How to Do Dumbbell Upright Rows: Sculpt Strong Shoulders

Before performing the dumbbell upright row, it’s crucial to select an appropriate weight that will allow you to maintain proper technique throughout the exercise.

Aim for 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions for optimal results.

Here are the steps: 

1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-to-hip width apart, ensuring that your shoulders are directly over your hips and your head and neck are in a neutral position. Tuck your chin in slightly as if you were holding an egg under it, and focus on creating a stable foot position.
2. Grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip in front of your waist at arm’s length, with your palms facing your legs. Your grip should be slightly narrower than shoulder-width, with a slight bend in your elbows.
3. Slowly lift the dumbbells up towards your lower chest in a slow and controlled manner, keeping them as close to your body as possible. Your elbows should lead the motion and be higher than your forearms throughout the lift.
4. Once the dumbbells reach shoulder height (almost touching your chin), pause for 1–2 seconds.
5. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, focusing on maintaining proper form and technique throughout the entire movement.

The dumbbell upright row exercise can be tricky, so you must know your movement and consider only the safe variations.

Tips

Proper exercise technique is crucial to ensuring safety and effectiveness, especially when using free weights, so bear in mind these things:

• To maintain tension in the targeted muscles and prevent injury, keep the dumbbells close to your body throughout the exercise and avoid letting them move away.
• If you use momentum or lean forward, you may be lifting too heavy, so switch to a lighter weight. Remember, this exercise is not meant for lifting heavy things, so don’t let your ego get in the way.
• An article published by the Cleveland Clinic suggests that to avoid shoulder impingement (pain and irritation), cap the lifting phase when your elbows reach shoulder height [1]. This will prevent an unnatural movement pattern of internal rotation and elevation, reducing the chances of injury.
• For this reason, avoid variations like the barbell upright row and EZ curl bar, as they can be dangerous.
• Beginners should start with light weights to master the correct technique, ensuring a solid foundation, preventing injuries, optimizing long-term results, and facilitating safe and effective progression in weight training.

4 Safe Variations to the Dumbbell Upright Row

Even though the dumbbell upright row gives your shoulder blades greater freedom of movement, you may consider some variations if repeating the same exercise becomes boring.

The most effective ones include the following:

• Dumbbell Front Raise
• Lateral Raises
• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
• Dumbbell Arnold Press

Being a compound exercise that targets delts, traps, and lats, this is one of the best upper-body workouts.

Like most compound movements, it brings several benefits to the body:

• Increasing Shoulder Strength. Dumbbell upright rows engage the shoulder joints and muscles, particularly the medial and front deltoids, increasing strength and stability.
• Enhances Upper Back Development. The upper back muscles, including the trapezius and rhomboids, are also worked during dumbbell upright rows, leading to improved back development.
• Improves Posture. Dumbbell upright rows can improve overall posture and help prevent rounded shoulders by strengthening the upper back and shoulders.
• Versatile Exercise. Dumbbell upright rows can be performed with various grips and modifications, making it a versatile exercise tailored to individual needs and fitness levels.
• Time-Efficient. Working multiple muscle groups at once, the dumbbell upright row is an efficient exercise that can be incorporated into a full-body or upper-body workout.

Related: Best Dumbbell Shoulder Exercises