One-Arm Dumbbell Row

The one-arm dumbbell row lets you train each side of your back on its own, which is exactly why so many lifters keep it in the rotation. Braced with a hand and knee on a bench, you row a single dumbbell from a full stretch up to your ribs and lower it slowly, working the lats and mid-back through a long range while the biceps and rear shoulder assist. Working one arm at a time does two useful things: it exposes and helps even out left-to-right strength differences that a barbell can hide, and the supported position takes the lower back largely out of the equation, so you can focus on the muscle instead of holding a hinge. Keep your torso square and pull with your back rather than twisting to fling the weight up — rotating your body to cheat the rep is the usual way the movement goes wrong. It's the most beginner-friendly of the heavy back rows and a reliable way to build width and thickness one side at a time.