Upright Row
Barbell upright rows to the chin for the side delts and traps. It works mainly the lateral deltoid and trapezius, with help from the front deltoid and biceps.
In Flawless, a man aged 23–39 reaches Gold, the third of eight ranks, at 0.8× bodyweight (65 kg at 80 kg). For a woman it is 0.55× (32.5 kg at 60 kg).
How to do Upright Row
- Stand tall holding the bar with an overhand grip a little narrower than shoulder width, arms straight in front of the thighs.
- Pull the bar straight up along your body by driving the elbows up and out, until it reaches the lower chest.
- Keep the elbows above the wrists the whole time and pause at the top for a second.
- Lower slowly to straight arms. Stopping at the chest rather than the chin keeps the shoulders happy.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Lateral deltoid | Deltoideus medialis |
| Primary | Trapezius | Trapezius |
| Secondary | Front deltoid | Deltoideus anterior |
| Secondary | Biceps | Biceps brachii |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Side delts and traps in one movement
- Shoulder width without a separate exercise
- Easy to load progressively
Strength standards for Upright Row
| Rank | Men | Women | Man, 80 kg | Woman, 60 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start | – | – |
| Silver | 0.55× | 0.4× | 45 kg | 25 kg |
| Gold | 0.8× | 0.55× | 65 kg | 32.5 kg |
| Platinum | 1.05× | 0.75× | 85 kg | 45 kg |
| Diamond | 1.35× | 0.95× | 107.5 kg | 57.5 kg |
| Obsidian | 1.7× | 1.15× | 135 kg | 70 kg |
| Painite | 2× | 1.4× | 160 kg | 85 kg |
| Antimatter | 2.7× | 1.9× | 215 kg | 115 kg |
Ratios are one-rep max ÷ bodyweight for ages 23–39; kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg.
Flawless takes your best set of Upright Row, estimates your one-rep max with the Brzycki formula (reps are capped at 12) and divides it by the bodyweight in your profile, so you never have to test a true max. Women’s limits are 30 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Upright Row work?
It works mainly the lateral deltoid and trapezius, with help from the front deltoid and biceps.
How do you do Upright Row?
Stand tall holding the bar with an overhand grip a little narrower than shoulder width, arms straight in front of the thighs. Pull the bar straight up along your body by driving the elbows up and out, until it reaches the lower chest. Keep the elbows above the wrists the whole time and pause at the top for a second. Lower slowly to straight arms. Stopping at the chest rather than the chin keeps the shoulders happy.
What is a good Upright Row for my bodyweight?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 0.8× bodyweight for men aged 23–39 and 0.55× for women, Diamond at 1.35× and 0.95×. For an 80 kg man that is a 65 kg and a 107.5 kg one-rep max.
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