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dumbbell pullover

Dumbbell Exercises For Increasing Back Strength

dumbbell pullover

The Dumbbell Pullover: Build a Wider Back With This Exercise

Overview

The conventional dumbbell pullover is an upper body exercise that strengthens the muscles of the chest (pectoralis major), wing-shaped muscles in the back (latissimus dorsi), the core (abdomen), and upper arm (triceps) muscles.

Depending on the movement and variation you choose to perform, the stress will get applied to a certain group of muscles, leading to more hypertrophy in that specific area.

Overall, the dumbbell pullover is one of the best resistance workouts that’s adopted by sports physiologists as a postural exercise to fix spinal misalignment and increase the flexibility of the upper body, which is especially beneficial for people with desk jobs.

In this article, we will briefly discuss the importance of targeting your latissimus dorsi muscles (i.e., lats) and how you can use the dumbbell pullover to achieve that.

Why is it important to target your lats?

The latissimus dorsi muscles, or lats, are the large wing-shaped muscles that connect your arms to the vertebral column.

This group of muscles stabilize the spine and provide the shoulder and back with the necessary strength. The lats also assist the movement of the shoulder and arms while maintaining a good posture.

Targeting these muscles will significantly improve upper body strength and allow for a wider range of motion.

Unfortunately, most people neglect their lats, which can lead to dire consequences.

In the case of injury since a simple tear in the lats may cause chronic shoulder and neck pain, and in some cases, tendonitis (i.e., inflammation of the tendons) of the shoulder articulation.

For this reason, you need to ensure that your lats are put under sufficient physiological stress to strengthen the muscle fibers and reduce the risk of traumatic injury.

How does the dumbbell pullover help with this process?

To increase the focus on the lats muscles, you need to do a slight variation of the dumbbell pullover by adjusting your position on the bench.

Instead of lying down in alignment with the bench, you need to place your upper back on the side of the bench while maintaining that position with the help of your lower body.

In other words, the only two parts of your body that will be in contact with the ground are your feet and a small portion of your upper back.

Make sure to create a 90-degree angle between your spine and the long-axis of the bench.

(watch the video below for illustration)

Once you’re in the correct position, here’s what you need to do:

  • Place one dumbbell in each hand then extend your arms over your chest with the palms facing each other.
  • Extend the weights back and over your head while inhaling.
  • Reach full extension in 3–4 seconds, where the dumbbells will be behind your head.
  • As you reach full extension, exhale and return your arms to the initial position.
  • Do this exercise for 10-12 repetitions.
bench supported bent over row

How to Perform a Bench Supported Bent Over Row

bench supported Bent over Row

dumbbell

The bench supported row is a good pulling exercise for beginners because there is less strain on your erector spinae as well as your low back muscles. There are a few ways to do a supported row but for this demonstration we are showing a single arm dumbbell row.

how to perform a bench supported Bent Over Row

To set up for this exercise start with a flat bench and a dumbbell on the ground. For explanation purposes we will be showing the left arm/back doing the exercise. Body positioning will be the following: right arm flat on bench with right knee also on bench. Your back is in neutral with head and neck following. Pinch your shoulder blades together and your butt can be pushed out slightly. Your left leg is extended on the ground but should have a small bend at the knee. Grab the dumbbell with a neutral grip and pull upwards. Your chest should remain pointing down towards the bench and your elbow/ arm should be grazing past your ribs. Lower the dumbbell back down.

how to perform a spit stance bent over row

How to Perform a Split Stance Bent Over Row

bench supported Bent over Row

dumbbell

The bench supported row is a good pulling exercise for beginners because there is less strain on your erector spinae as well as your low back muscles. There are a few ways to do a supported row but for this demonstration we are showing a single arm dumbbell row.

how to perform a bench supported Bent Over Row

To set up for this exercise start with a flat bench and a dumbbell on the ground. For explanation purposes we will be showing the left arm/back doing the exercise. Body positioning will be the following: right arm flat on bench with right knee also on bench. Your back is in neutral with head and neck following. Pinch your shoulder blades together and your butt can be pushed out slightly. Your left leg is extended on the ground but should have a small bend at the knee. Grab the dumbbell with a neutral grip and pull upwards. Your chest should remain pointing down towards the bench and your elbow/ arm should be grazing past your ribs. Lower the dumbbell back down.

reverse split stance bent over row

How to Perform a Reverse Split Stance Bent Over Row

reverse split stance Bent over Row

dumbbell

The reverse split stance bent over row is very similar to the split stance row. The exception to this variant is feet positioning. The stance set up for this exercise will be the same for the split stance row except that your opposite leg will be in extension. This means if your right arm is pulling the dumbbell back, your left leg will be extended out. This foot placement allows for a better torso alignment. When pulling the weight with a standard split stance there can be a tendency to rotate the pelvis which creates a false range of motion and diminishes the benefits of this exercise. By adjusting your base of support the bent over row can be performed much more effectively.  This is a super easy modification that will dramatically improve your row technique.     

how to perform a reverse split stance Bent Over Row

To set up for this exercise start by placing your hand on a box or bench  and split your stance so your back leg is straight and you’re on your back toes. Your front leg will have a slight bend. Have your spine in a neutral alignment; neck and chin are slightly tucked. Initiate movement by picking up a dumbbell with a neutral grip and pull the dumbbell into your body. The hand that holds the dumbbell is the opposite leg that extends back. Your arm should stay close to your body and your elbow will be in a 90 degree bend. When pulling up on the weight make sure to pull close to your hip area. Lower the dumbbell back down with control. 

renegade row

Why You Should Renegade Row | Hybrid Movement

Renegade Row

The Renegade Row is unique to the series of bent-over rows. This back exercise is just as much of an anti-rotation exercise and will require much more trunk stability prior to attempting this progression. The Renegade row is performed in a push-up position which engages the entire body and will develop greater stabilization in the hips and shoulders in addition to strengthening the upper back.

how to perform a Renegade Row

To begin the exercise, curl your toes under, lock your knees, and push up to the top of the push-up position. Grip the dumbbells and form a straight line from ear to ankle. Begin by pulling one dumbbell to your rib cage, lower back down while actively resisting rotation in the hips.  Repeat on the other side. Make sure to keep your hips and shoulders square and pointing towards the ground. Engage your glutes and core for the duration of the exercise. This motion can be repeated for the entire set amount or can be alternated. If you cannot maintain stability end the exercise.