Power One
Arm Dumbell Rows to Build Explosive Power and Strength in
Your Entire Back
This exercise is exactly
like a regular one arm dumbell row in almost every way.
The big difference here is that you're going to be doing
it off the floor and doing it with power and acceleration.
You can use a fairly heavy
dumbell with this one - no need for a bench. You'll be doing
this one with the dumbell starting on the floor.
This is one is a good one
to watch on video to get the best idea of how to perform
the acceleration of the movement.
Stand with your feet on either
side of the dumbell and squat down and grasp it. Keep a
tight arch in your lower back and keep your abs tight.
Here's what the first position
looks like.
Now, with a POWERFUL pull,
squat down a bit then accelerate the dumbell off the floor
and up in a rowing movement. Don't just heave the dumbell
up - do your best to keep TENSION on the back as you do
this power row.
You basically want to accelerate
and squeeze your lat HARD as you row it powerfully up. It's
not a fling. Think of it as a controlled explosion.
Continue all the way up until
you've pulled the dumbell as high as you can get it. Your
upper body will be more upright at the top of the movement.
Remember the squeeze on the muscle and the controlled explosion!
Keeping your lower back and
core tight, set the dumbell back down on the floor. Now
go again! Continue until you find you're losing steam on
the powerful explosion part of the exercise.
Once you've done all your
reps on the one arm, switch to the other arm.
This exercise
is a good, simple exercise to help you develop thickness
in your back as well as overall body power. It's a very
functional-strength type of exercise as well. So the next
time you pull the cord on your lawn mower, watch out that
you don't wing the whole thing into the next yard!