Back Training -the one arm dumbbell row
Updated: 6 days ago
FIND YOUR ANGLE: THE ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW
With my two torn shoulders—I know it sounds like I have torn everything. Pretty much—I cannot perform a heavy one-arm dumbbell row with my supporting hand on a bench.
The exercise may be considered “supported,” but that does not automatically make it supportive for my body.
When I place one arm on the bench, I cannot use enough weight to challenge the rowing side without causing excruciating pain in the supporting shoulder.
I can also feel and hear the grinding and crunching that come with the damage and wear inside that joint.
So that setup does not work for me.
I also perform many of my rows through a shorter range of motion.
At the bottom of a full row, the shoulder moves forward and the back of the shoulder enters a deeper loaded stretch. That is my risk zone.
Instead, I stay within the range I can control and focus on the peak contraction—the work through my back and between my shoulder blades.
I am not chasing the greatest possible stretch.
I am chasing the strongest productive contraction my shoulders will tolerate.
Today, I changed the setup.
Instead of supporting myself on a bench, I stood at a slightly more upright angle and placed my supporting hand on the rack in front of me.
That small change gave me enough stability to row a heavier dumbbell without placing my supporting shoulder in the same painful position.
I kept the movement a row instead of turning it into an upright shrug, stayed inside my safe range and increased the dumbbell by approximately ten pounds while completing the same number of repetitions.
That is a meaningful progression.
Not because I forced myself through the setup that was supposed to be correct.
Because I found the angle that was correct for me.
When an exercise does not work, do not immediately assume that you cannot train the movement or challenge the muscle.
Change the support.
Change the angle.
Change the range.
Then try again.
Find the version your body lets you train hard—and build from there.
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