Wide-Grip Upright Row

Body region

• Shoulders
• Back

Muscles

Main

• Deltoid

Helps

• Supraspinatus
• Trapezius
• Biceps
• Brachialis
• Brachioradialis

Holds

• Rectus Abdominis
• Flexor Digitorum Superficialis

Equipment

• Barbell

Technique

1. Stand tall with a barbell resting against your thighs, hands set well outside shoulder width, palms facing you.
2. Pull the bar up along your body, leading with the elbows out to the sides.
3. Stop when your elbows reach shoulder height; the bar ends lower than in a close-grip row.
4. Lower slowly to the start.

Cues

• Keep the bar close to the body.
• Elbows stay above the wrists all the way up.
• Stop at shoulder height if you feel any pinch in the shoulder.

Common mistakes

• Shrugging the bar up with the traps.
• Pulling the elbows above shoulder height.
• Leaning back and swinging the weight.

Variations

• EZ-Bar Upright Row
• Smith Machine Upright Row

Alternatives

• Dumbbell Upright Row
• Lateral Raise