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Barbell Upright Rows

The Barbell Upright Rows is a barbell exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, with assistance from the shoulders. It is a staple in well-designed hypertrophy and strength programs when programmed with proper volume and progressive overload.

How to perform the Barbell Upright Rows

  1. 1Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding the barbell in front of your thighs with your hands a bit narrower than shoulder-width, palms facing you, chest up, and shoulders relaxed. Lightly brace your abs and let your arms hang straight with a soft bend in your elbows.
  2. 2Pull the bar straight up along your body toward your upper stomach or lower chest, leading with your elbows and keeping them just below shoulder height as you breathe out. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the bar back down slowly under control as you breathe in, without swinging or jerking.

Coach tips

  • Use a weight that lets you move smoothly without shrugging your shoulders to your ears or leaning back.
  • Keep your wrists straight and your knuckles facing the floor so the bar stays close to your body the whole time.
  • If you feel sharp shoulder pain, shorten the range of motion or stop at a lower height instead of forcing the bar higher.
Powered by Hypro

Train shoulders smarter

One rep, one set. Hypro turns the Barbell Upright Rows into measurable progress, week after week.

Smart Progression

The right weight, every set

Hypro suggests your next Barbell Upright Rows weight and reps based on what you actually lifted, your rest, and your fatigue. Choose weight-first or reps-first. The more you log, the sharper it gets.

Smart Progression screen suggesting weight and reps for the next set
Weekly Volume

See exactly how much shoulders you train each week

Every set you log counts toward weekly volume per muscle group. Spot imbalances, avoid junk volume, and program the same way IFBB Pros do.

Body heatmap showing weekly training volume per muscle group
Coach-Built Plans

Use this exercise inside an IFBB Pro plan

Pick a coach-made program, get a plan matched to your goals, and message your coach for form checks. The Barbell Upright Rows fits right into proven hypertrophy and strength templates.

Library of coach-built training plans inside Hypro

Frequently asked questions

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