Is the upright barbell row the single most controversial bodybuilding exercise in the health and fitness world? I’m willing to bet it’s up there. And you’ll find no shortage of physical therapists criticizing it as a movement.
The upright barbell row goes all the way back to the early years of bodybuilding. You can see Arnold performing them on video, (a lot), as just one example.
Yet, experts claim that upright barbell rows can cause shoulder impingement because you are elevating the arm while the shoulder joint is in internal rotation. Some classify this as a “bad”, if not compromised position (Schoenfeld, Kolber, Haines, 2011).
However other experts take a more neutral view. They say it is in fact a safe exercise that trains the lateral deltoids really well. So long as you don’t feel any pain and you adopt a grip that works for you (Lorenzetti, Dayer, Plüss, List, 2017).
There is a possibility that genetics plays a role too. Perhaps your shoulder joint is just a bit more open and able to better accommodate upright barbell rows.
Many lifters comment that this is a highly effective exercise and has provided years of gains in their upper trapezius, shoulders and biceps muscles.
I warned you this is a controversial exercise; let’s read on to learn more about how to perform upright barbell rows.
Exercise Breakdown
The upright barbell row is an exercise where you want to keep the weight low until you’ve completed multiple sets over multiple training days. Because the risk of injury is higher than with other movements, you’ll want to make sure you stay on the safe side as you’re learning and strengthening the associated muscles.
In terms of equipment, you’ll need a standard Olympic barbell, but if that’s too heavy you can easily work with lower weight. Smaller, fixed weight barbells are a good option. There is also the option of the EZ bar which can slightly reduce your shoulder internal rotation. However most people opt for the barbell for this exercise.
Start Position
- Grab the bar and place your feet at shoulder width. Your hand position is going to vary according to what’s comfortable for you. In general, you should adopt a narrower-than- shoulder width, pronated (overhand) grip.
- Your shoulders should be pulled back to help reduce the risk of impingement. (Solem-Bertoft, Thomas, Westerberg, 1993)
Execution
- Stand upright and exhale as you raise the bar vertically toward your neck, keeping it as close to your body as possible. Lead with your elbows. The higher you can raise the bar, the more the lateral deltoid is involved. Hold for 1-2 seconds at the top.
- This concentric phase of the upright barbell row will be done faster than the eccentric phase but make sure you remain in control of the bar at all times. If you’re new to this, there is a chance the bar could come into contact with your face, so be mindful. Aim for sets of 10-15 reps.
End Position
- Inhale and focus on lowering the bar at as slow a pace as you can reasonably manage. This is going to maximize the tension on the lateral deltoids and create a serious burn.
Bonus
- Even though this is strictly an upright row, you can try a very slight 10-15 degree bend at your hips. This could help if you’re finding your mobility is not allowing you to properly complete a rep. This can also create less stress on the shoulder joint.
Common Mistakes
- Not leading with elbows
If the bar travels in a forward arc you’ll end up engaging different muscles or creating a risk of injury. Keep the bar as close to your torso as you can manage. You don’t want to end up performing something like a biceps reverse curl. It will help if you flex your wrists as the bar travels higher.
- Adding weight at the expense of range of motion
If you’re adding weight but, as a result, you can’t raise the bar to shoulder level or higher, you need to reduce the load and complete the rep properly. Lifting the bar higher is better because you will increase the engagement of the lateral deltoid and upper trapezius muscles. Of course, only as high as you can manage without experiencing pain.
- Relying on momentum
You should avoid trying to use momentum to complete a repetition. Similar to mistake number 2, if you have too much weight on the bar don’t hesitate to reduce the load. Keep the bar under control at all points of the movement.
Muscle Engagement
Primary target: Lateral Deltoid, Upper Trapezius
Secondary target: Anterior Deltoid, Supraspinatus, Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Biceps Brachii, Middle Trapezius, Lower Trapezius, Anterior Serratus, Inferior Digitations, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor
The lateral deltoids are one of the three deltoid muscles, so called because their shape resembles the inverted Greek letter delta. The lateral deltoids help you move your arm up, down and to the side. The upright barbell row is a great way of targeting your lateral deltoid muscles due to the combined side and up/down path of the barbell.
There are a ton of further muscles activated and utilized by upright barbell rows, in particular the middle and lower trapezius muscles. Suffice it to say if you can master upright barbell rows you will be on your way to strong and stable shoulders in no time.
Summary
We’ve learned that the upright barbell row is a great way of targeting the lateral deltoid and upper trapezius muscles. However, at the same time, there is a real risk of injury if you don’t perform this exercise properly. Similarly, if you feel pain at any point during the normal course of performing upright barbell rows it is a sign that you could be one of the people for whom this exercise is not recommended. If you suffer from back pain in general, you should not perform this exercise. (Lorenzetti, Dayer, Plüss, List, 2017)
In that case you could try using dumbbells to help create a more comfortable range of motion and path for the weight. Further adaptations include using stretch bands and kettlebells.
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References
Solem-Bertoft, E., Thomas, KA., Westerberg, CE., (1993). The influence of scapular retraction and protraction on the width of the subacromial space. An MRI study. Clin Orthop Relat Res, (296):99-103. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8222458/
Lorenzetti, S., Dayer, R., Plüss, M., List, R., (2017). Pulling Exercises for Strength Training and Rehabilitation: Movements and Loading Conditions. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 2(3):33. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk2030033
Schoenfeld, B., Kolber, M., Haimes, J. (2011). The Upright Row: Implications for Preventing Subacromial Impingement. Strength & Conditioning Journal 33(5): 25-28 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232210633_The_Upright_Row_Implications_for _Preventing_Subacromial_Impingement
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