Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredBarbell
- MechanicsCompound
- Force TypePull
- Experience LevelIntermediate
- Secondary Muscles
Lats, Shoulders
Target Muscle Group
Traps
Wide Grip Upright Row Instructions
- Load up a barbell with the weight you want to use and stand facing it with your feet around shoulder width apart.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, and hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
- Pick the bar up, bending at the knees and keeping your back straight.
- Keeping your back straight and eyes facing forwards, lift the bar straight up while keeping it as close to your body as possible (you should pull the bar up to around chest height - nearly touching your chin).
- Pause, and then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps.
Wide Grip Upright Row Tips
- Focus on keeping your elbows higher than your forearms. The elbows push the motion.
- Keep your body fixed throughout the set. Don't lean forward as you lower the bar, and back as you raise it. Movement of the body makes the upright row easier, and you will not get the most out of it.
- Pause and squeeze the traps at the top of the movement, and then lower the bar really slowly if you want to add some intensity to the exercise.
3 Comments
This exercise sucks beans and my bars aren’t straight, what’s a good alternative?
Hey Zain - try dumbbell upright rows.
Hey Zain! Why would you ask that question in such a tone?
You should be happy M&S puts out all of this stuff with videos so you can see how to perform the movements properly!
PS- you’re probably a little slow if you can’t figure out what to do as an alternative to the exercise.
“My gym doesn’t have this...”.
“I’m unable to use barbells...”
“My bar isn’t straight...”
So do the movement with NOTHING in your hands to feel what proper form feels like... and then use SOMETHING ELSE as resistance.
Even a frickin’ curl bar (if that’s what you’re referring to) has straight areas at the widest and narrowest grips! So come on, guy! Figure it out!