How to Do the One-Arm Dumbbell Row: Form, Tips and Muscles Worked

In short

To do a one-arm dumbbell row, put one knee and the hand on the same side on a bench, plant your other foot on the floor, and hold a dumbbell in your free hand with your arm straight and your back flat, about parallel to the floor. Then drive your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches the side of your stomach, squeeze your back for a moment, and lower it slowly until your arm is straight again.

The dumbbell row (the "saw") is an outstanding exercise for building back muscle. It is simple to learn and has a large range of motion that helps build serious muscle mass. In this article I will explain everything you need to know about it: the benefits, the technique, the variations, important tips and more. So let's start!

This page goes deep into one exercise. For a complete back workout, see my guide to the best back exercises.

Muscles worked

The main muscles that work in the exercise are the latissimus dorsi (lats), the trapezius (traps), the rhomboids and the rear shoulder. Your arms help too.

Because only one side pulls, your trunk has to resist being turned. In a study of 15 trained men, one-arm versions of three rows (a free-weight row, a cable row and a machine row) activated the external obliques, the side muscles of your stomach, more than the two-arm versions did.

The benefits of the dumbbell row

Large range of motion

One of the central benefits of the dumbbell row is the large range of motion it offers. With the dumbbell we can stretch and contract the back to the maximum.

The large range of motion gives the muscle fibers a crazy stimulus. The better we stimulate our muscles, the greater the chance that we will reach hypertrophy (building muscle mass).

Easy technique compared to the barbell row

The barbell row (bent-over row) is an exercise with a technique that is not simple at all. It demands a lot of stability, an understanding of the movement, and many cues. It takes a lot of time to learn, and beginners don't manage to do it correctly.

In contrast, the dumbbell row is an excellent exercise for building a strong base as a beginner. The technique is simple, and it can be learned easily. It can also help you understand the rowing movement, and then learning the barbell bent-over row will be relatively easy.

No special equipment needed

Another benefit is that you need no special equipment, such as a barbell and weight plates. All you need for the exercise is a dumbbell and a place to rest your hand.

You don't even have to have a bench: you can rest your hand on a stable surface, with your back at a slope. See the no-bench version below.

Helps improve imbalance

Almost everyone has one side of the body that is stronger than the other. When we work with a barbell, the strong side always compensates for the weak side. As a result, an ongoing imbalance is created.

When working with dumbbells, each side of the body gets a similar load, so we can improve the imbalance between the sides.

How to do a dumbbell row

Setup

• Put the dumbbell on the floor next to the long side of the bench.
• Place one knee and the hand on the same side on the bench. Keep that arm straight, with your hand under your shoulder. Your other leg is straight, with that foot planted firmly on the floor, a little out to the side.
• Your back should be straight and parallel to the floor, and your head at the same angle as your back. Look at the floor a little in front of you.
• Grip the dumbbell with your free hand and straighten the arm. Check that the dumbbell is in the right position: under your shoulder or slightly in front of it, so that at the end of the movement your elbow is close to your abdomen.

The movement

• Begin to pull your elbow toward your abdomen and hip. It is important that the movement comes from the elbow, and not from the wrist.
• Pull the dumbbell all the way up, until it reaches the side of your stomach. Stop for one moment and contract your back muscles as hard as you can.
• Slowly lower the dumbbell back down, until your arm is completely straight.
• Repeat for the number of reps in your set, and then do the same with the other arm.

Tip: breathe out as you pull and in as you lower. Keep your stomach braced so your hips and shoulders stay level with the floor.

Elbow path and grip

The standard grip is neutral: your palm faces the bench, and your thumb points forward. Your elbow travels close to your side and back toward your hip, as if you were sawing wood.

What research says: studies that compare elbow paths on the dumbbell row itself are scarce. A 2026 review of 23 muscle-activity (EMG) studies on the lats found that, in the seated row, a narrower grip and keeping the elbows closer to the body were each linked with higher lat activity, in separate studies. That was a different exercise, and the authors call their findings a tentative starting point, because muscle activity in one session does not prove how much a muscle will grow.

So pick the path that matches what you want to train, and keep it the same for the whole set. If you want both, use both paths in different workouts.

Common mistakes in the dumbbell row

1. Pulling the dumbbell with your forearm and biceps

Have you ever done a back exercise and your arm got tired before your back muscles? It happens because the pull comes from the arm. When we do back exercises, we need to think of the palm as a lifting hook. The elbow is the one that pulls the weight.

To understand this technique easily, try the following. Take a really light dumbbell and hold it loosely, with just your fingers. Then pull the dumbbell with your elbow only.

After you master this, all your back workouts will change. Suddenly you will feel your back muscles working like you have never felt them before.

2. Using momentum

Many people use momentum when they do the dumbbell row. On the way up they pull the dumbbell with their whole body, and on the way down they quickly drop it.

Of course this is a critical mistake. It reduces the effectiveness of the exercise immeasurably, and will put you at risk of injury to the shoulders, lower back and elbows.

In every exercise you do, make sure to keep correct technique with a suitable weight. Remember, the goal is to train the back muscles, and not just to lift the weight heavy. Pull smoothly, pause at the top, and take one to two seconds or more to lower the dumbbell.

3. Twisting your torso

A close relative of momentum: as the dumbbell rises, the working shoulder rolls up toward the ceiling and the torso turns. It can feel like a longer pull, but the turning is doing part of the work. Keep both shoulders level with the floor and let only your arm and shoulder blade move. If you have to twist to finish the rep, the dumbbell is too heavy.

4. Rounding the lower back

Many people think they need to round the lower back to increase the range of motion; this is a mistake. This exercise is not supposed to target the lower back. Once your elbow is fully extended at the bottom, rounding means your lower back starts working under a heavy weight, in a not-so-friendly position.

Make sure to keep your lower back straight throughout the exercise. If you want to train the lower back, do exercises that are focused on it.

Variations of the dumbbell row

Standing back row with two dumbbells

You can do the exercise with two dumbbells at the same time. It is very similar to the barbell row (bent-over row), only with dumbbells. It demands greater stability from us, and will also work our erector spinae, the muscles along the spine. In the same 15-man study, they were about 12% more active in a two-arm free-weight row than in a one-arm one, at matched effort.

Simply hold a dumbbell in each hand, bend forward while keeping your back straight, and pull the dumbbells toward your chest. Another benefit is that it saves time, because there is no need to work on each arm separately.

Chest-supported dumbbell row (lying on an incline bench)

In this variation you lie on your stomach on an incline bench and pull the dumbbells upward. The bench can help you control the weight better, and it keeps the lower back from helping during the exercise.

In addition, because of the position, you will not manage to load heavy weights. It is an excellent option as an accessory exercise in a back workout, and not as a main one.

No-bench (tripod) dumbbell row

No bench? Stand with your feet staggered, push your hips back until your back leans forward, and put your free hand on something low and stable, such as a sturdy chair seat, a box or a dumbbell rack. Row the same way as on the bench. Your back is at more of a slope than parallel, and your legs hold more of your weight, so start lighter. Check that the surface can't slide or tip.

Bent-over row

The bent-over row, or barbell row, is one of the most awesome exercises for building muscle mass and tremendous strength in the back. The technique is harder, and it is less suitable for beginners. See the bent-over row guide.

You can combine these two exercises in a back workout. Start with the bent-over row with relatively low repetitions, and this way you will work on strength. After that, do the dumbbell row. With the dumbbells you will work in a relatively high repetition range, and this way you will focus on hypertrophy.

Machine row

If you want a supported pull with the weight on a stack, the seated row machine holds your chest against a pad and lets you focus on your back.

Sets, reps and a sample workout

• Reps: 8-12 per side for most people.
• Sets: 3 per side, with about 60-90 seconds of rest after both sides.
• Effort: stop most sets when you could do one to three more good reps.
• Order: start with your weaker side, and aim for the same reps on both sides.
• Weekly volume: a 2026 position stand from the American College of Sports Medicine found that about 10 or more sets per muscle per week favored muscle growth. Count all of your rows and pulldowns toward that.

Sample back workout

It fits a pull day in a push/pull/legs plan or an upper day in an upper/lower split.

How to track it and when to go heavier

Here is an example log with one dumbbell and three sets per side. The left side is a little weaker at the start.

The rule: move to the next dumbbell, usually 2-2.5 kg (about 5 lb) heavier, only when both sides reach 12 reps on all three sets with no twisting or swinging. Note which side falls behind; it tells you where to start next time.

Safety

With good technique the dumbbell row is a safe and very effective exercise. Start with a warm-up set with a light dumbbell, and choose a weight you can lower slowly and control, because your weaker side sets the weight. Keep your back straight and your stomach braced on every rep, and keep your supporting arm straight with your hand under your shoulder. Lower the dumbbell to the floor next to the bench while your supporting hand is still on the bench, and only then stand up, so you never stand with a heavy dumbbell held out to the side. End the set when your back starts to round, your torso twists or you can no longer pause at the top, and stop if you feel pain. Check that the bench or surface under your hand is stable and can't slide.

Bottom line

In summary, the dumbbell row (the "saw") is a wonderful back exercise. It works the lats, the traps, the rhomboids, the rear shoulder and even the arms. It will help you improve the imbalance between the sides of the body.

Another huge benefit is that apart from a dumbbell you don't need anything for it. You don't even need a bench, because you can simply rest your other hand on a low, stable surface.

To gain everything the exercise offers, make sure to pull the dumbbell from the elbow and not from the hand. Only this way will you manage to activate the muscles to the maximum.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does this row work?

Mainly your lats, traps, rhomboids and rear shoulders. Your biceps and forearms help pull, and your obliques keep your torso from twisting.

Should I pull the dumbbell to my hip or to my chest?

For the standard row, pull your elbow toward your hip so the dumbbell ends at the side of your stomach. Pulling toward your chest with your elbow out shifts more work to the upper back and rear shoulder.

Can I do a one-arm dumbbell row without a bench?

Yes. Put your free hand on a low, stable surface such as a sturdy chair, box or rack, push your hips back and row the same way. Start with a lighter dumbbell.

Which way should my palm face?

In the standard version, your palm faces the bench (a neutral grip). Keep your wrist straight and hold the dumbbell loosely enough that your elbow does the pulling.

How heavy should the dumbbell be?

Heavy enough that 8-12 reps are hard, but light enough that you can pause at the top without twisting or swinging. Your weaker side sets the weight.

Is the dumbbell row better than the barbell row?

Both are great back exercises. The dumbbell row is easier to learn, trains each side on its own and gives a long range of motion; the barbell row lets you lift more total weight and trains you to hold the leaning position.

Does the dumbbell row work the biceps?

Your biceps help bend your elbow, so they work, but the row is a back exercise. If your arms tire before your back, use the lifting-hook cue from the mistakes section.

Is the dumbbell row good for beginners?

Yes. The technique is simple, the bench supports you, and it teaches the rowing movement you will use in other back exercises.