The one-arm dumbbell row is one of the best lat and upper back builders you can do with a bench and a single dumbbell. You brace one hand on the bench, hinge forward, and row the dumbbell toward your hip. Because you train one side at a time, each lat gets full attention and you can see right away if one side is weaker. It also hits the rhomboids, rear delts, and biceps along the way.
There are plenty of reasons to swap it. The dumbbells at your gym might top out before your lats do. Your grip may give out on the heavy ones. Your lower back might complain from holding that hinge, or the one bench in the dumbbell area is always taken. Or you’re training at home and only have a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a band.
I picked these 8 based on how directly they train the lats and upper back, how easy they are to load, and what equipment they need. Most are unilateral or supported, so they keep the best parts of the dumbbell row. If you’re looking to replace the barbell version instead, see our bent-over row alternatives page.
Table of Contents
- 1 The 8 Best Dumbbell Row Alternatives
- 2 Reasons to Choose a Dumbbell Row Alternative
- 3 Muscles Worked by the Dumbbell Row
- 4 FAQs
- 4.1 What is the best alternative to the one-arm dumbbell row?
- 4.2 Can I replace the dumbbell row with a cable row?
- 4.3 What can I do if my dumbbells aren’t heavy enough?
- 4.4 Is the inverted row as good as the dumbbell row?
- 4.5 How many sets of rows do I need per week?
- 4.6 Are unilateral rows better than bilateral rows?
- 5 Key Takeaways
- 6 Other Alternative Exercises
- 6.1 The 10 Best Leg Extension Alternatives
- 6.2 The 8 Best Hammer Curl Alternatives
- 6.3 The 10 Best Lying Leg Curl Alternatives
- 6.4 The 10 Best Romanian Deadlift Alternatives
- 6.5 The 10 Best Pallof Press Alternatives
- 6.6 The 10 Best Glute Bridge Alternatives
- 6.7 The 7 Best Deadlift Alternatives
- 6.8 The 10 Best Box Jump Alternatives
- 6.9 The 10 Best Dumbbell Pullover Alternatives
- 6.10 The 9 Best Leg Press Alternatives
- 6.11 The 10 Best Bench Press Alternatives
- 6.12 The 10 Best Overhead Press Alternatives
- 6.13 The 9 Best Seated Cable Row Alternatives (2026)
- 6.14 The 8 Best Decline Bench Press Alternatives
- 6.15 The 9 Best Lunge Alternatives
The 8 Best Dumbbell Row Alternatives
- Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
- Seal Row
- Single-Arm Cable Row
- Landmine (Meadows) Row
- Single-Arm Machine Row
- Resistance Band Row
- Inverted Row
- Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
1. Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
When to Perform the Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
This is the swap I’d make first, and it’s the one I’d pick if I could only keep one. You lie face down on an incline bench, so your lower back and legs are out of the picture and every bit of effort goes into pulling. Without a bench to lean on, a one-arm row turns into a test of how well you can brace. Here you can chase the lats and upper back until they’re fried.
It also fixes the problem of running out of dumbbell. You can row two dumbbells at once, which doubles the load you need from the rack, and the strict position means a lighter weight feels harder. I’d run it for 3 or 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, as your first or second back exercise of the day.
How to Perform the Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
- Adjust an incline bench to about 30 to 45 degrees and lie face down with your chest against the pad and your feet planted on the floor.
- Pick up a dumbbell in each hand and let your arms hang straight down, palms facing each other.
- Pull the dumbbells up toward your lower ribs by driving your elbows back, keeping your chest on the pad.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top, then lower the dumbbells until your arms are fully straight.
Equipment: an adjustable incline bench and a pair of dumbbells.
This video from Colossus Fitness shows how to perform the chest-supported incline dumbbell row.
Tips for the Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
- Keep your chin up and your neck neutral. Most people crane their head forward and feel it in their traps instead of their back.
- A 30 degree incline hits the lats a bit more. A 45 degree incline shifts the work toward the upper back.
- Pause for a beat at the top of every rep. The bench takes away momentum, so use that.
- Let your shoulder blades stretch forward at the bottom. Cutting the range short gives up half the exercise.
Chest-supported rows also show up as a staple in our bent-over row alternatives guide, which is the barbell version of this page.
2. Seal Row
When to Perform the Seal Row
The seal row is the stricter, heavier cousin of the chest-supported row. You lie flat on a bench that’s raised high enough for your arms to hang below it, then row a barbell or a pair of dumbbells up to the underside of the bench. Your arms can hang completely straight at the bottom, so you get a longer range of motion than an incline bench allows.
I like it for lifters who have outgrown the incline row. The flat position takes your legs and hips out of it entirely, and you can load it heavy without worrying about your lower back. If you don’t have a raised bench, stack the bench on blocks or sturdy boxes. Plan on 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
How to Perform the Seal Row
- Raise a flat bench on boxes or blocks so that your arms can hang straight down without touching the floor while you lie on it.
- Lie face down with your chest and stomach on the pad, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Row the dumbbells up toward the sides of your ribs by pulling your elbows back at roughly 45 degrees from your torso.
- Pause briefly when the dumbbells touch the underside of the bench, then lower under control until your arms are straight.
Equipment: a flat bench raised on boxes or blocks, plus dumbbells (a barbell works too).
This video from Body Smart Training shows how to perform the seal row.
Tips for the Seal Row
- Make sure the bench is stable before you load it up. A wobbly stack of plates is a bad idea under heavy weight.
- Keep your head down and your neck in line with your spine.
- Don’t bounce the weights off the bench. Touch it and pause.
- Start with about 70% of what you use on the incline dumbbell row. The strict position humbles most people.
If you want the barbell version, our Pendlay row alternatives page covers the strict barbell pull from the floor.
3. Single-Arm Cable Row
When to Perform the Single-Arm Cable Row
This one keeps everything good about the one-arm dumbbell row and swaps the weak parts for a cable. The tension stays on your lats through the entire rep, including the bottom stretch where a dumbbell loses some of its pull. You can also rotate your torso a little as you pull, which gives the lat a longer range of motion.
It’s my pick when your grip is the first thing to give out, because you can use a handle that’s easy to hold and load in small jumps. I’d run 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps per arm. You can sit at a low cable row station or stand and hinge slightly, and either way works.
How to Perform the Single-Arm Cable Row
- Attach a single D-handle to a low pulley and sit on the bench with your feet on the footplates (or stand in a staggered stance).
- Grab the handle with one hand and sit tall with your free hand resting on your thigh.
- Pull the handle toward your hip by driving your elbow back, rotating your torso a few degrees as you pull.
- Pause when your elbow passes your torso, then reach forward under control until your arm is straight.
Equipment: a cable station with a low pulley and a single D-handle.
This video from Live Lean TV Daily Exercises shows how to perform the single-arm seated cable row.
Tips for the Single-Arm Cable Row
- Let your shoulder blade slide forward at the start of every rep. That’s where the lat gets its stretch.
- Keep your pull path low, toward your hip, rather than toward your chest. A low path targets the lats.
- Don’t swing your torso back and forth to move the weight. A small rotation is fine, a full lean is not.
- Do your weaker side first and match the reps on the other side.
There are plenty of other cable rows in our cable row alternatives guide if you want to go deeper on this style.
4. Landmine (Meadows) Row
When to Perform the Landmine Row
John Meadows made this one famous. You stand sideways to a barbell anchored in a landmine, grab the thick end of the bar near the plates, and row it up toward your hip. The arc of the bar is different from a dumbbell, and the angle feels friendlier on the shoulder for many lifters.
It solves the heavy-dumbbell problem better than anything else on this list, since you can load the bar with plates until your gym runs out of them. The thick sleeve also forces your grip to work in a different way. I’d program 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps per arm, and I’d use straps on the heaviest sets if your grip is the limiting factor.
How to Perform the Landmine Row
- Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment (or wedge it into a corner) and load plates on the free end.
- Stand sideways to the bar with a staggered stance, then hinge forward and grab the bar just behind the plates with one hand.
- Row the bar toward your hip by driving your elbow back and up, keeping your torso steady.
- Squeeze at the top, then lower until your arm is fully straight and your shoulder blade stretches forward.
Equipment: a barbell, a landmine attachment (or a corner), and plates.
This video from Swift Movement Academy shows how to perform the single-arm landmine bent-over row.
Tips for the Landmine Row
- Rest your free hand on your thigh or a bench to take pressure off your lower back.
- Use a hand towel or a V-handle on the bar if the sleeve is awkward to grip.
- Keep your hips back and your spine flat. A rounded back means the plates are too heavy.
- Lead with your elbow, not your hand, so your lat does the work instead of your biceps.
5. Single-Arm Machine Row
When to Perform the Single-Arm Machine Row
Plate-loaded iso-lateral machines (the Hammer Strength style) let you row one arm at a time against a fixed path with your chest pinned to a pad. You get the unilateral benefit of the one-arm dumbbell row with none of the balance or bracing demands.
I reach for this one when I’m tired, when my lower back needs a break, or when I want to push a hard set to failure without thinking about form breaking down. It’s also the easiest way to load heavy weight on one side, and the handles are far kinder on the grip than a fat dumbbell. I’d go for 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps per arm.
How to Perform the Single-Arm Machine Row
- Adjust the seat so the handles sit around mid-chest height, then load the plates on both sides (or just the working side).
- Sit with your chest firmly against the pad and grab one handle, resting your other hand on the center grip or your thigh.
- Pull the handle back until your elbow passes your torso and your shoulder blade pulls toward your spine.
- Pause for a beat, then return to the start until your arm is straight and your shoulder blade stretches forward.
Equipment: a plate-loaded iso-lateral row machine.
This video from Kevin Kelley shows how to perform the Hammer Strength iso-lateral single-arm row.
Tips for the Single-Arm Machine Row
- Keep your chest on the pad the whole time. Lifting off it lets your lower back help.
- Take a full stretch at the bottom of each rep before you pull again.
- Try a neutral grip and an overhand grip on different days. They shift the emphasis between the lats and the upper back.
- Train both sides with the same reps, and start with the weaker one.
6. Resistance Band Row
When to Perform the Resistance Band Row
This is the home option, and it’s better than most people expect. A heavy band anchored to a door or a rack gives you a row that gets harder toward the end of the rep, which is where the lats and rhomboids want the most tension. You can do it one arm at a time, sitting or standing.
Bands are the weakest option here for raw strength, so I treat them as a high-rep tool. I’d run 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 20 reps per arm, and I’d use the thickest band you can find. They’re also light enough to pack for a trip, which beats skipping back day.
How to Perform the Resistance Band Row
- Anchor a band at about chest height to a sturdy post, rack, or the hinge side of a door.
- Sit on the floor or stand facing the anchor and hold the band in one hand with your arm straight.
- Pull your hand toward your lower ribs by driving your elbow back, keeping your shoulder down.
- Squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine, then return slowly to the start.
Equipment: a resistance band (a thick loop band or tube band with a handle) and a secure anchor point.
This video from Scott Abel Coaching shows how to perform seated rows with resistance bands, with and without an anchor.
Tips for the Resistance Band Row
- Step further from the anchor to make it harder. Distance adds tension.
- Use a slow 3 second lowering phase. The band wants to snap you forward.
- Check the anchor before every set. A band slipping loose at speed can hurt.
- Pair two bands once the first one feels light.
7. Inverted Row
When to Perform the Inverted Row
The inverted row is a bodyweight pull that works almost anywhere you can find a bar at waist height, a Smith machine, or a pair of rings. It trains the lats, upper back, and biceps through a long range of motion, and you can make it easier by bending your knees or harder by elevating your feet.
I use it when I’m traveling, when the dumbbells top out at 50 pounds, or when I want a back exercise that doesn’t beat up my elbows. It also carries over to pull-ups, which makes it a good pairing with the lat pulldown alternatives on this site. I’d go for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps, and add a weight vest once bodyweight gets easy.
How to Perform the Inverted Row
- Adjust a bar in a rack or Smith machine to about waist height and lie underneath it, gripping the bar slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Straighten your body from heels to head, with your arms fully extended and your heels on the floor.
- Pull your chest to the bar by driving your elbows down and back, keeping your body in one straight line.
- Pause when your chest touches the bar, then lower yourself under control until your arms are straight.
Equipment: a bar at waist height (rack, Smith machine, or suspension trainer).
This video from Horton Barbell shows how to perform the inverted row.
Tips for the Inverted Row
- Squeeze your glutes to keep your hips from sagging.
- Bend your knees if you can’t hit 8 reps with a straight body.
- Raise the bar height to make it easier, or lower it to make it harder.
- Try an underhand grip if your elbows feel better with it. It brings in more biceps.
We have a whole page on this one if you want more variations, so see our inverted row alternatives guide.
8. Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
When to Perform the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
If your goal with the dumbbell row is lat width, the single-arm pulldown is the more direct path. You pull down from overhead rather than rowing to the hip, and a cable lets you go through a deeper stretch than a bar does. Working one arm at a time also lets you turn your torso slightly toward the stack and feel the lat lengthen.
It’s the lightest-load option on this list for the lower back, since you’re sitting down, and it’s useful when you want to train lats on a day your elbows are cranky. I’d program 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps per arm, either after your main row or as the last back exercise. For more pulldown styles, see our cable lat exercises page.
How to Perform the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
- Attach a single D-handle to a high pulley, sit on a bench or the pulldown seat, and lock your thighs under the pad if there is one.
- Reach up and grab the handle with one hand, with your elbow straight and your shoulder blade stretched up.
- Pull the handle down toward your shoulder by driving your elbow toward your hip.
- Squeeze your lat at the bottom, then let the handle rise slowly until your arm is straight again.
Equipment: a cable station with a high pulley and a single D-handle (or a lat pulldown machine with a single handle).
This video from Physique Development shows how to perform the single-arm lat pulldown.
Tips for the Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
- Lean back a few degrees, but don’t swing. A tiny lean opens up the path.
- Think about driving your elbow into your back pocket instead of pulling with your hand.
- Let the weight pull your arm straight at the top for a full stretch.
- Keep your ribcage down so your lower back stays neutral.
If you still want a stretch-focused lat exercise, our dumbbell pullover alternatives guide pairs well with this one.
Reasons to Choose a Dumbbell Row Alternative
None of these are a downgrade. Each one trains the lats and upper back directly, and a few of them are easier to progress than the dumbbell row ever was.
- The dumbbells run out. The landmine row and the single-arm machine row take as much weight as you can load, and the chest-supported row lets you use two dumbbells at once.
- Your grip gives out first. Cable handles, machine handles, and the pulldown all let your back get to failure before your hands do.
- Your lower back is cranky. The chest-supported row, seal row, and machine row all hold you up on a pad, so your spine stays out of it.
- The bench is taken. The inverted row, band row, and cable rows need no bench at all.
- You train at home. A band and a door anchor is all you need for a decent back workout.
Muscles Worked by the Dumbbell Row
Every exercise on this list trains the same group of muscles, with a slightly different emphasis depending on the angle of the pull.
- Latissimus dorsi: the main target. It’s loaded hardest in the cable row, the single-arm pulldown, and the landmine row, where the elbow travels toward the hip.
- Rhomboids and middle trapezius: these pull your shoulder blades together. They work hardest in the chest-supported row, seal row, and machine row.
- Rear deltoids: they help with every row, and more so when your elbows flare out.
- Biceps and brachialis: they assist every pull, and the inverted row loads them the most.
- Erector spinae and core: they hold your torso still in the landmine row and the standing versions, and sit out entirely in the supported ones.
FAQs
What is the best alternative to the one-arm dumbbell row?
The chest-supported dumbbell row. It uses the same equipment, takes your lower back out of it, and lets you pull harder than the one-arm version.
Can I replace the dumbbell row with a cable row?
Yes. The single-arm cable row is the closest match, since it works one lat at a time and keeps tension on the muscle through the full range. I’d keep the rep range at 10 to 15.
What can I do if my dumbbells aren’t heavy enough?
Switch to the landmine row or the single-arm machine row, since both let you keep adding weight. You can also slow your reps down to 3 seconds on the way down, or pause at the top.
Is the inverted row as good as the dumbbell row?
It’s a very good back exercise, but the load is limited by your body weight. Elevating your feet or wearing a weight vest helps. I’d call it a close second, and a better choice than the dumbbell row if you’re training at a hotel or a park.
How many sets of rows do I need per week?
Most lifters do well with 10 to 16 hard sets of rows and pulldowns per week, split across 2 or 3 days. If you run a program with plenty of pulling already, you can drop it to the low end.
Are unilateral rows better than bilateral rows?
Neither wins outright. Single-arm rows let you fix imbalances and move through a bigger range, while two-arm rows are easier to load. I’d use both across the week.
Key Takeaways
If you want one swap, go with the chest-supported dumbbell row. If the dumbbells top out, move to the landmine row or the machine row. Training at home with almost nothing, the band row and the inverted row will keep your back growing. And if lat width is the goal, add the single-arm pulldown after your main row.
Other Alternative Exercises
If you enjoyed this post, check out our other roundups of the best alternatives for other exercises.
