Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Focused Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The bodyweight standing one arm row is a unilateral exercise targeting the upper back, performed by hinging at the hips and pulling a weight toward the chest with one arm.

Primary muscles
Traps
Secondary muscles
Biceps , Forearms
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the focused bodyweight standing one arm row
Front view: muscles worked by the focused bodyweight standing one arm row. Primary: traps. Secondary: biceps and forearms.
Back view: muscles worked by the focused bodyweight standing one arm row. Primary: traps. Secondary: biceps and forearms.
Primary Secondary

How to do the focused bodyweight standing one arm row

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
  2. Step 2: Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Step 3: Let the dumbbell hang straight down in front of you, with your arm fully extended.
  4. Step 4: Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
  5. Step 5: Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. Maintain focused form throughout.
  6. Step 6: Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the focused bodyweight standing one arm row by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Focused Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row alternatives

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.