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Smith Upright Row animation

How to do the Smith Upright Row

ShouldersDeltsSmith MachineBeginner

The Smith Machine upright row locks you into a fixed vertical path, letting you focus entirely on building boulder shoulders without worrying about bar drift. Master this movement and you will develop the delt width that creates that coveted broad-shouldered silhouette.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Deltoids
Secondary
TrapeziusTriceps

Step-by-step

  1. Set the bar at hip height, grip it slightly narrower than shoulder-width with an overhand grip, and stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
  2. Brace your core, keep your chest up, and initiate the pull by driving your elbows high and wide above shoulder level.
  3. Pull the bar smoothly up the front of your body, keeping it close, until your elbows reach ear height and your upper arms are parallel to the floor or slightly above.
  4. Lower the bar with control back to the starting position, resisting gravity on the way down to maximize delt tension.

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the traps instead of leading with the elbows — focus on driving elbows up first and your traps will stay out of the spotlight.
  • Gripping too wide which shifts stress onto the traps and away from the delts — keep your hands just inside shoulder-width for optimal delt recruitment.
  • Letting the bar drift forward away from the body — use the Smith Machine track to your advantage and keep the bar travelling in a tight vertical line close to your torso throughout the lift.

Pro tip — At the top of every rep, pause for one full second with elbows above the bar and consciously squeeze your lateral delts before descending — this brief isometric hold dramatically increases time under tension exactly where delt growth happens.

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.

More Shoulders exercises

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