What Are Upright Rows?

When starting any new exercise, building a foundation through proper form is essential, and that usually starts with using either bodyweight or a very light weight. For example, a wooden dowel, which looks like a broom handle, can serve as a stand-in barbell, while allowing you to practice the motion of upright rows to establish proper form for the move.

(Related: The Top Bodyweight Workout To Do in Your Hotel Room)

"Where individuals tend to falter with upright rows is primarily in form," Snyder said. “That can lead to a strained low back.”

Here are some cues on form that can help protect the back and target the right muscles during the movement:

• Keep shoulders neutral rather than rounded forward or thrown back. The former can lead to rotator cuff injury, while the latter can put strain on the lower back.
• Engage the core lightly for stability, but don’t “suck in your gut” since that can also cause lower-back strain.
• Lower the weight with control. Snyder said a common mistake is bringing the weight down too quickly, which throws off your form.
• Don’t lock out the knees. Keeping a slight bend recruits the hip muscles and takes pressure off the lower back.

Working on form first can help prevent strain as you begin to add in variables like load and tempo.

Using weights requires more awareness about proper form, said Bill Kelley, D.P.T., C.S.C.S. The biggest challenge tends to be keeping the elbows too low, as opposed to letting them flare upward on either side of the head. That can sometimes be caused by choosing a weight that’s too heavy to lift all the way up to the chin, and when that happens, your elbows can’t come up fully. When this happens, it puts undue stress on the wrists, elbows, and shoulders.

"Other missteps include having the weight too far out in front of the body, shoulders shrugging up, letting the weight pull you down and forward on the descent, and going up unevenly," Kelley said.

Using momentum to swing a weight upward tends to be common, but it throws off the entire movement, Jesse Feder, C.S.C.S., said. People tend to swing when the weight is very heavy (as a way to use momentum to bring it up faster), but Feder said upright rows are not meant to be a low-rep, high-weight exercise. Instead, stick with a weight that's challenging, but enables you to do the full row slowly — including bringing your elbows up and lowering the weight with control.

Once you understand and feel comfortable with bodyweight or lightweight upright rows, you’re likely ready to play around with what to lift, such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, cables, resistance bands, and even sandbags, Feder said. Using different modalities is important for recruiting more muscles, leading to holistic strength throughout a movement pattern.

Here are the three most common upright rows:

Because upright rows are such a foundational exercise, it's easy to add variety to keep a workout fresh and gain benefits, while still targeting the same muscles and using that solid, proper form. For example, you can try using a sandbag, kettlebells, single kettlebell, weight plate (gripping the edge), or fitness tube.

Cycling through multiple variations with different equipment can keep a workout interesting, Snyder said, adding that there's always the option to increase reps, sets, weight, or change the tempo of your lifting. However, it’s always a good idea to consult an expert, such as a certified personal trainer or certified strength and conditioning specialist, before changing your exercise routine — especially if it involves heavier weight and more reps.

"The slower the movement, the more challenging it becomes," Snyder said. "Also, supersetting — when you perform two exercises for one set each, with little or no rest between sets — the upright row with another exercise that fatigues the rear deltoids and upper trapezius is yet another way to elevate the intensity level."

Each type of upright row offers benefits in working the upper body, so the differences come down to your goals and preferences, Kelley said.

No matter which you choose, focusing on proper form can fire up the upper-body muscles while improving stability and control — two qualities that will serve you well in the rest of your workout, too.

Words by Elizabeth Millard, A.C.E. C.P.T.