Lie chest-down on an incline bench (about 30–45°) and pull dumbbells up toward your ribcage, focusing on contracting the upper back muscles.
How to do the Dumbbell Incline Row#
- Set an adjustable bench to roughly 30–45° and position yourself chest against it with feet planted for stability.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand (or perform one arm at a time) with your arms extended straight down toward the floor.
- Drive your elbows upward alongside your torso and squeeze the upper back at the top of the movement.
- Pause briefly, then lower the dumbbells in a controlled manner until your arms are extended again.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Upper back (Rhomboids & Middle Trapezius), Lats (Latissimus Dorsi)
- Secondary: Biceps (Biceps Brachii), Rear delts (Posterior Deltoid), Forearms (Forearm Flexors & Extensors (incl. Brachioradialis))
Common mistakes#
- Using body momentum or jerking the torso to lift the weights.
- Pulling with the hands instead of initiating the movement with the elbows.
- Allowing the elbows to flare excessively away from the body.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears during the pull.
