Exercise guide
Dumbbell Incline Row
The Dumbbell Incline Row is a chest-supported pulling exercise performed against an incline bench. The middle back and lats draw the dumbbells toward the torso while the biceps and forearms assist. Bench support reduces the amount of torso movement available during the row.
Training context
Why use an incline-supported row?
Supporting the chest makes it easier to focus on the elbow and shoulder-blade movement without using the hips or lower back to swing the weights. It can also help keep the torso angle consistent across repetitions.
The bench angle should allow the dumbbells to hang freely without hitting the floor or frame.
Technique overview
Keep the chest against the bench
Set the bench securely and begin with the arms hanging and palms facing each other. Draw the shoulder blades back and row the elbows toward the sides. Pause without lifting the chest, then lower until the arms are extended. Avoid shrugging or pulling the dumbbells excessively high.
Treat this as an overview and use a range, pace, and setup you can control.