The One Armed Dumbbell Row - by Maki Riddington - May 7th 2006

[Daniel Clough]

The one-arm dumbbell row can be used to increase the size of the lats and to strengthen the smaller muscles of the upper back. Maki outlines how to execute the movement correctly!

http://www.wannabebig.com/article.php?articleid=256

Enjoy! ;)

[Sensei]

The link on the main page takes you to a Dave Tate Maximal Effort article...

There was an article by Marc Caviglioli (sp?) a few years back on the bent-over dumbell row in PLUSA.

I liked the article, but I leave both feet on the floor and staggered when I do bent-over DB rows - I find I have a lot more stability and there is less torque on my lower back even when I use heavy weights and "cheat" a little.

[Daniel Clough]

I fixed the link, that was my bad :(

[Maki Riddington]

The link on the main page takes you to a Dave Tate Maximal Effort article...

There was an article by Marc Caviglioli (sp?) a few years back on the bent-over dumbell row in PLUSA.

I liked the article, but I leave both feet on the floor and staggered when I do bent-over DB rows - I find I have a lot more stability and there is less torque on my lower back even when I use heavy weights and "cheat" a little.

Sensei,

I had originally written the piece to include another way to perform the movement, it was the way you just explained it. I teach this particular movement to my clients as it is easy to see where mistakes are being made (and correct them quickly) in the exercise.

It'll probably go up on my website. Thanks for the feedback.:)

[Ricochet_kid]

Hey

When I do this exercise I always make a point to drop my shoulder when the weight is at the bottom.

You guys are clearly more learned than me about the mechanics involved, which is why I'm asking for a bit of explanation.

My form evolved the way it has because I find that when I begin the lift (from the shoulder down position), I engage more of my back to lift the weight. When I do it this way I feel it more completely in my lat than when I don't drop my shoulder. If you do it slow enough you can feel your lat tourquing the weight up. (not sure if that's how you spell tourquing)

Is doing it the way I'm describing potentially harmful?

There wasn't any explanation in the article to explain why not to do it this way.

Thanks

[Maki Riddington]

When you drop the shoulder down there is a pull on the lat. This in turn allows for more feedback when it comes to pulling with the lat and not so much with the arm or even the rear delts.

Does that make sense?

[Ricochet_kid]

Am I correct in my interpretation of your comments to say that ideally you are attempting to 'isolate' the rear delt/arm, and when you drop the shoulder you engage the lat which takes over the movement to perform the lift?

That is what it seems to me like you are saying, but it says the following in your article:
"the one-arm dumbbell row can be used to increase the size of the lats and to strengthen the smaller muscles of the upper back."

I kind of thought the lat was the primary force behind this movement, which is the reason for my initial question. It seems that not dropping the shoulder significantly reduces the participation of the lat in the exercise. Or atleast eliminates a big part of it's ROM.

Even if I misinterpreted your response a little bit, I didn't see it mentioned why to NOT drop the shoulder.

Sorry if I misunderstood.

[Maki Riddington]

Am I correct in my interpretation of your comments to say that ideally you are attempting to 'isolate' the rear delt/arm, and when you drop the shoulder you engage the lat which takes over the movement to perform the lift?

That is what it seems to me like you are saying, but it says the following in your article:
"the one-arm dumbbell row can be used to increase the size of the lats and to strengthen the smaller muscles of the upper back."

I kind of thought the lat was the primary force behind this movement, which is the reason for my initial question. It seems that not dropping the shoulder significantly reduces the participation of the lat in the exercise. Or atleast eliminates a big part of it's ROM.

Even if I misinterpreted your response a little bit, I didn't see it mentioned why to NOT drop the shoulder.

Sorry if I misunderstood.

The lats are the primary mover in the exercise, however other muscles are called upon to assist in the movement as well (rear delts/rhomboids). That is why I said that the lats and smaller muscles of the back become strengthend as a result of performing this movement.

When you stop short of letting the shoulder drop forward all the way down it's like applying the brakes to the lats which in turn shorten the range of motion.

[John04Civic]

Great article Maki, but I have a question if you don't mind.

On the pulling motion (lifting the weight up to your chest), I find that I actually feel more of a pull when I disalign my shoulder blades from a flat line level with my back to just pulling it back with the weight also.

Why is this? Does this cause my body to work the wrong muscles?

Thanks,

John

[Maki Riddington]

Great article Maki, but I have a question if you don't mind.

On the pulling motion (lifting the weight up to your chest), I find that I actually feel more of a pull when I disalign my shoulder blades from a flat line level with my back to just pulling it back with the weight also.

Why is this? Does this cause my body to work the wrong muscles?

Thanks,

John

Sorry, I forgot to reply to this.

This doesn't cause the body to "use" the wrong muscles, it's just that it can set your body up to compensate more with other muscles when fatigue sets in. People also tend to use momentum to aid in pulling the weight up as well.

I'm assuming you mean that you disalign your shoulder blades at the bottom of the movement, or do you mean at the top?

[John04Civic]

Sorry, I forgot to reply to this.

This doesn't cause the body to "use" the wrong muscles, it's just that it can set your body up to compensate more with other muscles when fatigue sets in. People also tend to use momentum to aid in pulling the weight up as well.

I'm assuming you mean that you disalign your shoulder blades at the bottom of the movement, or do you mean at the top?
Sometimes both, but usually at the top is where I find myself doing it.

[Bob]

Maki...
I've also found that when you are at the bottom to also turn your grip from the usual neutral position to a hands-over-the top position. This seems to really stretch the lats on the downward movement...

Obviously you have to be careful when pulling the weight back up, to turn it on the way up to the neutral position before smacking the weight bench.

Your comment about "momentum on the way up"... I always thought that you should "snap" the weight up... or a 1/2 sec up, 2 sec down rep.. to get that explosive strength.

Any thoughts on these 2 ideas?

BTW.. thanks as usual for a good article..

[aming37]

I have to admit I'm not a big fan of this exercise. Since you are using the bench for support your core doesn't work very much to stabilize your body. I like the bent over barbell row and the one leg, one arm DB row much better.

[Sensei]

Your core works to stabilize your body and keep your torso from twisting from the weight. Most people, with practice, can one-arm DB row considerably more than half of what they can bent-over BB row (which will give you plenty of core work if that's what you're after).

[MixmasterNash]

Watch this, seriously. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiH8BAK92Yk)

[Progress]

Watch this, seriously. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiH8BAK92Yk)

That is sick. Doesn't that guy total in the 2000's, though?

[aming37]

Your core works to stabilize your body and keep your torso from twisting from the weight. Most people, with practice, can one-arm DB row considerably more than half of what they can bent-over BB row (which will give you plenty of core work if that's what you're after).

I guess what I was trying to say is that from a functional standpoint, having a knee and a hand resting on a bench during the exercise is a disadvantage. Your body should learn to stabilize itself while exerting force. I just think that doing this exercise while standing has many more benefits than doing it on a bench. Just because you can use more weight when you are doing this exercise on a bench, it doesn't mean it's a good thing (maybe it is from a body building standpoint but I am a supporter of functional/sport-specific training).

To me, this seems similar to the lat pull vs. pull-up debate. My opinion on this is that the more your body has to work to stabilize itself during an exercise, the better the exercise is for you.

[MixmasterNash]

That is sick. Doesn't that guy total in the 2000's, though?

2200-2300 something I think. 900/600/700-ish.

I guess he's not functional.