Muscles worked
The single arm band row trains your lats and the muscles between your shoulder blades, with the back of your shoulder and your biceps assisting, one side at a time. With only one arm pulling, the band tries to rotate your upper body, so your obliques and the muscles around your hips have to work against it all set. That makes it a row and a core exercise in one. Working one arm at a time also shows whether one side is weaker, which is easily hidden when both hands pull together.
Common mistakes
- Letting the strong side set the pace. Start with your strong arm and it often ends up doing more reps. Begin with the weaker side, then match that number on the other.
- Your elbow drifts away from your body. The work then shifts towards the back of your shoulder and the pull gets shorter. Let your upper arm brush past your side and point your elbow backwards, not outwards.
- Pulling your hand far past your body. When your elbow travels well behind your back, your shoulder often tips forward to keep up. Stop when your elbow is just behind your body and your shoulder is still held back.
Variations and alternatives
- The single arm cable row is the cable version of the same pull, where the resistance can be measured in kilos.
- The dumbbell row, with one hand braced on a bench, removes most of the twisting and lets you pull heavier.
- The standing band row uses both hands and saves time once your sides are evenly matched.
Sets and reps
Count your reps per side. To build muscle, 12 to 20 reps per arm over 2 to 3 sets works well, and since one arm rests while the other works, you can go straight from one side to the other. Choose the band to suit your weaker side. Read about choosing reps for your goal in the guide to sets and reps.
Add reps per side first, then move further from the anchor or use a heavier band. Log each side separately. If one lags behind, you can add an extra set for that side for a while. That is progressive overload one arm at a time.