Bent-Over Two-Dumbbell Row (Neutral Grip)

Execution

1. Brace your core, keep the back flat and look at the floor one step ahead so your neck stays in line with your back.
2. Hold that same torso angle for the whole set, without standing up or folding deeper between reps.
3. Exhale and row both dumbbells up toward your hips, driving the elbows back along your ribs.
4. Hold one beat at the top, squeeze the shoulder blades together, keeping the torso still with no swinging.
5. Inhale and lower the dumbbells under control over 2-3 seconds until the arms are fully straight.
6. If the lower back starts to round or you need to heave the torso to move the weight, drop the load right away.

Quick cues

• Row your elbows to your hips.
• Chest open, back stays flat.
• Squeeze the shoulder blades together.
• Two seconds down, no rush.
• A rounding back is your stop sign.

Common faults

• Fault: The lower back rounding during the hinge

  Fix: Lower the load, drill the hip-hinge dowel exercise for a few minutes, and only start the set once you can hold a flat back.

• Fault: Using torso momentum to heave the weight up

  Fix: Drop the load and pause one beat at the bottom before each pull to kill the momentum.

• Fault: Standing almost upright so the movement turns into a shrug

  Fix: Hinge deeper at the hips until the torso is close to parallel with the floor and you can feel the hamstrings loaded.

• Fault: Craning the neck up to look straight ahead

  Fix: Look at the floor one step ahead of your feet and keep the neck in line with the back for the whole set.

• Fault: Cutting the pull short before the shoulder blades ever squeeze together

  Fix: Lower the load and pause one beat at the top of every rep until you clearly feel the blades squeeze.