Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
- Target muscle
- Deltoid Lateral
- Synergist muscles
- Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Deltoid Anterior, Infraspinatus, Serratus Anterior, Teres Minor, Trapezius Lower Fibers, Trapezius Middle Fibers
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Type
- Strength
The barbell wide-grip upright row is a vertical pulling exercise that primarily targets the lateral (side) deltoids, with strong help from the front deltoids, traps, and the elbow-flexing brachialis and brachioradialis. Taking a grip wider than shoulder-width shifts the emphasis toward the shoulders and away from the upper traps, making it a popular accessory for building shoulder width.
How to do the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
- 1Stand tall holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand (pronated) grip set noticeably wider than shoulder-width.
- 2Brace your core, keep your chest up, and let your shoulders sit back and down with the bar resting against your thighs.
- 3Lead with your elbows and pull the bar straight up along the front of your body, keeping it close to your torso.
- 4Drive your elbows up and out to the sides until your upper arms reach roughly shoulder height and the bar is around chest level.
- 5Keep your wrists relaxed and let your elbows stay higher than your wrists throughout the pull.
- 6Pause briefly at the top, feeling the side delts contract, without shrugging the bar higher with your traps.
- 7Lower the bar under control back to your thighs, resisting it the whole way down.
- 8Complete your reps, then set the bar down safely with a flat back.
Form tips
- Stop the pull when your upper arms reach about shoulder height — going higher offers little extra side-delt work and crowds the shoulder joint.
- Keep the bar traveling close to your body in a straight vertical line rather than swinging it out in front of you.
- Use a controlled tempo and a moderate load; the wide grip and lateral-delt focus respond better to clean reps than to heavy weight.
- Keep your torso upright and still — let your shoulders do the work instead of leaning back or using your hips to heave the bar up.
Common mistakes
- Pulling the bar too high toward the chin, which jams the shoulder into internal rotation and can irritate the joint.
- Letting the wrists rise above the elbows, which turns the lift into a biceps curl and takes tension off the side delts.
- Using momentum from the hips and lower back to swing the weight up, robbing the shoulders of tension and straining the spine.
- Going too heavy, which forces the upper traps and body english to take over instead of the lateral deltoids.
- Shrugging the shoulders up at the top, shifting the work to the traps rather than the side delts you are trying to target.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the barbell wide-grip upright row work?
It primarily targets the lateral (side) deltoids, with the front deltoids, mid and lower traps, serratus anterior, and rotator-cuff muscles assisting, plus the brachialis and brachioradialis working at the elbow.
How wide should my grip be on the upright row?
Set your hands clearly wider than shoulder-width. A wider grip biases the work toward the side delts and reduces upper-trap involvement compared with a narrow grip.
Why does the wide grip make the upright row safer for the shoulders?
A wider grip lets your elbows travel up and out at a more natural angle, so you can hit the side delts without forcing the deep internal rotation that a narrow, high pull tends to cause.
How high should I pull the bar?
Pull until your upper arms reach about shoulder height — roughly chest level on the bar. Pulling higher mainly recruits the traps and increases stress on the shoulder joint.
How many sets and reps should I do?
As a shoulder accessory, 3–4 sets of 10–15 controlled reps with a moderate load works well, since the lateral delts respond better to volume and clean form than to heavy weight.
