Dumbbell Row
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds drills like this into your personalized off-ice program, week by week. Your first week is free.
How to Do It
Place one hand and same-side knee on a bench. Other foot on the floor wide for stability. Grip the dumbbell with the free hand — arm hanging straight below the shoulder. Set the back flat and parallel to the floor. Pull the dumbbell toward your hip — elbow drives back and up. At the top, squeeze the lat hard. Pause 1 second. Lower the dumbbell all the way to full arm extension. Complete stretch at the bottom.
Why It Works
The single-arm dumbbell row trains unilateral back strength while requiring the core to resist rotation — a direct hockey transfer. When you pull an opponent off the puck, pin someone to the boards, or recover your stick in a battle, this exact unilateral pulling pattern is what does the work. The greater range of motion vs. barbell rows also allows better lat stretch and contraction.
Hockey Transfer
Back thickness and pulling power — crucial for board battles. 2 pull sets for every push set. Dumbbell rows are easy volume to hit that ratio.
Coaching Cues
- "One hand on bench"
- "Pull dumbbell to hip"
- "Elbow close to body"
- "Squeeze at top"
Common Mistakes
Rotating the torso to heave the weight — the back stays parallel to the floor throughout. Pulling toward the chest instead of the hip — lat engagement requires pulling toward the hip. Short range of motion — full extension at the bottom, full contraction at the top. Using too heavy a weight — form degrades to torso rotation. Drop the weight.
Progression / Regression
Chest-supported dumbbell row (lie on incline bench) — removes all torso momentum.
Band row standing — same unilateral pull with easier load management.
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
Put it to work
on the ice.
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds exercises like this into a personalized off-ice program — created by a sport scientist and former national-team coach. Your first week is free.
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