Dumbbell Bent Over Wide Row

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms hanging at your sides, palms facing each other.
2. Hinge forward at the hips, pushing your glutes back while maintaining a flat back until your torso is approximately parallel to the floor; keep knees slightly bent for stability.
3. Position the dumbbells directly below your shoulders with arms fully extended, ensuring your head remains in a neutral position aligned with your spine.
4. Take a deep breath and brace your core, then initiate the movement by pulling the dumbbells outward and up toward your sides while keeping your elbows wide.
5. Pull until the dumbbells reach the sides of your chest, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement while exhaling.
6. Maintain a wide elbow position throughout the movement, keeping them elevated and away from your torso in a position that feels like you're trying to wrap them around an imaginary barrel.
7. Pause briefly at the top position, maximizing the contraction in your upper back muscles before slowly lowering the weights back to the starting position while inhaling.
8. Control the descent completely until your arms are fully extended, maintaining your hinged position with a flat back throughout all repetitions.

Important information

• Keep your back flat and neutral throughout the exercise—never round your spine or let your chest collapse forward.
• Focus on pulling with your back muscles rather than your arms by imagining squeezing an orange between your shoulder blades at the top.
• Maintain a consistent hip hinge position throughout all repetitions; avoid standing up between reps or letting your torso drop lower.
• If you feel the exercise primarily in your biceps rather than your back, reduce the weight and focus on initiating the movement from your shoulder blades.