How to do the Dumbbell Upright Row (Back POV)
ShouldersDeltsDumbbellIntermediate
The dumbbell upright row is one of the most effective ways to build full, capped deltoids while also engaging your upper traps for a powerful upper body silhouette. Master the movement pattern and you will develop shoulder width that no amount of pressing alone can replicate.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Deltoids
Secondary
TrapeziusTriceps
Step-by-step
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, dumbbells resting against your thighs with palms facing your body.
- Drive your elbows up and out to the sides, leading the movement with your elbows rather than your hands.
- Pull the dumbbells to upper-chest height, keeping them close to your body and elbows above wrist level throughout.
- Lower the dumbbells under control back to the start position, resisting the pull of gravity on the way down.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging the traps and losing elbow lead — focus on driving elbows high first and let the hands follow passively.
- Pulling the dumbbells too high toward the chin — stop at upper-chest level to keep tension on the delts and protect the shoulder joint.
- Using momentum by swinging the torso — brace your core, keep your chest tall, and initiate every rep from a dead stop at the bottom.
Pro tip — At the top of each rep, pause for one second with elbows flared and think about spreading them apart laterally — this brief isometric contraction recruits the lateral delt fibers more completely than a fast-tempo rep ever will.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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