What is an Upright Row?
The Upright Row is one of the ultimate muscle-building exercises for the back, shoulders, and deltoids. To do this exercise, you need weights such as resistance bands, dumbbells, or a barbell bar. Watch this video to learn how to do Upright Rows safely.
Why Upright Rows Could Be Dangerous?
While upright rows might be a solid muscle-building exercise, they are not for everyone because they come with some potential risks. In fact, many professionals recommend against doing this exercise. Upright rows can lead to shoulder impingement, which typically occurs when the shoulder is internally rotated. Moreover, they can damage your shoulder joints if done incorrectly.
How to Choose An Upright Row Alternative?
The Upright Row targets multiple body parts at once. Therefore, picking the correct alternative is crucial to ensure that you target the same muscle groups as Upright Rows.
Top Six Upright Row Alternatives
1. Barbell Hang Clean
Hang cleans are one of the few Upright Row alternatives that work your lower body alongside your trapezius muscles. This exercise offers some of the benefits of the Upright Row but in a safer manner.
How It’s Done:
• Hold the barbell with an overhand grip keeping your hands shoulder-width apart and your arms fully extended.
• Keep a neutral back and softly bend your knees. Slightly lean forward at the hips until the barbell reaches a mid-thigh height.
• Forcefully extend through the hips and knees while shrugging your shoulders towards your ears. Powerfully pull the barbell upwards.
• When your body is at its maximum extension, wag your wrists and elbows under the barbell
• Return to the starting position by dropping the barbell down back to onto extended arms
Recommended Reps: 8-9 reps per set
Exercise Tip for Better Performance: make sure you do this exercise slowly to avoid back or shoulder injuries
2. Barbell High Pull
The barbell high pull is an excellent alternative to upright rows because it provides all the benefits offered by upright rows and more. To explain, barbell high pulls not only target the shoulders and traps but also work the biceps and the whole posterior chain.
How It’s Done:
• Stand tall with your feet at a shoulder-width distance
• Hold the barbell with an overhand, wide grip, placing your hands just outside of both your legs.
• Pivot forward at the hips, keeping a neutral spine, until the barbell is just above your knees
• Push upwards with a force while shrugging the barbell upwards as high as possible
• Place your elbows backward and shoulder blades together once the barbell reaches its peak position
• Return to the starting position as fast as the way up
Recommended Reps: 10-12 reps per set
Exercise Tip for Better Performance: avoid leaning too far forward and focus on keeping your chest open and up
3. Dumbbell Farmer’s Walk
Also known as the ‘Farmers Carry’. This exercise is ideal to strengthen and shape your upper traps, shoulders, and forearms while also engaging your core. This exercise can be done using dumbbells or two barbell bars. Including barbells increases the challenge of the farmers’ walk because you will have to balance the length of them while walking.
How It’s Done:
• Stand between two dumbbells/barbells — make sure you choose a weight you can control)
• Grab the weights with an overhand grip. With a neutral spine, lift to a standing position
• Each of the weights should be held with your arms extended and directly next to your sides.
• Retract your shoulder blades, maintain an engaged core, and walk in a steady motion for an amount of time or distance of your choice
• When you reach the end of your time/distance, put down the weights with bent knees and a neutral spine
Recommended Distance/Time: 40 meters or 45 seconds
Exercise Tip for Better Performance: Focus on keeping the core engaged and walking slowly. You should feel this exercise in your traps and shoulders.
4. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Lateral raises are a free-weight exercise that mainly targets the side delt. Though, some lifters lift the weights slightly above the shoulder height, which makes this exercise work the upper traps.
How It’s Done:
• Stand straight with a pair of dumbbells hanging at your sides
• Lift the dumbbells up and directly out to your sides while keeping your arms straight
• Pause when the dumbbells reach your shoulder height or are slightly higher
• Controllably and slowly lower the dumbbells.
Recommended Reps: 10-15 reps per set
Exercise Tip for Better Performance: Make sure to take deep-controlled breaths when lifting and lowering the dumbbells. Also, avoid using too much momentum to stay away from possible injuries.
5. Dumbbell YTW
Dumbbell YTW is a reasonable alternative to the upright row. This exercise targets the same muscle groups as the upright rows, specifically the rear deltoids and the mid and lower traps. That said, YTW does not work the lateral deltoids, so it might not be suitable for you if you want to target this part of the shoulders.
How It’s Done:
• Adjust the bench to a 45-degree incline
• Grab a pair of controllable, light-weight dumbbells
• Put your chest against the bench, keeping your chin above the top
• Make sure that your feet remain in contact with the floor, and your arms should rest toward the floor
• Lift the dumbbells up and outwards — making a Y shape
• Afterwards, lift your arms out to your sides — making a T shape
• Return your arms to the starting position, then put your upper arms at a 90-degree angle to your torso
• Rotate your arms upwards — making a W shape
Recommended Reps: 5-10 reps per set
Exercise Tip for Better Performance: One rep represents the entire sequence of all three letters. Make sure to use light weights to avoid any shoulder injury.
6. Scapular Pull-Ups
Scapular pull-ups are a top-notch exercise to work your shoulders and upper back. Just like upright rows, this training exercise will help increase your row and lifts performance.
How It’s Done:
• Start with the typical pull-up position with an overhand grip over the shoulder-width apart.
• Hang with extended arms and pull your scapular down. You should be able to raise your body without having to bend the arms
• After getting to the top, hold for a second or two, then return to a complete hang.
Recommended Reps: 8-12 reps per set
Exercise Tip for Better Performance: Do not get discouraged if you do not have a full range of motion when you first start this exercise. The more you do it, the stronger you will become and the greater your range of motion will be.
Despite being an excellent muscle-building exercise, the Upright Row is a risky exercise that almost guarantees an injury. Hence, you ought to start doing Upright Row alternatives such as Barbell High Pulls, Scapular Pull-Ups, Lateral Raises, etc… Always make sure to prioritize your form rather than counting the number of reps you do (quality over quantity). Doing an exercise in the proper form ensures that you stay away from injuring yourself.
