Reverse Grip Bent Over Row - Lats
How to Do the Supinated Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Lat Row | In-Depth Guide [VISUAL LEARNERS] Beginner
Proper Form, Common Mistakes, & Variations | Home Resistance Training
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?
QUICK DEMO
QUICK DEMO
MUSCLES THIS WORKS
MUSCLES
MAIN MUSCLES WORKED IN Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Lats
The "lats" as they are affectionately called...lol just kidding - anyway, "lats" is short for Latissimus Dorsi which is the widest muscle of the upper body and the largest muscle of the back .
OTHER MUSCLES WORKED:
- Middle and Lower Traps
- Rhomboids
- Serratus anterior
- Triceps
- Teres major
- Rear deltoid
STARTING POINTERS
Starting Pointers
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY
ALL WE'RE DOING:
Pulling our arm back towards our hip.
This back exercise is a variation of the bent-over dumbbell row, but with a slight tweak in grip position that can make all the difference. This strength exercise is an excellent way to target your lats, rhomboids, and traps, all while improving your posture and reducing your risk of injury.
A FEW BENEFITS TO THIS GRIP:
1. Using a reverse grip to hold the dumbbell can make it easier to keep the elbows in close to the body (preventing the elbow from flaring out) which makes for better lat muscle activation.
2. The underhand grip puts you in external rotation at the shoulder joint - this can feel better for some people (those with a history of impingement or rotator cuff issues) it can work the infraspinatus (one of the rotator cuff muscles) and posterior deltoid more.
3. This supinated grip also makes it easier to use the biceps to help pull the weight up. This can be a good thing if your goal is to use your biceps and lift a heavier weight - this is not the intention of this exercise and will be discussed below as a variation. You can use the reverse grip without having your biceps help - you just need to concentrate on pulling the upper arm back using your latissimus muscle while relaxing the biceps.
HOW TO DO THE EXERCISE
LOOKS
HOW Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Rows SHAPE OUR BODY
Building the lat muscles contributes to what they call a “V-taper” - it adds to a more hourglass-ish, slim waist appearance.
Confident and healthy upright posture.
PROPER FORM
PROPER FORM: Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row
EQUIPMENT, SETS & REPS
EQUIPMENT
Bench or a low stable surface like a coffee table
SUGGESTED STARTING WEIGHT FOR WOMEN:
8-10 lbs
SETS & REPS:
2 sets of 8 - must fatigue the muscles.
PACE:
Moderate up - with control and back stability, and lower down for the eccentric component.
BODY POSITION
BODY POSITION FOR THE Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Stand towards the end of a flat bench or coffee table - a stable surface to support your weight.
BODY STANCE: One knee (the nonworking side) bent with the lower leg supported on the end of a bench. The other leg should be angled back so that the hip is flexed to around 60 degrees - you need to have clearance to bring the hand (dumbbell) of the working arm to the hip of the leg that is on the floor. The knee of the leg on the floor should not be locked. The hand of the nonworking arm is on the bench. Spine neutral, sternum lifted, chest broad.
Make sure that your hips and shoulders are squared. You should not be leaning your body to either side. Your back should be level. You may need to use a towel under your knee, hand, or foot on the floor to make sure that you are level - this will be dependent on the height of the surface you are leaning on and the length of your arms/legs.
FEET: Leg on the floor - toes forward.
HAND/GRIP: Working arm: Turn your palm so that it's facing forward. Non-working arm: Hand on a bench (if it bothers your wrist, keep your hand in a fist, or put a towel under the first half of your palm to decrease the bend in the wrist, the elbow should not be locked; hand, elbow, and shoulder should be in a straight line.
ARM: When bent over, the dumbbell is held in the hand on the same side as the foot that is on the floor. The arm is hanging straight down to the floor (the hand will rest in line with the shoulder joint). It is fine if your shoulder blade is pulled into protraction in this position.
NECK: Neutral and relaxed throughout the movement. Long neck - space between the top of shoulder and earlobe.
HOW TO DO
HOW TO DO Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Lat Rows
CUE: Focus on relaxing the biceps and using your back muscles to pull the upper arm back.
From the starting position, pull your shoulder blade in and down your back.
Keeping your arm close to your side, lift your upper arm up towards the ceiling. Your elbow will bend as the arm moves back (up towards the ceiling).
The path of the dumbbell is like an arc, not a straight-up motion. Continue to lift the upper arm up and slightly inward, as if your hand was aiming for your low back. At the end of the movement, the dumbbells are about hip/low back level. Pause and squeeze the lats at the end of the range.
Return to the starting position and repeat. In the starting position, your shoulder blade may protract a little which is fine, as long as you are sure to then retract your shoulder blade again before/as you start the next rep.
HOW TO SAFELY GET OUT OF THE EXERCISE
From the starting position, squat down and set the weights on the floor.
COMMON MISTAKES
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT TO AVOID WITH THE Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row
KEY TIP:
Guess what? Good news! Many avoids are the same for most movements. Once you learn the basics, there's really only a few extra avoids for each individual movement.
1. Avoid Hip Rotating Back
AVOID: Avoid standing with your hips or shoulders rotated. You might find yourself doing this if you have movement in the shoulders, hips or back as the weight is lifted
TROUBLESHOOTING:
Poor set up: check foot position, hand position, height of bench (if applicable), height of anchor (if applicable).
WHAT TO DO:
- The hips and shoulders should be squared to the front of you throughout the exercise. This will strengthen the muscles in the healthiest way and it will limit stresses on the joints and muscles of the spine, shoulders and hips.
2. Avoid Rounding Shoulders / Back
AVOID: Avoid rounding your upper back or shoulders.
WHY NOT?
- This can lead to neck, shoulder injury, or damage over time and can result in using the wrong muscles (upper trap).
WHAT TO DO:
- Please watch the video clip to see the difference between shoulder blade protraction at the starting position vs. letting the upper back drop too far.
- Check posture and form in a mirror.
3. Avoid Elbow Flaring Out
AVOID: Avoid letting the elbows flare outwards from your body as you move them upwards.
WHY NOT?
- This will cause the back of your shoulder muscle (rear deltoid) to do more of the work and the latissimus dorsi to do less of the work.
WHAT TO DO:
- Pull elbow in close to body.
4. Avoid Rotating Torso Up with Weight
AVOID: Avoid rotating your upper body when you lift the arm up.
WHY NOT?
- This would indicate you are moving through your spine as opposed to through the shoulder joint.
- Repetitive spinal movement under load can cause soft tissue/joint irritation or damage over time. Sometimes people will rotate/turn their torso as opposed to lifting the weight with the arm.
WHAT TO DO:
- Don’t let the upper back drop or lift up with the arm.
- Keep torso still and level with ground
5. Avoid Making It A Bicep Curl
AVOID: Avoid using the biceps to lift the weights. This may happen if you find yourself doing mostly bending at the elbow rather than moving through the extension of the shoulder behind you.
WHY NOT?
- The goal of the exercise is to use the lats.
WHAT TO DO:
- Correct form and focus: the elbow does bend but it is a passive movement as the upper arm is lifted back. Avoid actively (using the biceps) bending the elbow.
6. Avoid Locking Knees
AVOID: Avoid straightening or locking the knees of standing legs
WHY NOT?
- This tends to decrease the lumbar curve, pull on the hamstrings and decrease the muscle activity of the legs.
WHAT TO DO:
- The knees should be soft, locking the knees puts stress on the knee joint and can make it more difficult to maintain a neutral spine [n/a seated].
- If you feel pressure or discomfort in the low back or knees - try bending the knees.
7. Avoid improper spine position
AVOID: Avoid arching(extending) or rounding (flexing) your low back
WHY NOT?
- Can lead to muscle strain or low back joint injury, it will also decrease the activation of the targeted muscles. Maintain a neutral spine position.
- Pressure or discomfort in your low back.
WHAT TO DO:
- Maintain a neutral spine position to prevent low back joint injury, muscle strain, or damage over time.
- Troubleshooting suggested fixes:
- Poor core strength: activate your abdominal muscles, or do choose a position with more support.
- Poor back extensor strength: choose a position with more support.
8. Avoid locking elbow on bench
AVOID: Avoid hyperextending or locking the “non-working” arm that’s supporting you on the bench
WHY NOT?
- This puts a lot of stress on the elbow joint and can result in injury or damage over time.
WHAT TO DO:
- Keep a soft elbow, a slight bend. This can feel very fatiguing to do at first, to use our muscles to hold us up rather than just resting on a locked out joint, but you will find your strength and stamina increase quickly once you start making it a habit.
- OR if you tend to hyperextend the elbows, choose a position that does not involve weight bearing through the arm.
VARIATIONS
VARIATIONS
VARIATIONS OF Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
Bicep Focus
Bicep Focus Reverse Grip Lat Row
Using the reverse grip to work the biceps and latissimus at the same time.
Use a heavier weight and when you lift the weight up let the biceps contribute to the movement by actively bending the elbow as you lift.
Tripod Reverse Grip Dumbbell Row
Tripod Reverse Grip Dumbbell Lat Row
Bent over on the bench with one hand on the bench, with both feet on the floor.
The working arm is resting straight down. Hold the dumbbell with the palm facing behind you.
Tripod Reverse Grip Banded Row
Tripod Reverse Grip Banded Lat Row
Bent over on the bench with one hand on the bench, with both feet on the floor.
The working arm is resting straight down. Hold the band with the palm facing behind you.
Seated Dumbbell
Seated Reverse Grip Dumbbell Row
Lean over so that the arms will move up towards the ceiling when lifted. Hold one dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up towards the ceiling.
Seated Banded
Seated Reverse Grip Banded Row
Lean over so that the arms will move up towards the ceiling when lifted. Hold the band in each hand with your palms facing up towards the ceiling.
Standing Reverse Grip Dumbbell Row
Standing Reverse Grip Dumbbell Row
The advantage of this version is that you can work both arms at once at the same time, which saves time. The down-sides to me is that because it's a more challenging position to hold, I feel like it can be harder to truly fatigue your lat muscles before the rest of your body starts getting tired.
To do it: stand in a bent-over position, only bending over as far as you can keep a neutral spine- meaning your back is not rounding or arching. Have a bit of a bend in the knee. The closer to parallel to the ground you can get your torso (as long as it's with proper form), the harder the lats will work as they pull the dumbbells up against gravity.
Standing Reverse Grip Banded Lat Row
Standing Reverse Grip Banded Lat Row
The advantage of this version is that you can work both arms at once at the same time, which saves time. The down-sides to me is that because it's a more challenging position to hold, I feel like it can be harder to truly fatigue your lat muscles before the rest of your body starts getting tired.
To do it: Put the band under both feet, and stand in a bent-over position, only bending over as far as you can keep a neutral spine- meaning your back is not rounding or arching. Have a bit of a bend in the knee. The closer to parallel to the ground you can get your torso (as long as it's with proper form), the harder the lats will work as they pull the dumbbells up against gravity.
Upright Torso Anchored Band
Upright Torso Anchored Band Reverse Grip Lat Row
This is a great version if you struggle with your back starting to act up in bent-over movements. It allows you to not have to worry about maintaining a challenging torso position and focus on actually training your lat muscles. I love this one myself.
In standing position with the torso upright. Anchor the band at hip level. Hold one end of the band in each hand with the palms facing behind you.
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY
WHAT & WHY
BENEFITS OF TRAINING our LATISSIMUS DORSI muscles
WHAT
WHAt's this all about anyway?
WORKIN' OUR BACKSIDE
Sometimes we think of our backside as just the bottom half of us don't we! But today, we're working our OTHER backside- the top half.
The bent over row will work the latissimus dorsi muscle - which translates to “widest back”, it is most commonly called the lat muscle. The lat is shaped a little bit like a wing, and it can pull the arms in close to the body. In the movement we are doing today, you will be pulling the upper arm back and in close to the body.
Please note: If you saw the words "widest back" and panicked, let me clarify- you will not get a wide back from these exercises. What you WILL get is more definition in your back along with a healthier walking stride and better posture.
WHY BOTHER DOING IT?
WHY
WHY DO WE EVEN CARE?
BIG MUSCLES ARE TYPICALLY IMPORTANT
Bigger isn't always better, but on our bodies, when something is large, it usually means it's either really important, has a lot of different actions it's involved in, is connected to lots of bones and muscles, or all three.
So being that the latissimus dorsi muscle is the largest muscle of the entire upper body, it's very important, not only for healthy movement of the shoulder, but also to hold us in an upright position.
CONNECTS WITH A BUNCH OF BONES & MUSCLES
The lat attaches to the spine, the shoulder blade, the pelvis and the arm - it even has a connection to your gluteus maximus - or buttock muscle. That's 5 places!!
Just knowing this tells us something about how important it is to work this muscle.
TEACHES US HOW TO USE THE LAT TO KEEP OUR TORSO DURING ARM MOVEMENTS
Learning how to use the lat to keep the torso still and move the shoulder blade back while you pull your arm back can help prevent future upper back, neck and shoulder pain.
UNLESS YOU'RE A WORKOUT PRO YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T EXERCISED THIS MUSCLE MUCH
The history that many of us ladies have with exercise, including myself (I only started doing these lat movements about a year ago), is such that we likely haven't done exercises that specifically work this muscle. We've probably done lots of squats. We've probably done some on our knees pushups even though we absolutely hated it. We've probably done some lightweight bicep curls even. But not much back stuff. Not lat stuff.
So, now that we know it's a big important muscle, we can finally give it the attention it deserves and catch it up to speed with the other body parts we HAVE been working on an off for the last twenty years.
EVERYDAY LIFE
EVERYDAY LIFE &
MUSCLE FUNCTION
HOW WE USE OUR LATISSIMUS DORSI IN EVERYDAY LIFE
1. PULLING THE ARM DOWN (EXTENSION FROM FLEXION)
- Swimming - it’s called the swimming muscle because it does all 3 motions of the crawl stroke
- Rowing
- Cross country skiing
- Chopping wood
- Golf swing
- Pulling heavy items towards you
- Pulling a door closed
- Pulling weeds
- Hugging someone really hard
2. PUSHING YOUR BODY UP WHILE KEEPING THE ARMS STABLE
- Using crutches
- Pushing down to get out of a chair
- Pushing yourself out of a pool (hands on edge of pool)
3. MOVES AND STABILIZES THE SHOULDER BLADE
- Pulls the shoulder blade down (scapular depression)
- Holds the shoulder blade down to provide a stable base for your arm to work off of
4. HOLDS THE TORSO IN A HEALTHY UPRIGHT POSTURE
5. STABILIZES THE LOW BACK
- When lifting, carrying, heavy arm and leg use
HOW TO FEEL WHAT MUSCLE IS WORKING
How to Feel What Muscle is Working
Option 1: While standing, take one hand across, and touch near the bra line, just under the armpit. Actively press your shoulders down and elongate the torso/spine up, feel that muscle moving/contracting. That is part of your lat muscle.
If you don’t feel anything you can try it this way:
Option 2: While seated, take one arm across - but just below their breasts, and feel the lat just under the armpit. Take your arm on the side you are activating and push the hand down into the seat of the chair. Like a seated press-up. If your shoulder blade is elevated or in slight protraction you will not be able to get a good lat contraction, so be sure to pull your shoulder blade back and down, THEN push down and in with your upper arm. You will feel a strong lat activation just below your armpit along the side of your body.
SCIENCY STUFF
SCIENCY STUFF
SPIFFILICIOUS FACTS ABOUT MUSCLES & MOVES
The latissimus dorsi is sometimes listed as an accessory breathing muscle. This means that in times of stress, or heavy breathing, it can help to expand the rib cage during breathing in (inspiration).
The broad latissimus dorsi has attachments to the lower 6 thoracic vertebrae, all of the lumbar vertebrae, and the sacrum (triagular bone at the base of the spine) through the thoracolumbar fascia. It also has attachments to the lower 3 or four ribs, the inferior angle of the scapular and the humerus.
Weak lats can cause upper, mid and lower back pain, shoulder pain, even pain down your arm. Tight lats can limit movement of your shoulder blade and your arm, and cause low back and shoulder pain.
ALLLL MUSCLES & WHEN
ALL MUSCLES WORKING & WHEN DURING THE Reverse Grip Bent Over Dumbbell Row
The muscles of the back (erector spinae) and the non working arms are active to hold the spine in a neutral position and keep it stable. The middle and lower traps, rhomboids, and serratus anterior stabilize the shoulder blades in towards the spine (retraction) and down the back (depression).
The biceps works isometrically to hold the forearm in a supinated position. This position can encourage external rotation of the shoulder joint - working the posterior deltoid and the infraspinatus. The triceps, teres major and lat muscles work concentrically to pull the upper arm upwards (up from starting position - towards ceiling. Towards the end of the motion the long head of the triceps and the lat work to extend (bring slightly behind the arm body) and adduct (move the upper arm inwards towards the spine). The rear deltoid may assist at this point.
As the weight is lowered back to the starting position the lat, triceps, teres major, and muscles of the shoulder blade, work eccentrically to control the movement against the pull of gravity.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
