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Chest Supported Dumbbell Row strength standards

What is a good Chest Supported Dumbbell Row?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Chest Supported Dumbbell Row is about 86 lb (0.48x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 132 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 86 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 132 lb Advanced standard
Gym median Separate tab Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer Chest Supported Dumbbell Row

A solid (Intermediate) Chest Supported Dumbbell Row for a 180 lb male is about 86 lb (0.48x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Chest Supported Dumbbell Row into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 132 lb (0.73x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

Estimated Standards

How strong is your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Biceps, Latissimus Dorsi, Upper Back, Posterior Deltoid
Equipment Incline Bench, Dumbbells
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 86 lbs (0.48x bodyweight) on the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row ranks Intermediate on the FVCP competition scale, stronger than ~50% of verified competition lifters at this bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

That clears the median for this bodyweight and gives you a useful benchmark for the next tier.

Over 40? Our calculator also reports an age-adjusted percentile and an age-30 equivalent using the McCulloch age factor, so masters lifters are compared to lifters their own age. See the age-adjusted (Masters 40+) standards below for the full breakdown.

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
Your FVCP:
Age-adjusted percentile
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
th percentile

Illustrative: a normal-distribution model anchored to the real Beginner to Elite percentile thresholds for your bodyweight. The marker shows where your lift falls, not a measured frequency count.

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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted Chest Supported Dumbbell Row entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

86 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.48x x Bodyweight

Baseline figures for a 180 lb male at Intermediate level, from the standards table. This is not reader-submitted data. So far readers have logged a lift here.

Enter your numbers above first. We publish reader benchmarks only after a sample threshold is met.

How Much Should You Chest Supported Dumbbell Row?

Use this table to find the standard closest to your bodyweight. The tiers are standards, not claims about reader submissions.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM scales with bodyweight at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 7 23 50 86 131
120 9 27 55 94 140
130 12 31 61 101 148
140 14 35 66 108 157
150 17 39 71 114 165
160 19 42 76 121 172
170 21 46 81 127 179
180 24 49 86 132 186
190 26 53 91 138 193
200 29 56 95 144 199
210 31 60 99 149 206
220 34 63 104 154 212
230 36 66 108 159 218
240 38 69 112 164 223
250 41 72 116 169 229
260 43 75 119 173 234
270 45 78 123 178 239
280 47 81 127 182 245
290 50 84 130 187 250
300 52 87 134 191 254
310 54 90 137 195 259

Is Your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Chest Supported Dumbbell Row at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Chest Supported Dumbbell Row is about 86 lb (0.48x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 132 lb (0.73x), and Elite is 186 lb (1.03x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Chest Supported Dumbbell Row is about 46 lb (0.33x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 67 lb (0.48x), and Elite is 92 lb (0.66x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Chest Supported Dumbbell Row?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 86 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 24 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 46 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 16 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 71 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 104 lb at an Intermediate level. Find your exact bodyweight in the table above.

By age (men): at an Intermediate level a 30 year old male lifts about 82 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 73 lb. See the By Age tab for every age band.

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

How Does Age Affect Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Strength?

How Chest Supported Dumbbell Row standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM changes with age at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 17 38 69 110 158
20 19 44 79 126 180
25 20 45 82 129 185
30 20 45 82 129 185
35 20 45 82 129 185
40 20 45 82 129 185
45 19 43 77 123 175
50 18 40 73 115 165
55 16 37 67 106 152
60 15 34 61 97 139
65 14 30 55 88 126
70 12 27 50 79 113
75 11 24 44 70 101
80 10 22 40 63 90
85 9 20 36 56 81
90 8 18 32 51 73

What Do Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built substantial back development through the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Chest Supported Dumbbell Row

  1. Adjust an incline bench to a 30-45 degree angle.
  2. Lie face down on the bench with your chest and abdomen supported.
  3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with arms extended straight down.
  4. Pull the dumbbells towards your hips, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
  6. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  8. Exhale as you lift the weights and inhale as you lower them.

Tips for Chest Supported Dumbbell Row

  • Ensure the bench is at a comfortable angle to fully support your chest.
  • Keep your core engaged throughout the movement to maintain stability.
  • Avoid using momentum; focus on controlled, deliberate movements.
  • Start with lighter weights to master the form before increasing the load.

Where Do These Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Standards Come From?

FitnessVolt keeps each data population labeled. Competition percentiles use verified raw meet results where available. Gym percentile tabs use self-reported Symmetric Strength data. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

Is Your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row against clearly labeled standards and percentile datasets. Here is the cleanest way to read it:

  1. Start with Standards to find the tier closest to your bodyweight.
  2. Use Gym Percentiles when you want self-reported gym comparisons.
  3. Use Competition for verified meet-result percentiles where the lift supports it.
  4. Use By Age when age-segmented gym data is available.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the one rep max calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Chest Supported Dumbbell Row 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

The important rule: do not mix the tabs. Standards, gym percentiles, competition percentiles, and reader logs answer different questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Chest Supported Dumbbell Row depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
Yes. Competition views use verified meet-result data where available, gym percentile views use self-reported gym cohorts, and reader-submitted benchmarks are shown only after enough entries are logged. The populations are labeled separately.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.