Incline Bench Reverse Grip Single Arm Dumbbell Row
In SetGrip: Dumbbell Row (Incline Bench, Reverse Grip, Single Arm)
- Primary muscleUpper Back
- EquipmentDumbbell
- DifficultyIntermediate
- TypeCompound · Pull
Running the reverse-grip incline row one arm at a time frees a hand to brace on the bench, so you can push sets closer to failure without your position collapsing. The supinated grip tucks the elbow low along your ribs, and rowing each side separately exposes any strength gap the two-arm version hides.
How to do the Incline Bench Reverse Grip Single Arm Dumbbell Row
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Place a dumbbell on the floor next to the bench.
- Stand facing the bench with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend at the waist and place your left knee and left hand on the bench for support.
- Pick up the dumbbell with your right hand using a reverse grip (palm facing down).
- Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Squeeze your back muscles at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
- Switch sides and repeat the exercise with your left arm.
Tip: Pause for a full count with the handle at your torso before letting it go back.
Muscles worked
Primary
Upper Back · Back
The rhomboids and mid traps squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end of each rep, which is where you should feel the strongest contraction.
Common mistakes
- Yanking with the arms — the rep should start with the shoulder blades pulling back, then the elbows follow; if the biceps give out first, you are curling the weight.
- Torso heaving up — on bent-over rows the back angle should not change between reps; if it does, drop the weight.
- Shrugging the shoulders up — pull the elbows back and down and keep the shoulders away from the ears, especially on face pulls.
- Skipping the stretch — let the arms straighten fully and the shoulder blades slide forward at the start of each rep, then pull from there.
Where it fits in a workout
Rows are a main movement in any pull or back session and go before pulldowns and arm work. They pair well with a chest press or a push-up as a push and pull superset.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without dumbbell
Easier and harder
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.