7 Best Dumbbell Exercises to Get a Strong Back Like Khloe Kardashian

Are you looking for dumbbell exercises to get a strong back like Khloe Kardashian?

As the star of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians", Kardashian gained the attention of netizens online with her recent 'revenge body' transformation, showcasing a sculpted stronger back.

However, what makes her body so noteworthy is not just her now well known Kardashian curves, but how she has achieved them. That is partly down to her focus on back exercises with dumbbells.

So, here’s a list of simple and effective dumbbell exercises you can do on a regular basis to develop strength in your back (and other parts of your body).

Kickstart Your Routine with Dumbbell Exercises

1) Bent over row

The dumbbell bent-over row is similar to the barbell bent-over row. You can do this with any grip, but we recommend doing it all (remember the point about training variables above).

The upper back, shoulders, biceps and grip will benefit with an overhand grip dumbbell bent over row.

Here's how you do it:

Hinge at your hips with a dumbbell in each hand till the dumbbells are below your knees.
With your shoulders down and chest up, squeeze your shoulder blades together and row the dumbbells to the front of your hips, keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle away from your torso.
Hold for a second in the top position, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position and repeat.

2) Single Arm Row

This is yet another essential component of any effective upper body dumbbell exercise. Your core must fire here as well as your lats and rhomboids to keep you stable.

This is how it's done:

Keep your right arm at your side and the dumbbell in your right hand.
Take a two-foot stride forward with your left foot, and lay your left hand on your left quad. This is where you'll begin.
Hinge forward at the hips, pulling your butt back, and bend your left knee, keeping your shoulders from rounding.
Keep your neck in a comfortable position by gazing at the ground a few inches in front of your feet.
Squeeze your shoulder blade for two seconds at the top of the movement, pulling your weight up into your chest while keeping the elbows close to your body.

3) Unilateral Dumbbell

This dumbbell exercise can be done with your arm by your side, on a rack, or overhead, with the overhead position being the most difficult. The core is put to a lot of strain when practicing the unilateral carry to maintain stability and a neutral spine.

Here's how it's done:

Select a dumbbell that is 25 to 50 percent of your bodyweight (choose a weight that allows you to achieve the distance recommended below).
Hold the dumbbell at your side (suitcase rack) or overhead (in front of your shoulder).
Make sure your body isn't skewed in one direction or the other.
Slowly walk 40 yards in a straight line while maintaining proper posture.

4) Seal Row

As your upper back is doing most of the heavy lifting in this posture, the lift loses a lot of momentum.

Some lifters use too much biceps and not enough upper back when rowing, which neglects the rhomboids and middle traps. Both problems are solved by the dumbbell seal row and helps you to get a bigger back.

It's done as follows:

To set up the seal row, place a bench on either two low boxes or a stack of weight plates.
Lie face down on the bench with dumbbells below you; squeeze your glutes, and brace your abs.
Think about pulling your hands toward your hip ms as you row the dumbbells till you feel your upper back engage.

5) Chest Supported Row

Like the seated machine version, the dumbbell exercise with chest supported row keeps your chest on the pad as you pull.

As you're not using your lower body too much, this exercise is easier on your lower back. It puts more attention on your upper back muscles, which will help you gain size and strength.

Here's how it's done:

Adjust the angle of the incline weight bench to 45 degrees.
Place your chest on the bench, and lean into it while holding a pair of dumbbells.
Secure your feet, and hang your arms down, with a neutral grip on each dumbbell.
Row the dumbbells to the outside of the bench while keeping your chest on the bench by retracting your shoulder blades.

6) Dumbbell Rowing To Hip

With one exception, the dumbbell row to hip is similar to any other row.

Rowing to the outside of the hip helps to target the lower lats, which are difficult to reach. Instead of rowing up to begin the workout, imagine pulling back to your back hip.

It's done as follows:

On a bench, support your non-working hand and knee while gripping a dumbbell in one hand and keeping your back leg straight.
Bring the dumbbell in front of your working shoulder, and row it to the outside of your hip with a strong hold on the dumbbell.
Repeat, pausing for a second, before slowly lowering down to the starting position.

7) RDL Row

The RDL row is a full body dumbbell exercise that impacts both the lower and upper body. You'll also be strengthening your glutes, hamstrings and single-leg balance by being in a single-leg hinge position.

Here's how it's done:

To start this dumbbell exercise, grab a pair of light dumbbells, and stand in front of a bench.
Lift your left leg off the ground, and bend forward at the hips, placing your left hand on the bench for support.
Bend your right arm at the elbow, and row the dumbbell toward your torso till you feel your upper back tighten.
Slowly straighten your arm, and reset before repeating. Repeat on the other side.