Upright Barbell Row

What it is

This compound pull movement primarily targets your shoulders, with significant engagement from your trapezius muscles. You use a barbell to elevate the weight close to your chin, driving the motion with your elbows.

Technique tips

• Grip the barbell slightly narrower than shoulder-width.
• Keep the barbell very close to your body throughout the movement.
• Drive the lift with your elbows, keeping them higher than your wrists.
• Maintain a straight back and stationary torso; avoid leaning back.
• Pause briefly at the top before slowly lowering the weight.
• Exhale as you lift the barbell, and inhale during the descent.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.