Back · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Bent Over Wide Row
How to do the dumbbell bent over wide row, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hinge at the hips until your torso is near parallel to the floor, back flat. With your elbows flared out wide, row the dumbbells up toward your chest, squeezing your upper back, then lower under control. The wide elbow path targets the upper back and rear delts.
- 1Your mid-back and rear delts contracting as you row wide
- 2Shoulder blades squeezing together at the top
- 3A flat, braced spine holding the hinge position
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back or standing up as you pull
- Shrugging the shoulders or yanking with the arms only
- Letting the dumbbells drop fast instead of controlling them
Muscles worked
The dumbbell bent over wide row mainly works the mid traps and rear delts, with the lats, biceps, forearms, lower back, upper traps, and lower traps assisting.
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- LatsSupport
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell bent over wide row for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.