The reverse grip bent over dumbbell row is a hinged free-weight row performed with the palms turned forward, pulling the dumbbells to the hips to train the lats, lower traps and biceps. The supinated grip tucks the elbows to the ribs and drives the pull toward the hip, shifting the work to the lower lats and letting the biceps help. Independent dumbbells let the wrists rotate freely, so the grip is easier on the elbows than a supinated barbell row. Coaches program it as the second back movement of a pull day, after a heavier barbell row or pull-up.
What Muscles Does the Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row Work?
- Primary: Latissimus dorsi (lats), lower trapezius
- Secondary: Biceps brachii, rhomboids, posterior deltoid (rear shoulder)
- Tertiary: Erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, forearm flexors
How Do You Set Up for the Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row?
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees softly bent. Push your hips back and hinge until your torso sits 30 to 45 degrees above horizontal, spine flat and chest over your knees. Let the dumbbells hang from your shoulders, then turn your palms to face forward so the knuckles point at the floor. Pull your shoulders down and look at the floor a metre ahead.
How Do You Perform the Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row?
- Fix your hinge by pushing the hips back and bracing the abs so the torso angle cannot change during the set.
- Drive the elbows back and in, pulling the dumbbells along the thighs toward the hips rather than straight up to the chest.
- Touch the hips with the dumbbells when the elbows have passed the torso; the shoulder blades finish pulled down and together.
- Squeeze for a count at the top with the palms still facing forward and the upper arms tight to the ribs.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly along the same line until the arms hang fully straight and the lats feel a stretch.
- Reset the hinge and the shoulder position at the bottom before starting the next pull.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Row to the hip pocket, not the chest: Aim the dumbbells at the crease of your hips so the lats, not the upper traps, finish the rep.
- Keep the pinkies leading: With the palms forward, drive the little fingers back so the elbows stay tucked.
- Let the shoulder blades slide forward at the bottom before you pull again.
- Keep the wrists straight; curling them turns the row into a bicep curl.
- Press the floor away through the heels to keep the hinge steady under the load.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Grabbing dumbbells too heavy for the hinge: the torso rises every rep and the row becomes a heave, so drop to a load you can pull with the torso frozen.
- Turning the row into a curl: bending the elbows first with supinated hands makes the biceps take the rep, so start each pull by driving the elbows back.
- Rounding the lower back: flexing the lumbar spine under hanging dumbbells loads the discs at their weakest, so keep the chest proud and the hips back.
- Pulling the dumbbells up to the chest: a high row line turns the elbows out and moves the work to the rear delts, so keep the pull low along the thighs.
- Rolling the palms inward as fatigue hits: the grip drifts neutral and the lat emphasis goes with it, so re-supinate before every rep.
What Are the Best Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row Variations?
- Bilateral Bent Over Dumbbell Row: the standard overhand version, easier to learn and heavier to load.
- Single-arm reverse grip dumbbell row: one dumbbell at a time with the free hand braced on a bench for a stricter hinge.
- Chest-supported reverse grip dumbbell row: prone on an incline bench removes the hinge for a tired lower back.
- Yates row: the barbell version with an underhand grip, for heavier loading of the same line.
- Reverse grip cable row: a low pulley with the palms up keeps constant tension for higher-rep sets.
How Do You Progress the Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row?
- Add 5 pounds per hand once you complete all sets at 12 reps with the torso still and the palms forward.
- Build from 8 up to 12 reps per set before the next load jump.
- Add a set at a time up to 4 sets, or a second rowing day per week.
- Hold the top for two counts or lower for a three-count to slow the eccentric when adding load is not an option.
How Should You Program the Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row?
Place the reverse grip bent over dumbbell row second in a back session, after a pull-up or heavy barbell row and before curls. Train it 1 to 2 times per week for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sets. Pair it with a lat pulldown or a straight-arm pulldown so the lats get both a horizontal and a vertical pull in the same session.