plane and moves from a position below the body to a position above the trunk. The arm stays close to the sides of the body throughout the movement. To allow the arm to rise above the level of the back, the scapula move in (via contraction of the rhomboids and middle trapezius) and rotate downward (via contraction of the rhomboid and pectoralis minor). SPORTS USES The muscles and actions involved in the one-arm dumbbell row are seen in all down and back movements of the arm. These actions are very important in gymnastics, especially when working on the rings, high bar, and uneven bars. In sports, the act of pulling the arms down and back can be seen in basketball rebounding, hand balancing, rowing, archery, swimming (especially the later phase of the pull), wrestling, judo, football, rope climbing and in tug of war. In rope climbing and rock climbing, this exercise is extremely valuable to help pull the individual up. By changing the grip slightly the one-arm dumbbell row also becomes very important in the racquet sports, as for example, in the tennis backhand. It also becomes important for posture in keeping the shoulders back, which in turn is needed for proper execution of various skills. The action is especially important in archery and rowing, where the movement is critical to success. In bodybuilding the one-arm dumbbell row is extremely important for development of the latissimus dorsi and the mid back muscles, especially when using both the neutral and pronated grips. Thus it is an extremely important exercise for bodybuilders and other athletes.