Barbell Upright Row

How to Perform the Barbell Upright Row

Stand upright and grip a barbell with an overhand grip, hands about shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower, arms extended with the bar resting against your thighs.
Brace your core and stand tall with your chest up and shoulders back.
Pull the barbell straight up along the front of your body by driving your elbows up and out to the sides.
Continue lifting until the bar reaches approximately chin height, with your elbows higher than your wrists.
Pause briefly at the top, squeezing your traps and delts.
Lower the barbell back to the starting position in a slow, controlled manner and repeat.

Using a grip that is too narrow, which impinges the shoulder

Use a shoulder-width or slightly wider grip to reduce stress on the rotator cuff and allow a more natural movement path.

Pulling the bar too high above chin level

Stop at chin height; pulling higher increases shoulder impingement risk without additional muscle benefit.

Swinging the body to generate momentum

Keep your torso completely still and let your shoulders and traps do the work; reduce the weight if you need to swing.

●A wider grip shifts more emphasis to the lateral deltoids; a narrower grip hits the traps more.
●If you experience shoulder discomfort, try using dumbbells or a cable for a freer movement path.
●Focus on leading with the elbows rather than the hands for better delt activation.

Strength

4-5 sets of 5-8 reps at 75-85% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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