15 Best Dumbbell Back Exercises (At-Home Workout Plan)

Here, you’ll find the best dumbbell back exercises that you can do at home, on the go, or at the gym. You really don’t need anything more than a pair of dumbbells to build muscle and strengthen your back.

We all don’t have access to a full gym or expensive equipment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great back workout. But it’s common to waste time doing the wrong back exercises and not doing them correctly with proper form.

The trick is to maximize your time and efforts by doing only the top back exercises using dumbbells and doing them the right way so you get the best results. In my 20 years as a personal trainer, I’ve found these to be the absolute best dumbbell back exercises.

How to Work Out Your Back With Dumbbells

If you’re using dumbbells to work out your back, then you could be limited by weight. If you only have a single pair of dumbbells, progressive overload will be hard. But there are some workarounds to make sure you keep getting results.

Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress on the muscles over time. This keeps your progress from stagnating by continually challenging them to promote muscle growth and strength gains.¹

You can change the weight by getting a heavier pair of dumbbells once you’ve mastered the current weight. I usually recommend getting an adjustable dumbbell set so you can quickly and easily increase the weight.

That’s also why I’ve included 17 different dumbbell back exercises. While some may be better than others at building muscle and strength in the back, it’s a good strategy to mix up the exercises in your workouts.

3 Factors for the Best Dumbbell Back Exercises

The more the muscle “activates” during the exercise, then the harder it’s working. This leads to better strength and muscle growth. Ideally, you’ll use EMG studies to track how much muscle activation there is during the exercise.

Having a deep stretch at one end of the exercise movement (like the bottom of a row) places tension on the muscle as it’s lengthened. And then having a strong contraction of the muscle on the other end of the exercise movement (fully squeezed position) engages it as it’s shortened.

So the key to picking the best dumbbell exercises for the back is to have all three of these factors.

With all three you’ll maximize the mechanical stress and muscle damage, which are two of the key drivers of strength and muscle hypertrophy. Try to squeeze the muscle at the finishing point to make a strong contraction.

And then you’ll want to maintain good form and control of the movement. This minimizes some momentum that can cause you to compensate using other unwanted muscle groups. It’ll also be easier on your joints when doing the exercise in the right way.

Your back torso area has over 20 muscles and exercises will train some areas more than others. I’ve broken down the dumbbell back exercises below into sections on where they train your back.

The primary muscle groups in the back are:

• Latissimus dorsi (Lats)
• Rhomboids
• Trapezius (Traps)
• Lower back

Now let’s dive into the best exercises for the back using only dumbbells…

Bent Over Rows

1. In the starting position, hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other, and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Hinge forward by slightly bending your knees, and leaning forward at your hips until your torso is almost parallel to the floor, and keep your back straight. Tighten your abs and keep your neck neutral and in line with your back.
3. Perform the row movement by pulling the dumbbells up towards your waist. Keep your elbows by your sides throughout the movement. At the top of the movement, briefly hold the dumbbells, and squeeze your shoulders blades together.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down. Keep control and tension in your back muscles. Try not to let the dumbbells go all the down until your arms straighten out completely. Keep a slight bend in your elbows at the bottom before repeating.

1-Arm Lawnmower Rows

1. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and take a big step forward with the opposite leg. Your legs should now be in a staggered stance. Rest the same side elbow of the leg in front of you on this upper leg.
2. Keep your chest out and back straight with your shoulders squared ahead. Try to avoid rounding or twisting your torso.
3. Start with the dumbbell directly under your shoulder and keep your shoulders down and away from your ears.
4. Row the dumbbell back by pulling your elbow up towards your hip. Squeeze your upper back while keeping your chest squared and stable.
5. Avoid over-rotating or corkscrewing your torso at the top. Then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.

1-Arm Bilateral Rows

1. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and face a bench or sturdy object about knee height and 2-3 feet away.
2. Move your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart for stability. Lean forward and place your opposite hand on the bench. Keep your back straight and your ab tightened.
3. Slightly rotate your shoulder internally to maximize contraction in the back muscles.
4. Raise the dumbbell up in a sweeping or drifting motion by bringing your elbow up towards your lower back. Avoid just bringing your elbow straight up and down.
5. Briefly pause and hold the dumbbell at the top before slowly bringing it back down to the starting position.

Prone Dumbbell Skiers

1. Set up am incline bench with an incline level of about 30°
2. Hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand and take a seat on the bench facing the incline. Lean forward until your stomach and chest are on the bench.
3. Keep a slight bend in your elbows as you bring the dumbbells up in a sweeping motion. As your arms raise up also slightly lift your chest off the bench.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together at the top of the movement. Also tighten your lats while briefly pausing at the top.
5. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position and lower your chest back to the bench.

1. Get in the starting position by holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other, and feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinge forward by slightly bending your knees and leaning forward at your hips until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your abs tight and your back straight.
3. Keep a slight bend in the elbows during this movement (don’t lock them out). Raise both arms out to the side in a wide arc in line with your chest. At the top squeeze your shoulders blades together and briefly hold your arms there.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down in a controlled motion back to the starting position. Keep your abs tight and your back straight. Keep tension in your upper back muscles.

Lunging Reverse Flyes

1. Stand tall and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing your body.
2. Then take a big step forward and bend your front knee for the lunging motion. As you’re stepping forward, lean forward with your torso and keep your abs tight and your back straight.
3. Lean forward with your torso as your front knee bends down. With your elbows slightly bent, raise your arms out and up in line with your chest. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your shoulders down.
4. Return to the starting position by pushing off your front foot and standing back up by bringing your feet together. Alternate sides by repeating with the other leg.

Dumbbell Pullovers

1. Set up a bench and lie crossed from it with your upper back on it. Hold the dumbbells in each hand and hold them together.
2. Raise your hips up so your upper legs make a straight line with your torso. Bring the dumbbells straight over your chest.
3. With a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the dumbbells back and over your head in an arc motion. When dumbbells reach the bottom, arc up your chest and feel the stretch through your lats and chest.
4. Return to the starting position by pulling the dumbbells back over. Engage your lats and slowly lower your chest back from its arc position by flattening it out on the bench. Keep your arms slighty bent.

Upright Rows

1. Get in the starting position by holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your upper thighs, with your palms facing your body.
2. Retract and squeeze your shoulder blades on your back together. Then lift the dumbbells straight up along your torso by raising your elbows up. Keep the dumbbells close to your body.
3. Keep your elbows slightly higher than the dumbbells as you pull them up. Your elbows should be pointing out and slightly upwards.
4. Stop when the dumbbells reach chest height.
5. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down in a controlled motion back down to the starting position.

Shrugs

1. Get in the starting position by standing tall and holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing the side of your body.
2. Keep your back straight, shoulders back, chest up, abs tight, and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
3. Shrug up the dumbbells by lifting your shoulders straight up towards your ears. Briefly pause and hold the dumbbells at the top to maximize the muscle contraction.
4. Slowly lower your shoulders back down in a controlled motion back to the starting position.

Renegade Rows

1. Start by getting into a high planking position by holding a dumbbell in each hand, with feet hip-width apart. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your feet.
2. Engage your core by keeping your abs tight and hips stable. Avoid twisting, sagging or raising your hips.
3. Pull one dumbbell up towards your ribcage. Squeeze your back and keep your elbows close to your body.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the floor in a controlled motion without shifting your hips.
5. The repeat with the other arm, keeping strict form throughout the movement.

3-Point 1-Arm Rows

This exercise is also killer for the core muscles too. But it does require more upper body strength to hold your body up. I’d avoid this exercise if you have a bad shoulder.

Get in the push-up position with your feet about shoulder width apart.

Firmly straighten one arm and squeeze the same shoulder blade towards your spine (scapular retraction). Then grab a dumbbell with other hand.

Start rowing the dumbbell by raising your elbow up and keeping it close to your side.

Try to keep your hips from rotating.

Slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.

Romanian Deadlifts

1. Get in the starting position by standing tall and holding a dumbbell in each hand at the front of your upper thighs, with your palms facing your legs.
2. Hinge at your hips by slightly bending your knees, push your hips back, and lower the dumbbells down along your legs. Keep your abs tight, your back straight and neck aligned throughout the movement.
3. Lower the dumbbells until they go below your knees and you feel a stretch in the back of your thighs (hamstrings), and keep the dumbbells close to your body.
4. Stand back up by driving through your heels and return to the starting position by reversing the movement. Squeeze your glutes at the top and keep a slight bend in your knees.

Romanian Deadlift to Row

1. Get in the starting position by standing tall and holding a dumbbell in each hand at the front of your upper thighs, with your palms facing your legs.
2. Hinge at your hips by slightly bending your knees, push your hips back, and lower the dumbbells down along your legs. Keep your abs tight, your back straight and neck aligned throughout the movement.
3. Lower the dumbbells until they go below your knees and you feel a stretch in the back of your thighs (hamstrings), and keep the dumbbells close to your body.
4. As you raise back up also slowly row the dumbbells up by rotating your palms so they’re facing forward by the time they reach the top.
5. Squeeze your shoulders blades together at the top and tighten your lats. Slowly bring the dumbbells back down and repeat the movement.

Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows

1. Set up by laying face down on an incline bench at a 30-45° angle. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body, and arms straight down.
2. Keep your chest against the bench, back straight, feet firmly planted on the ground, and abs tight to keep your body stable.
3. Pull the dumbbells up towards your waist and keep your elbows by yours sides (don’t let them flare out). At the top, squeeze your shoulder blades together and briefly hold the dumbbell there.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down, keeping tension in your back muscles. Stop before your elbows completely straight out, and then repeat the movement.

Dumbbell Back Workout Plan

Now that you know the best dumbbell back exercises… how do you make a workout with them?

Most beginners will do great just by doing one exercise at a time. You won’t want to do all 15 of the back exercises in the same workout though. Pick a handful (3-5) of these back exercises to use in a single workout.

You can either rotate the exercises each back workout or you can use the same ones for a while. For beginners, I recommend using the same core back exercises for 4-6 weeks to master the technique and makes it easier to track progressive overload. You’ll get better muscle and strength gains this way.

More intermediate and advanced weightlifters can get better results by implementing super sets. Super sets are when you combine two exercises together back to back. For this, it’s best to combine exercises that are non-competing for the same muscle groups.

An example would be to combine Romanian Deadlifts and and 1-Arm Lawnmower Rows. The Romanian Deadlifts will target your lower back and the 1-Arm Lawnmower Rows your lats. This way the specific muscle groups aren’t already depleted when you try to do the next exercise in the super set.

You can use either timed sets or numbered reps when doing sets in this workout. Most of the time you’ll be better off with numbered reps with a weight that’s challenging to complete them all with proper form. But if you only have one set of dumbbells, then you could use timed reps to increase the intensity of progressive overload.

Here’s an example workout plan you can use with these dumbbell exercises for the back…

Order	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
A1	Dumbbell Rows	3	10-12	30 sec.
B1	Romanian Deadlifts	4	8-10	45 sec.
C1	Renegade Rows	3	5/side	30 sec.
D1	Upright Rows	3	12	40 sec.
E1	Prone Dumbbell Skiers	3	10	20 sec.
E2	Pullovers	3	10-12	40 sec.