How many sets and reps of the barbell upright row should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Three sets of 10 reps with an empty bar or light plates is enough to groove the path; add weight only in small jumps since the fixed grip leaves less room to self-correct than dumbbells do.

What can I do instead of the barbell upright row with no barbell?

A pair of dumbbells trains the same pattern with a path each arm can adjust on its own, or a cable bar at a low pulley if your gym has one.

What is the barbell upright row good for and when is it not a good idea?

It blends a shoulder-width delt builder with real trap loading in one lift, which suits lifters chasing upper-body mass who tolerate the pattern well. It's a poor choice for anyone whose shoulders pinch or click during the pull, since the fixed bar removes the option to adjust hand position mid-set the way a dumbbell or cable version allows.

Intermediate

Barbell Upright Row

Pulling the bar straight up to chest height trains the middle deltoids and upper traps together, blending a shoulder-width builder with a trap developer. It can irritate sensitive shoulders, so a moderate grip width and stopping below the collarbone keep it joint-friendly. Use a slightly wider grip to bias the delts and stay away from very heavy loads.

Equipment: Barbell
Body part: Shoulder, Traps
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Middle, Trapezius Upper
Browse by movement: Shoulder Raise

How to do it

1
Grip a barbell just outside shoulder width with an overhand grip and let it hang at your thighs.
2
Stand tall with your abs braced and chest up.
3
Pull the bar straight up the front of your body, leading with your elbows.
4
Raise it to around the middle of your chest, keeping the elbows above the level of the hands.
5
Lower the bar under control back to your thighs and repeat without swinging.

Tips

Use a grip about shoulder width or slightly wider to bias the delts and spare the wrists and shoulders.
Stop the pull at mid-chest height; going higher can pinch the shoulder joint.
Keep the bar close to your body and let the elbows lead the whole way up.

Variations

Common mistakes

A narrow, hands-together grip forces the wrists into a sharper bend at the top and drives the elbows higher than the shoulders, right where the joint pinches hardest.
The bar drifts away from the body on the way up, turning a path meant to brush the thighs and torso into one the front delts have to fight to control.
Once the working set gets heavy, the hips thrust forward to launch the bar the last few inches, turning a shoulder pull into a hip-driven heave.
Pulling the bar above the middle of the chest to match a dumbbell upright row's higher finish ignores that the fixed grip already pinches at a lower height.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the barbell upright row should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Three sets of 10 reps with an empty bar or light plates is enough to groove the path; add weight only in small jumps since the fixed grip leaves less room to self-correct than dumbbells do.
What can I do instead of the barbell upright row with no barbell?: A pair of dumbbells trains the same pattern with a path each arm can adjust on its own, or a cable bar at a low pulley if your gym has one.
What is the barbell upright row good for and when is it not a good idea?: It blends a shoulder-width delt builder with real trap loading in one lift, which suits lifters chasing upper-body mass who tolerate the pattern well. It's a poor choice for anyone whose shoulders pinch or click during the pull, since the fixed bar removes the option to adjust hand position mid-set the way a dumbbell or cable version allows.

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