Barbell Upright Row (How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits)

The Barbell Upright Row is a vertical pulling movement that targets the shoulders and upper traps by lifting a barbell along the front of your body. It’s effective for building size and definition in the delts and traps and is often used as a shoulder accessory movement.

Proper form is key to getting the most out of this lift while protecting the shoulders.

Primary Muscles Worked: Deltoids (Primarily Lateral), Upper Trapezius
Secondary Muscles Worked: Biceps, Rhomboids
Equipment Needed: Barbell

How To Do Barbell Upright Rows

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up:
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and grip the barbell with a narrow to shoulder-width overhand grip.
- Let the bar hang in front of your thighs with your arms fully extended and palms facing your body.
- Brace your core and stand upright.
Execution:
- Pull the bar straight up toward your collarbone, keeping it close to your body.
- Lead with your elbows—they should stay higher than your wrists throughout the movement.
- Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
Tips for Proper Form:
- Keep your elbows above the bar at all times.
- Don’t let your wrists bend excessively—keep them strong and aligned.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders—let the traps and delts do the work.

Key Benefits

Builds size and definition in the shoulders and upper traps.
Helps develop strength for pulling and upright posture.
Easy to add into shoulder or upper-body accessory work.

Modifications and Variations

Easier Option:
- Use a lighter barbell or switch to dumbbells for more natural arm movement.
- Try a wider grip to reduce stress on the shoulders.
Harder Option:
- Slow down the tempo, especially on the lowering phase.
- Use pause reps at the top for extra shoulder tension.
- Superset with lateral raises for more burnout.

Common Mistakes

Elbows Below the Bar: Always lead with the elbows to target the delts correctly.
Using Momentum: Avoid swinging—control the lift up and down.
Overly Narrow Grip: Too close can strain the wrists and shoulders; shoulder-width is safer and more effective.

Reps and Sets Recommendations

For Muscle Growth: 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps with moderate weight.
For Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps with controlled movement.
As a Finisher: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps at lighter weight to pump the shoulders and traps.

Barbell Upright Row Variations

Wide Grip Upright Row

By simply sliding your grip a bit wider, the Upright Row almost becomes a new exercise. The wider you place your grip, the more the row emphasizes the deltoids.

So, you can alter your grip depending on if you want to focus on the trapezius or the delts. For a bit of both, go with the shoulder-width grip that is described in the step-by-step instructions above.

Barbell Upright Row Alternatives

If you’re unable to do barbell upright rows, for whatever reason, or you’re just wanting to mix up your workout a bit here are a few alternatives.

Need more options? Here are 10 of my favorite alternatives for Barbell Upright Row.

Dumbbell Upright Rows

Sometimes Barbell Upright Rows can irritate some lifters’ shoulders, wrists or even elbows. However, Dumbbell Upright Rows give the lifter more flexibility in the path of the movement and that little bit of a difference can be a game-changer for some.

Using a single dumbbell in place of the bar can also work well for anyone who is limited on one side of their body.

Kettlebell Upright Rows

Like Dumbbell Upright Rows, using a kettlebell for Kettlebell Upright Rows is another great upright row variation.

It all depends on what equipment you have access to. Or, they’re also great just to add some variety to your workout.

Shrugs

Barbell Shrug Muscles Worked — Barbell Shrugs work the upper trapezius. (Photo Credit: Makatserchyk / shutterstock.com)

While not an exact substitution, Shrugs are another great upper back/trapezius exercise. Shrugs come in multiple variations as well – barbell or dumbbell and different grip widths on the bar all can change up the lift.