The Barbell Upright Row is a expert-friendly barbell strength exercise that targets the shoulders, with the shoulders and traps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesShoulders
Secondary musclesShoulders, Traps
EquipmentBarbell
LevelExpert
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Barbell Upright Row
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and grip the bar with hands slightly narrower than shoulder width.
Let the bar hang at arm's length against your thighs with shoulders pulled back and chest up.
Pull the bar straight up by leading with the elbows, keeping the bar close to your body the whole way.
Stop the pull when your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor — do not crank the elbows higher.
Pause briefly at the top and feel the side delts and upper traps working under the load.
Lower the bar back down under control over 2 to 3 seconds, then reset for the next rep.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds the side delts and upper traps for a wider shoulder shape.
Trains the vertical pull pattern as a complement to overhead pressing.
Develops shoulder and trap thickness for a stronger upper-body silhouette.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Pulling the bar too high past shoulder level, which jams the shoulder joint and risks front-shoulder strain.
Using a grip that is too narrow, which forces the wrists into an awkward angle and shifts work off the delts.
Heaving the bar up with body english instead of leading with the elbows in a controlled pull.
Letting the bar drift away from the body, which kills side-delt tension and loads the lower back.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Barbell Upright Row, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
