Stick Standing Upright Row

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
2. Grip the bar with an overhand grip (palms facing you), with hands positioned slightly narrower than shoulder-width.
3. Let the bar hang at arm's length in front of your thighs, keeping your chest up and shoulders retracted.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you pull the bar vertically toward your chin, keeping the bar as close to your torso as possible.
2. Lead the movement with your elbows, ensuring they remain higher than your wrists and forearms at all times.
3. Continue the pull until the bar reaches upper-chest height, pausing briefly at the top of the movement.
4. Inhale as you lower the bar back to the starting position using a controlled, 2-second eccentric tempo.

Form checklist

• Keep the bar close to your body throughout the entire lift to protect the shoulder joints.
• Ensure elbows are always the highest point of the movement.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid using momentum or 'cheating' by rocking the torso.
• Keep your wrists straight and avoid letting them 'flick' or bend excessively at the top.

Pro tips

• Think about pulling the elbows 'out' toward the walls rather than just 'up' to maximize lateral deltoid recruitment.
• Stop the upward movement once your upper arms are parallel to the floor if you feel any pinching in the shoulder joint.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second isometric pause at the peak of the contraction to increase time under tension.
• Slow down the lowering phase to a 4-second count to emphasize the eccentric component.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the stick standing upright row work?

The stick standing upright row primarily targets the deltoids, and also works the biceps and rhomboids as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the stick standing upright row?

The stick standing upright row uses barbell.

Is the stick standing upright row good for beginners?

The stick standing upright row is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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