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Appears in642 Workouts*

Dumbbell Chest-Supported Row with Kelso Shrug

Isolate your mid-back and traps with this chest-supported combo. The Kelso shrug addition maximizes scapular retraction for superior posture and upper-back thickness without lower-back strain.

Jeff Nippard
jeffnippard
@jeffnippard
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Required Equipment

Dumbbells thumbnail
Dumbbells
Incline Bench thumbnail
Incline Bench

Muscle Groups

Primary

Secondary

Instructions

Setup

Place an incline bench at a moderate angle (approximately 30-45 degrees). Lie face-down on the bench, ensuring your chest is firmly supported against the pad and your feet are planted securely on the floor for stability. Allow your arms to hang straight down, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).

The Movement

  1. Retraction Phase: Begin by retracting your shoulder blades, pulling them together and down toward your spine, while keeping your arms relatively straight.

  2. The Shrug: Once your shoulder blades are fully retracted, continue the movement by shrugging your shoulders upward toward your ears, focusing on the contraction of the traps.

  3. Controlled Lowering: Slowly reverse the motion, lowering your shoulders back to the neutral starting position, and then allow your shoulder blades to protract (spread apart) as your arms hang straight down again.

  4. Execution: Keep your neck neutral throughout the movement and avoid using momentum to swing your torso off the bench.