Exercise of the week 4/11/11

One-arm dumbbell row

This exercise primarily works the musculature of the upper back, but parts of the shoulder, arm/forearm, and even the trunk musculature, are called upon to help out.  The ratio of which muscle groups are favored over the others is a function of body placement, and as you become more comfortable with the movement, you can experiment with different arm and body positions to obtain different effects.  This is a great exercise to learn and implement because it can be performed just about anywhere, even while on vacation.  As mentioned, there are many ways to perform this exercise, and I'll focus on 2 of the most basic to help get you started.

How to perform:

Kneeling
● Place one knee, and the same-side hand, on a bench
● Pick up the Dumbbell(DB) that you will be using
● Keep a slight bend in all of your stationary joints
● Place your neck in a relaxed and comfortable position

While keeping your core tight and trunk fixed in place:
● Lift the DB as far up as you comfortably can
● Hold/squeeze the muscle at the end of the movement
● Relax your arm and let it return to the starting position
● Repeat for the prescribed number of reps

Free Standing
● Place one hand on a solid fixed object
● Place the same-side foot in front of your other
● Keep a slight bend in all of your stationary joints
● Place your neck in a relaxed and comfortable position
● Pick up the Dumbbell(DB) that you will be using
● While keeping your core tight lean slightly forward

While keeping your core tight and trunk fixed in place:

● Lift the DB as far up as you comfortably can

● Hold/squeeze the muscle at the end of the movement

● Relax your arm and let it return to the starting position

● Repeat for the prescribed number of reps

I encourage you to alternate the way in which you perform this exercise.  Sometimes perform it kneeling, and other times complete it free standing.  Good luck!  Please feel free to contact me with any questions about this, or any other exercise, and I am always open to suggestions on which exercise to cover next week.

-Jason