STOP F*cking Up Dumbbell Rows (PROPER FORM!)

Do you know how to do a dumbbell row with one arm? If not, you're in luck. In this video, I am going to show you exactly how to perform a single arm db row so that you can perform the exercise every time without making a mistake. Remember, it's not just what exercise you do, but how you do them that matters the most and I want to make sure that you get the dumbbell one arm row form right every time you do them. Step 1 of this single arm row tutorial is getting your knee off the bench: When doing the 1 arm dumbbell row, you would traditionally put one knee on the bench. The problem with this is that you are asymmetrically loading the pelvic muscles, especially around the inguinal canal. This means that when you do the exercise, you are putting yourself at risk for an inguinal hernia. Given the fact that when using heavier weights, we tend to rotate our bodies as we pull, we are increasing the stress put on the asymmetrically loaded pelvis. Since there is a risk to this exercise, how do we combat this? By propping the bench up on an incline and getting both feet on the ground. Step 2 of this 1 arm row how-to is your leg position: After propping the bench up, your leg and foot position is going to be important. By placing the feet at just outside shoulder-width, we are able to row more weight while maintaining a safer position. By having both feet on the ground, you will have better ground reaction forces and stability through the pelvis. Not only that, but with this stance in the one arm dumbbell row, you are able to center the dumbbell in front of your body and through it's center of gravity as you lean over. Going from asymmetrical loading with the bench down and the dumbbell to the side to symmetrical loading with both feet on the ground will take away the risk of a hernia Step 3 of this 1-arm row form guide is your back positioning: While you have one hand posted on the bench, you need to maintain proper back position for good form. This means that you need to have your low back in a neutral or slight anterior pelvic position. To do this, think about deadlifting the dumbbell up into position. That means, before you row the dumbbell, you want to hinge at the hips instead of just bending over at the waist. By hinging at the hips and maintaining good back positioning, you will able to grow bigger lats simply by increasing the contraction on the lats as the dumbbell rows up and back. Step 4 of this dumbbell row how-to is the grip: When it comes to the single arm dumbbell row, you have three options in how you grip the dumbbell before you pull. You can either grab it underhand, neutral, or overhand. Each grip will determine how much lat and bicep engagement you get with each row. Taking an underhand grip will incorporate maximal biceps contribution which can be good for a more overall pulling approach. However, if you use an overhand grip, you are taking as much out of the biceps as possible and transferring it to the lats. If building big lats is your goal, then I would opt for the overhand grip. Step 5 of how to do 1 arm dumbbell rows is the pull itself: When I see people performing this exercise, too often do I see them rowing the dumbbells incorrectly. Most often the problem is that they are performing more of a hammer curl than a row. If you want to build big lats, you need to know how to row the dumbbells properly. A good way to do this is to visualize putting the dumbbell in the back pocket when you row the dumbbell - this will prevent you from pulling straight back and instead will have your arm moving through its proper arc. With this visualization, your exercise form will be on point. Now that you know how to 1-arm dumbbell row properly, you will not only be able to set a good example for other gym-goers, but you will eliminate any risk of hernia that comes along with the traditionally performed version of this exercise. Remember, it's not just what exercises you do, but it's how you do them that matters the most, especially when it comes to form. When it comes to form on the single arm row, how you do it is going to determine whether you are setting yourself up for injury or if you are going to build bigger lats without that risk. Perfect 1 Arm Row Form Here - http://athleanx.com/x/how-to-1-arm-row Subscribe to this channel here - http://bit.ly/2b0coMW To summarize, here are the chapters for quick reference: 0:00 Intro 0:20 Proper Bench Angle 1:25 Feet Position 2:10 Low Back Position 2:55 Proper Grip 3:20 How to Pull If you are looking for step-by-step programs that include how-to guides on every exercise you do, you can find them over at athleanx.com and be sure to use the program selector to find the program that best matches your goals. For more exercise guides and how-to instructionals, be sure to subscribe to this channel here on YouTube and remember to turn on your notifications so that you never miss a new video when it's published.