9 Best Dumbbell Lat Exercises (with Videos)

If we were to list the most important muscle parts in the human body considering bodybuilding, strength building or aesthetics, lats will certainly occupy a top spot. Your lats have a great role in improving your strength, but more than that, a bigger lat can take your Aesthetics to a whole new level.  

So, it’s crucial that you train your lats regularly. And, there are a number of workouts to target your lat and other back muscles using machines, barbells, and of course, dumbbells.

Doing some lat exercises with dumbbells will help you do a lot of unilateral and bilateral movements, avoiding chances of muscle imbalance. So, you have to add at least one or two dumbbell exercises for lats to your back training routine. 

Through this article, we will guide you through 9 great Lat exercises with dumbbells, with proper form and video illustration.

Read along! 

9 Best Lat Exercises With Dumbbells

There are a number of lat workouts with dumbbells that helps you build a bigger, stronger lat. Doing them with the right form helps you gain more strength and aesthetics.

Here are the 9 best dumbbell lat exercises for compound as well as isolated lat movements. 

One Hand Dumbbell Row

One hand dumbbell row is arguably one of the most popular dumbbell lat exercises. While similar exercises can be done with barbells or machines, the dumbbell variation has its own advantages.

Why It Is Important

One hand dumbbell row is an excellent compound movement that trains your lats along with delts and biceps. It also improves your core strength. So, try to add this dumbbell lat workout to your routine.

Also unlike when you use barbells or machines, the one arm dumbbell row is a unilateral workout. This is great to ensure that both your hands are getting the effect.

Instructions

• You need to first get a bench and a dumbbell. 
• Place one knee on the bench, and place the foot of the other leg firmly on the ground.
• Grab the dumbbell on the arm on the same side as your foot on the ground. That is, if your left knee is on the bench, grab the dumbbell with your right hand. The other hand should be placed firmly on the bench at a suitable position.
• Maintain a good posture. Your torso should be straight with no bend, and shoulders squeezed in.
• Now, extend the dumbbell way down by extending your arm to its fullest length.
• Now, pull the dumbbell upwards, with the dumbbell reaching as high as your torso level.
• Slowly release it to the original position, and repeat.

After you do it for a certain number of reps, go for the other side to complete a set.

Bent Over Row

Bent over row is yet another lat workout with dumbbells that targets a larger portion of your back. 

Why It Is Important

Compared to the one arm dumbbell rows, the two arm row is great for symmetrical activation. It can be a great addition to your workout routine if you are looking for a ‘V’ shaped back. 

Instructions

• Grab two dumbbells, arms positioned inwards.
• Stand with your feet firmly on the ground.
• Bend your knees such that your thighs are at an inclination with the leg portion under the knees.
• Bend your torso forwards, but your spine should be perfectly straight. 
• Extend the arms downwards; that is your starting position.
• Now, row the dumbbells simultaneously upwards. While pulling, the elbows should come behind your torso, and dumbbells almost on the same level as the torso!
• Now, release the dumbbells slowly to the starting position. One rep is completed. 

Always try to maintain your posture throughout the set. Poor posture, such as a bent back, may not only make it ineffective, but may also cause injuries.

Proper breathing is also crucial; exhale as you pull it upwards and inhale as you release it.

Incline Dumbbell Lying Row

Incline dumbbell lying row is a dumbbell variation of the T machine row.

Why It Is Important

This is an excellent lat dumbbell workout to target whole of your lats. Compared to the machine row, the incline dumbbell lying row also helps you build more balance between your arms. 

Instructions

• Grab an inclined bench and two dumbbells 
• Lie on the bench, with your chest on it. Place your foot firmly on the foot stand.
• Take the dumbbells, and extend them downwards. Take a breath.
• Pull the dumbbells upwards, your back muscles should get the impact, and your shoulder blades also.
• Once it reaches there, slowly release it to its starting position. Inhale as you relax.
• One rep is completed. 

Seal Row

Seal row is nothing but a dumbbell lat workout similar to the Incline dumbbell row. But instead of an inclined bench, you will be using a straight bench here. 

Why It Is Important

Compared to the inclined dumbbell row, the seal row ensures a better form. As you will be lying straight, your lat will get the maximum engagement.

Instructions

• Grab two dumbbells and a straight bench.
• Lye on the bench, on your chest.
• Grab the dumbbells with your arms, and take proper breath.
• Pull the dumbbells upwards. The elbows should reach above your torso.
• Release slowly to the starting position; one rep is complete.

Don’t miss:

7 Lower Back Workouts with Dumbbells
10 Cable Back Workouts
10 Compound Leg Exercises
15 T-Bar Row Alternatives

Dumbbell Deadlift

The deadlift is, without any doubt, one of the best compound movements with a special target on the back. Although barbells are usually used, you can also do deadlifts using dumbbells.

Why It Is Important

Deadlifts are great exercises if you are looking for a bigger back, especially lats.

Instructions

• Grab two dumbbells, one in each hand.
• Stand at your hip width, with your foot firmly on the ground.
• Extend your arms downwards.
• Push your hip backwards, and bend your knees until the dumbbells reach the floor.
• Now, your back should be placed backwards, knees bent, and torso as straight as possible.
• Pull the dumbbells upwards and simultaneously, raise up, and go for the standing position.
• Then, return back to your original position, and go for the next rep!

Renegade Row

Renegade row is an excellent lats dumbbell workout.

Why It Is Important

The renegade row is a compound exercise that in addition to training your lat, will also target your core.

Instructions

• Grab two dumbbells.
• Be on the upper plank position, with your arms as straight as possible, knees hip width apart.
• Keep your torso straight.
• Hold one dumbbell in each hand. You will be holding dumbbells, and dumbbells will be touching the ground and not your arms.
• Once you have fixed your position, pull the dumbbell on one side upwards, roughly as high as your torso.
• Release it to the starting position, and do it for the other arm as well to complete the rep.

Kroc Row

Kroc row is a highly effective dumbbell lat workout that uses momentum to the greatest extent. Although it may look like a variation of the usual one arm dumbbell, the working is slightly different.

Why It Is important

While doing the kroc row, you can seamlessly go for higher weights than even most other back workouts. So, it is an excellent workout to improve your strength while training your lats.

Instructions

• Take one dumbbell; nothing wrong with going for a higher weight.
• Find support where you can place one of your arms and bend so that your body makes an angle of somewhere around 30 or 45 degrees with the vertical plane.
• Once you place one arm on the support, extend the other arm with the dumbbell downwards, vertically.
• Pull the dumbbell upwards. The elbow should reach just above your torso and dumbbells, just near your rib cage.
• Relax the weight slowly to the starting position to complete the rep.

Dumbbell Yates Row

Dumbbell yates row is a variation of the two arm row and the difference is that here, you won’t be bending that much.

Why It Is Important

The most notable advantage of the dumbbell yates row is that it gives you a unique ROM, or range of motion. The exercise is named after a former Olympia champion Dorian Yates who used to do it regularly. 

Instructions 

• Grab two dumbbells with palms facing your legs. Stand with foot shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knee, and push your back slightly backwards.
• Torso should have a slight bend, or at an angle of around 60° from the ground.
• Pull the dumbbells upwards, and tuck in your elbows. The dumbbells should reach as high as a few inches from your ab’s oblique muscle.
• Release dumbbells to starting position to complete the rep.

Dumbbell Only Lat Workout

Lat is one of the most important muscle groups in your body, both strength-wise and aesthetics-wise. Although there are a number of lat workouts using machines and barbells, going for some lat exercises using dumbbells has its own advantages.

Here is the dumbbell only lat workout that you can start doing on your next back day.

• Dumbbell Deadlift: 4 sets x 6 reps
• Kroc Row: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Seal Row: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Lying Row: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Dumbbell Pullover: 3 sets x 10 reps
• One Hand Dumbbell Row: 3 sets x 10 reps

Don’t miss:

15 Dip Alternatives
9 Dumbbell Chest Fly Alternatives
9 Decline Bench Press Alternatives
10 Pull Up Alternatives

The Bottom Line

Those were the 9 best lat workouts with dumbbells. Incorporating a combination of them into your back day routine is a great way to ensure a bigger lat. 

Do them with the proper form and breathing technique for the best results.