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Technique tips

Keep these tips in mind as you perform the one-arm dumbbell row:

Concentrate on pulling from your back muscles (right behind and

below your shoulder).Don’t just move your arm up and down. Although

your arm is moving, this is a back exercise. Think of your arm as a hook

that connects to the weight and is pulled by the back.

Keep your abs pulled in tight throughout the motion.

Don’t let your back sag toward the floor or hunch up.

Pull your shoulders back and down to set the shoulder blades.

Gym alternative: Seated row machine

Set your seat height so that when you grasp the handles, your arms are level

with your shoulders (see Figure 14-6). Sit tall in the seat facing the weight

stack with your chest against the pad.

Remaining tall, pull the handles toward you to lift the weight stack. When

your hands are a few inches in front of your chest, slowly straighten your

arms to lower the weight.

Photograph by Sunstreak Productions, Inc.

Dumbbell chest press

The dumbbell chest press closely mimics the bench press — the all-time

favorite exercise among serious weightlifters everywhere. This exercise

works your chest muscles, along with your shoulders and triceps. If you

have shoulder, elbow, or lower-back problems, limit the range of motion.

You should lower and lift the dumbbells only a few inches to avoid over-

straining these joints.

Figure 14-6:

Try the

seated row

machine

as an

alternative

to the

one-arm

dumbbell

row.

222 Part IV: Lift and Curl: Building a Stronger Bod with Weights