Dumbbell Head Supported Row

Perform the Dumbbell Head Supported Row to target your upper back and improve posture.

  1. Set an adjustable bench to a slight incline.
  2. Lie face down on the bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  3. Keep your head supported and pull the dumbbells towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Lower the weights back to the starting position and repeat.

How to perform the Dumbbell Head Supported Row

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Head Supported Row using your dumbbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your latissimus dorsi rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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