Exercise guide · evidence-graded

Barbell Upright Row

The barbell upright row is a standing pull in which you draw a bar from your thighs up the front of your body to about chest height, leading with your elbows. It works the side delts and upper traps together, with the front delts and biceps assisting.

Also called: Upright Row, Barbell Upright Pull, Standing Upright Row · Equipment: barbell · Pattern: pull

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How to do it

Step by step

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the bar with an overhand grip at shoulder width or slightly wider, arms straight and the bar resting against your thighs.
Brace your trunk lightly, keep your ribs down and set your shoulders.
Pull your elbows up and out to the sides, so the bar rises close to your body. Keep your wrists below your elbows.
Finish when your upper arms reach about shoulder height, with the bar at about mid-chest.
Bring the bar back down under control along the same path until your arms are straight.
Start the next rep from a still position, without leaning back or using your legs.
After the last rep, bend your knees and hips with a flat back to set the bar down, or return it to the rack.

Coaching cues

Lead with your elbows, not your hands
Elbows to shoulder height
Bar close, brushing your body
Stand tall, no lean back
Wrists below your elbows

In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.

Muscles worked

What it trains

Muscle	Role	Evidence
Lateral deltoid	Prime mover	C
Trapezius: upper	Prime mover	C
Anterior deltoid	Secondary	C
Biceps brachii	Secondary	C
Posterior deltoid	Secondary	C
Brachialis	Secondary	D
Trapezius: middle	Secondary	D
Rhomboids	Stabiliser	D
Rotator cuff: supraspinatus	Stabiliser	D
Forearm flexors	Stabiliser	D

Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.

Common faults

What goes wrong, and the fix

Elbows pulled above the shoulders

Fix: Finish when your upper arms reach about shoulder height.

Grip too narrow

Fix: Take a grip at shoulder width or slightly wider.

Heaving the bar with the back and legs

Fix: Use a load you can pull with your torso upright and still.

Wrists bending over the bar

Fix: Keep your wrists straight and below your elbows throughout.

Bar drifting away from the body

Fix: Keep the bar close enough to brush your body all the way up.

Programming

What the research says

Muscle growthGeneral fitnessEndurance

Load and reps — Research comparing loads finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure. The upright row is usually trained with moderate loads and moderate to high reps.
Effort — Studies show sets that finish a few reps short of failure capture most of the growth benefit; true failure adds only a small extra effect.
Grip width — An EMG study found a wider grip raised side-delt, rear-delt and trap activity and cut biceps activity compared with narrower grips. EMG shows activity, not growth.
Elbow height — Coaches commonly finish the upright row with the elbows at about shoulder height.
Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, and counting indirect work helps. Presses, shrugs and lateral raises also work the delts and traps.

Alternatives · VALDA FLEX

Swap it mid-workout

With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.

Log the barbell upright row in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.

General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.