The humble row is a classic exercise that stimulates multiple muscle groups at once and helps you develop upper-body strength. It also strengthens the core muscles and improves posture, promoting overall upper-body strength and balance. This compound movement is easy to incorporate into your workout routine, but it’s important to focus on proper form and use the appropriate weight level.
The humble row involves lying with your chest supported on an incline dumbbell bench while rowing a set of dumbbells. While it may bear a resemblance to other popular row variations, such as the chest supported dumbbell row or the barbell row, it has unique characteristics that make it stand out.
For starters, the humble row places more emphasis on the lats and rear deltoids than other row variations. This is due to the positioning of your elbows, which is in line with your torso rather than abducted to a certain degree like most other row exercises. This position will also activate your rhomboids and trapezius more than other rows, which can help to improve shoulder health and balance.
Another key difference between the humble row and other row exercises is the fact that it allows you to perform a full range of motion. This is often a challenge with other row movements, particularly if you load them heavily. However, the humble row enables you to reach all the way down to your biceps without the bench stopping you or your lower back suffering too much strain.