Upright Rows...

[thatguy]

Anyone love this exercise? I have mainly stuck to shoulder presses and shrugs to get in some trap work. Just recently started doing upright rows, and wondering what I've been doing with my life up to this point.

 

[RackPuller]

Anyone love this exercise? I have mainly stuck to shoulder presses and shrugs to get in some trap work. Just recently started doing upright rows, and wondering what I've been doing with my life up to this point.

If you’ve got good shoulders they’re nice

 

[79Lifter]

Big nope for me, but I have jacked up shoulders. I wish I could do them though as they are a great exercise.

 

[Mac11wildcat]

An all time favorite for me. Nothing hits the whole shoulder girdle like upright rows. Most people grip too close. Also recommend using an EZ bar for wrist and elbow relief.

 

[shackleford]

So what is it about upright rows that supposedly makes them so hard on the shoulder?

 

[79Lifter]

So what is it about upright rows that supposedly makes them so hard on the shoulder?

3 anchors.

Really depends on subacromial spacing and impingement issues.

 

[thatguy]

An all time favorite for me. Nothing hits the whole shoulder girdle like upright rows. Most people grip too close. Also recommend using an EZ bar for wrist and elbow relief.

Does the EZ bar allow for a wide enough grip to hit everything effectively? I've read that a wider than shoulder grip will allow more muscle activation.

 

[shackleford]

3 anchors.

Really depends on subacromial spacing and impingement issues.

So essentially it comes down to individual anatomy?

Would one experience immediate pain upon doing the exercise, or is this a slow degenerating process where one day you wake up and need a shoulder replacement without warning?

 

[79Lifter]

Does the EZ bar allow for a wide enough grip to hit everything effectively? I've read that a wider than shoulder grip will allow more muscle activation.

Just much easier on the wrists.

 

[MindlessWork]

An all time favorite for me. Nothing hits the whole shoulder girdle like upright rows. Most people grip too close. Also recommend using an EZ bar for wrist and elbow relief.

I do use the ezbar attachment to use on the cable. Those are nice considering the regular straight bar kill my wrists.

 

[79Lifter]

So essentially it comes down to individual anatomy?

Would one experience immediate pain upon doing the exercise, or is this a slow degenerating process where one day you wake up and need a shoulder replacement without warning?

Genetics definitely play a role, but getting older and the general degradation of the shoulder over time (especially when you use it daily for a physical job) is probably a bigger contributor. Poor form will also mess up any joint over time as well.

 

[NovaFlex]

An all time favorite for me. Nothing hits the whole shoulder girdle like upright rows. Most people grip too close. Also recommend using an EZ bar for wrist and elbow relief.

Or DB’s they work great too. My wrists like them better. But snatch grip high pulls are also amazing.

 

[MindlessWork]

Or DB’s they work great too. My wrists like them better. But snatch grip high pulls are also amazing.

Oh yes, db's work well for this too. I've done this variation and it's easier to control and also can do one arm at a time as well.

 

[Mac11wildcat]

Does the EZ bar allow for a wide enough grip to hit everything effectively? I've read that a wider than shoulder grip will allow more muscle activation.

Hold on the last “EZ” lol. The one returning to straight bar.

 

[shackleford]

Genetics definitely play a role, but getting older and the general degradation of the shoulder over time (especially when you use it daily for a physical job) is probably a bigger contributor. Poor form will also mess up any joint over time as well.

ok thank you. Even though you guys are making them sound awesome, i think i'll stay away from them for now, my shoulders are already kind of iffy. i think i jacked one up doing ladder bails about a year ago. either way i'm trying to avoid making them worse.

 

[Test_Subject]

So what is it about upright rows that supposedly makes them so hard on the shoulder?

Internal rotation of the shoulder joint with a load in front is a very unsafe position for your shoulder joint, short answer.

You can do them safely, but you have to be careful. Dumbbells are a good solution because you can limit the internal rotation. A wider grip also helps as does not bringing your elbows up high.

 

[thatguy]

Hold on the last “EZ” lol. The one returning to straight bar.

I'll give it a shot next time. I do notice that my wrists are put into a bit of an awkward state using the straight bar.

 

[MindlessWork]

I'll give it a shot next time. I do notice that my wrists are put into a bit of an awkward state using the straight bar.

Use the ezbar that you can hold with a wider grip. Also don't go really heavy but go as many reps as you can stand. I find 60lbs is my sweet spot.

 

[Logan44551]

I always do them on the smith machine

 

[MindlessWork]

I always do them on the smith machine

That works but with a rather wide grip for me.