Execution form
- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternPush
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadShoulder
How to do the Upright Row
Set up. Stand holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart or a little wider.
- Pull the bar up along your body, leading with the elbows.
- Stop when your elbows reach about shoulder height.
- Lower under control.
Form cues
- Keep the bar close to your body.
- Keep the elbows above the hands.
- Use a grip wide enough to stay comfortable.
Common mistakes
- Using a very narrow grip.
- Pulling higher than the shoulders comfortably allow.
Take care. Stop at a height that feels comfortable, and widen the grip if the front of the shoulder pinches.
Muscles worked
Main target: Side delts. The middle head of the deltoid sits on the outside of the shoulder. It lifts the arm out to the side and gives the shoulders their width.
Its other side: Lats and Traps, in the overhead press and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Upright Row, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Pull-Up Superset partner: it trains the other side of the overhead press and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Barbell Bench Press Same push session: it trains the chest.
- Landmine Press Same push session: it trains the front delts.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Upright Row first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
- Barbell Bench Press 3 × 3 to 10 reps
- Landmine Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Lateral Raise
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Cable Upright Row
Cable
Less load on the shoulder
Lateral Raise
From the app's workaround table: works in a smaller shoulder range.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Cable Upright Row.
Do before it: Band External Rotation (shoulder range) and Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Upright Row is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Upright Row?
Set up: Stand holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart or a little wider. Steps: 1. Pull the bar up along your body, leading with the elbows. 2. Stop when your elbows reach about shoulder height. 3. Lower under control. Form cues: Keep the bar close to your body. Keep the elbows above the hands. Use a grip wide enough to stay comfortable. Common mistakes: Using a very narrow grip. Pulling higher than the shoulders comfortably allow. Take care: Stop at a height that feels comfortable, and widen the grip if the front of the shoulder pinches.
What muscles does the Upright Row work?
It trains the side delts as its main target and works the traps and biceps on the way.
What can I do instead of the Upright Row?
At home: Lateral Raise. In a gym: Cable Upright Row. With less load on the shoulder: Lateral Raise. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Upright Row with?
Good partners in the same workout are Pull-Up, Barbell Bench Press and Landmine Press.
How heavy should the Upright Row be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.