NOTES:  Difficulty Rating:  63%

For a perfect Incline Dumbbell Row, keep your elbows tucked in (not flared) and concentrate on squeezing your Back muscles together as you bend your elbows and pull the dumbbells upwards until they are somewhere level with the top flat surface of the bench (i.e., the bit you are lying on).  Take a deep breath before you start and exhale as you come up, pause briefly at the top position, and then inhale slowly as you lower the dumbbells again.

There are several distinct forms of this exercise, all of which are very effective, but they differ slightly in the muscles they engage.  My favourite (and part of the Mojoh Method suite of exercises) is the Neutral grip dumbbell row (shown above right).  You can also use either a barbell or two dumbbells with a Pronated grip (overhand), and you can again do these with either a wide or narrow grip – I think the key here is to experiment and play around with the various options, but in the beginning, be patient and follow the Mojoh Method recommended routines.

This is the one being performed by the black lady here – she’s doing a great job, with her elbows tucked in, a good angle, a straight back, and her feet and legs well placed for stability.  Check out the bench angles in both photos – the angles look bang on the same to me.  Angles are critical and vary between exercises, so please use them accurately.

The Incline Dumbbell Row is another good example of an exercise that should be done with light weights by beginners. Still, the weight can be quickly increased as confidence grows, because we are engaging the large Lat muscles of the back. More muscle mass equals more power, and therefore, more weight can be (and should be) used once the form is perfected.

This exercise can also be done using a barbell and an incline bench.  It is essential for people to experiment with various forms of the same exercise and to try using alternative equipment to determine what works best for them.