Nederlands | English | Deutsch | Türkçe

Project Sports

Questions and answers about sports

Reducing the dangers of upright rows?

4 min read

Asked by: Kitty Bell

Are upright rows safe? Upright rows can cause shoulder impingement (when the tendon catches on bone) in some people, however good form (keeping your hands hip-width apart, shoulders down, and avoiding bringing your elbows up too high) reduces the risk of this.

How do you make upright rows safer?

Have your hands wide – at about hip-width. If your hands are wide there’s less chance of internal rotation. Draw the shoulder blades back and stabilize them as you lift the bar. This will help you keep the top end of the shoulder blade out of the way.

Are upright rows harmful?

The problem with upright rows



The main issue with upright rows is the risk of shoulder impingement. Generally, shoulder impingement occurs when you internally rotate the shoulder (roll the upper arm forward slightly) and then lift it out to the side.

What can I replace upright rows with?

The 8 best upright row alternatives are:

  • Barbell High Pull.
  • Seated Muscle Snatch.
  • Single Arm Dumbbell Power Snatch.
  • Dumbbell Lateral Raise.
  • Band Lateral Raise.
  • Cable Face Pull.
  • Dumbbell YTW.
  • TRX YTW.


Are upright rows worth doing?

An upright row is an effective exercise to build strength in the shoulders and upper back. It’s a pull exercise, meaning you’ll be pulling the weight toward you and targeting your posterior chain, or the muscles on the backside of your body.

Which is better upright rows or lateral raises?

Use upright rows to get a solid blend of lateral deltoid and trap development, while lifting the most weight. Use lateral raises if you’d prefer to target your lateral delts almost exclusively, as they’re much more of an isolation exercise. Neither the upright row or lateral raise is inherently better than the other.

Are dumbbell upright rows better?

Dumbbell upright rows build upper-body strength.



The movement pattern of a dumbbell upright row targets muscles like your deltoids, trapezius, and triceps. With regular practice, dumbbell upright rows can help you perform other compound exercises like deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups.

Why do people do upright rows?

The upright row is a standing exercise that requires perfect form, and even then you’re running the risk for injury. Upright rows are a shoulder exercise that targets the front and middle heads of the deltoids, as well as your trapezius, rhomboids, and even the biceps muscles.

Are barbell rows safe?

The freestyle barbell bent-over row is one of the highest-risk exercises because the torso isn’t supported and the lower back is excessively involved. It’s difficult to keep your lower back hollowed and secure once the weight becomes substantial—just a slight slip in technique can produce a nasty lower-back injury.

Are monkey rows good?

A godsend for individuals with shoulder pain, Monkey Rows offer a great alternative to commonplace exercises for trap and deltoid development like the upright row.

Do upright rows work chest?

All three muscle heads of the deltoids (anterior, middle, and posterior) contribute to the upward motion of the upright row. The shoulders are responsible for aggressively contracting and pulling the barbell upwards towards your chest, particularly in the second half of the pull.

Do upright rows work traps?

It is one of the best exercises to workout your traps, core and shoulder muscles as well as some back muscles. The main muscles that are worked during the upright row are: deltoids, lats, latissimus dorsi (the lat), traps, biceps and brachialis.

Do upright rows work forearms?

Close-Grip Upright Row



This version also places a fair degree of stress on upper traps as well as the forearms, which are worked to a lesser degree in the wide-grip row. With a close grip, your hands should be about 6-8 inches apart on a barbell.

Where should I feel upright rows?

So here's reps right here bend forward a little bit. Open up just like this. Still feel it in the shoulders. Still. Keep me a tight to your body.

Do upright rows work rear delts?

As stated earlier, the upright row is a well-known shoulder exercise popular among bodybuilders and CrossFitters that can pack size onto your rear delts. Exercisers use the movement in upper body workouts to build shoulder muscle and strength.