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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.

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Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

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

The Chest Supported Dumbbell Row standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Standards by Age

How the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

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

The Chest Supported Dumbbell Row standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 86 lbs (0.48x bodyweight) on the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

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

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

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

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

Primary Muscles Biceps, Latissimus Dorsi, Upper Back, Posterior Deltoid
Equipment Incline Bench, Dumbbells
  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

  • 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?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Chest Supported Dumbbell Row table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Chest Supported Dumbbell Row itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

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.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Chest Supported Dumbbell Row table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
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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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.