The upright rows are a well-known shoulder exercise that is generally put to effective use by professional athletes and bodybuilders. The upright rows encapsulate the Dumbbell upright row, barbell upright row, and cable upright row.
What Does Upright Row Work?
Upright row exercises are meant to target your delts and rear delts. A complicated and difficult exercise to perform, one needs to take proper care before including this workout in their exercise routine.
The primary reason why I’m raising concern is that standing upright rows are not often executed right by gym-goers. Hunchback posture, imbalanced handling of Dumbbell or Barbell, and natural anatomy of shoulder bones can have an impinging effect on your shoulders and tendons.
Here is the most effective and safe way to execute an upright row:
Dumbbell Upright Row
Stand firmly on the floor with the preferred weights in your arms. The Dumbbell should be next to the corresponding thigh. Make sure you’re not leaning to either side. Hinge yourself at the hips and start vertically raising the weight to shoulder height. What’s often taught is that one should pull the Dumbbell up to neck height and flare his elbows up as high as possible.
How Can An Upright Row Inflict Injuries?
The above-mentioned method can cause certain issues. The reason is that when you pull your elbows over your shoulders, it puts your shoulder joint in a kind of movement called ‘internal rotation’. Heavier weights can put your shoulder tendons in an even more precarious position. This is because as you perform the standing Dumbbell upright row, the humerus bone in your upper arm closes in on the scapula. The scapula is the bone in your shoulder. The congestion of tendons and nerves in space will come under strain that can cause perpetual shoulder problems and hinder muscle growth potential.
The Best Way To Execute A Dumbbell Upright Row
In order to avoid an injury, one must raise the Dumbbells to only work out his rear delts. The key is to make sure that as you pull up the Dumbbell you pull them behind your torso. This will eliminate the ‘internal rotation’ movement I was earlier talking about.
If you’re having trouble in executing Dumbbell upright rows right or have complaints of constant shoulder pain, give up the exercise. There are plenty of other shoulder exercises out there to work your delts and back muscles.
Why Is Dumbbell Upright Row Better Than Barbell Upright Row?
If you are willing to incorporate upright rows into your routine, I’d suggest you go with Dumbbell over Barbell. This is because the bar demands a close-grip setup that can raise the possibility of the impending ‘internal rotation’.
Instead, grab a pair of Dumbbells. They will free your arms and you can begin your DB upright rows with a stiffened posture.
When standing, make sure to tighten your abs, glutes and squeeze in your shoulder blades. Flare your rear muscles and pull up the weights. Dumbbell upright row, done the aforementioned way can astronomically reduce the possibility of an injury.
Also, avoid the use of kettlebells because what they’ll do is that they’ll concentrate all the weight on the shoulder blades and you can’t pull a kettlebell behind your torso to reduce internal rotation.
Don’t Pull Very High
When pulling up your elbows, try not to go higher than shoulder-level. Keep it at least an inch below your shoulders. This will route all tension on the medial deltoid and prevent ‘internal rotation’ to a greater extent.
Also, it is advised that you avoid heavier weights while trying to effectively execute Dumbbell upright rows. Heavier weights increase the probability of internal rotation that poses jeopardizing consequences.
Pull Up And Pull Back
Upright rows are more than just a mere pull-up exercise. It is a combination of pulling up the weight and pulling it back. It’s like a wide bar bent-over Barbell row.
Upright rows are a shoulder exercise. The objective is to take advantage of the moment when you pull the weights up behind your torso and squeeze your shoulder blades. This will work your rear delts and stabilize shoulder muscles and tendons. You can also rotate your wrist to fully reap the benefits of an upright row. However, don’t force this element of the workout upon yourself.
How Many Reps To Perform?
The secure way to execute standing upright rows is by picking lighter weights. The aim is to cause muscle burns and you’ll be able to burn plenty in 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. If you want to pick heavier weights, choose some of the more traditional shoulder exercises.
Footnote –
There are some genetic and anatomical reasons behind why and why not one should avoid upright rows. It has to do with the acromion. It’s between the humerus and scapula and is rather the focal point of this exercise. People with hooked acromion are often advised against Upright Row workouts.
