Smith Single Arm Bent-Over Row
- Target muscle
- Infraspinatus, Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Teres Minor , Trapezius Lower Fibers, Trapezius Middle Fibers
- Synergist muscles
- Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Deltoid Posterior
- Equipment
- Smith machine
- Body part
- Back
- Type
- Strength
The Smith Single Arm Bent-Over Row is a unilateral pulling exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi, infraspinatus, teres major, teres minor, and both the middle and lower fibers of the trapezius. The fixed bar path of the Smith machine reduces the stability demand, letting you focus effort on the working side. It is well suited for addressing left-to-right strength imbalances and building thickness across the back.
How to do the Smith Single Arm Bent-Over Row
- 1Set the Smith machine bar to roughly mid-shin height and load it with an appropriate weight.
- 2Stand beside the bar, hinge at the hips until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, and brace your core.
- 3Place your non-working hand on your knee or a nearby support to stabilize your torso.
- 4Grip the bar with your working hand using a neutral or overhand grip, arm fully extended beneath the bar.
- 5Unlock the bar and let it hang so you feel a stretch through the lat before beginning the pull.
- 6Drive your elbow back and upward, pulling the bar toward your hip rather than your chest.
- 7Squeeze the lat, trapezius, and rear-shoulder muscles at the top of the movement for a brief pause.
- 8Lower the bar under control back to the start position, fully extending the arm to stretch the lat.
- 9Complete all reps on one side, re-rack the bar, then switch sides and repeat.
Form tips
- Keep your spine neutral throughout — avoid rounding the lower back as the set progresses.
- Initiate the pull by depressing and retracting your shoulder blade before bending the elbow, so the back muscles do the work rather than the bicep.
- Pull the bar toward your hip, not your ribs; this keeps the lat engaged and reduces deltoid dominance.
- Use a slow, controlled lowering phase of two to three seconds to maximize lat and teres major tension.
- Keep your hips square to the bar rather than rotating toward the working side, which can shift load off the target muscles.
Common mistakes
- Jerking the bar up with momentum — this removes tension from the back muscles and puts unnecessary stress on the lower back and shoulder joint.
- Pulling toward the chest instead of the hip — this shifts emphasis to the rear deltoid and reduces latissimus dorsi involvement.
- Letting the shoulder blade elevate and round forward at the bottom — skipping the scapular depression at the start means the traps and rhomboids never fully engage.
- Rotating the torso to assist the pull — trunk rotation turns a unilateral back exercise into a partial twist, reducing isolation of the target muscles on the working side.
- Using too much weight and shortening the range of motion — a partial rep prevents the lat from reaching a full stretch and limits long-term muscle development.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Smith machine single arm row and a dumbbell single arm row?
The Smith machine constrains the bar to a fixed vertical (or near-vertical) path, which reduces the need to stabilize the implement horizontally. This lets you focus more attention on back muscle contraction, though it slightly limits natural shoulder movement compared to a free dumbbell.
Should I use an overhand or underhand grip for this exercise?
An overhand (pronated) grip emphasizes the upper-back muscles, including the middle and lower trapezius and infraspinatus. An underhand (supinated) grip recruits more of the lower lat and increases brachialis involvement. Both are valid — choose based on which area you want to prioritize.
How many sets and reps should I do for the Smith Single Arm Bent-Over Row?
For strength, work in the 3–5 rep range with heavier loads across 3–4 sets. For hypertrophy, 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps with controlled tempo is effective. Complete all sets on one arm before switching to keep fatigue balanced.
Can this exercise help fix a muscle imbalance between my left and right back?
Yes. Because each arm works independently, the stronger side cannot compensate for the weaker one as it can in a bilateral row. Over time, performing the same volume on each side helps bring lagging muscles up to match the dominant side.
Where should I feel this exercise if I am doing it correctly?
You should feel the primary tension in the outer back (latissimus dorsi) and mid-back (trapezius) on the working side, with a secondary pulling sensation in the rear shoulder. If you feel it mainly in the bicep, focus on initiating the row with a shoulder blade retraction before bending the elbow.
