The upright row is a standing pull with a light dumbbell in each hand. You lead with your elbows, lifting them up and out while the weights rise close to the front of your body, then lower slowly. It works the muscles over the top of the shoulders (deltoids) and between the neck and shoulder (upper trapezius). It suits a shoulder that already lifts comfortably and is not usually an early rehab exercise.

How to do the upright row

Stand upright with your feet roughly hip width apart. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand with your arms by your sides, then let the weights rest in front of your thighs, palms facing you.
Set your shoulders down away from your ears and tighten your stomach gently.
Lift your elbows up and out to the sides, leading with the elbows. Keep them higher than your hands the whole way, so the weights travel up close to the front of your body.
Lift until your elbows are about level with your shoulders or a little below. In the video the elbows go a little higher than that, so only go that far if your shoulder is completely comfortable there.
Bring the weights down slowly to the start position, keeping your shoulders from hunching.

What you should feel

Work across the top and outside of the shoulders and in the muscles between your neck and shoulders. A sharp or pinching feeling at the top of the shoulder is not the right feeling.

Common mistakes

Swinging the weights or leaning back to get them up.
Letting the hands rise above the elbows, which turns the lift into a curl.
Hitching your shoulders up to your ears during the lift.
Pushing on to a height where the top of the shoulder pinches or catches.

How often

A common starting point is 2 sets of 8 to 12 with a light weight, building to 3 sets, 2 or 3 times a week. Lift and lower slowly. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

A pinching, catching or sharp pain at the top or front of the shoulder as the elbows rise.
Pins and needles, numbness or pain spreading down an arm.
Pins and needles in your arm or hand that do not go away after you stop, or part of your arm or hand goes numb. Get medical advice the same day. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
The shoulder feels loose, as if it might slip out of place.
After the last set the shoulder keeps aching more than usual for more than a few minutes, or it hurts more when you wake the next day.
A sudden pop or snap at the front of your elbow, sudden sharp pain there, or the muscle at the front of your upper arm bunches up or changes shape. Stop and go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day, even if you can still bend the elbow, as this can be a torn biceps tendon.
The shoulder feels as if it has slipped out of place, looks a different shape or suddenly locks so you cannot move the arm, or your hand turns cold, pale or blue. Go to an emergency department straight away, without driving yourself, and do not try to put the shoulder back in yourself.

From the clinic

Lifting the elbows high with the arms turned in can pinch a sore shoulder. If you have shoulder pain, or your shoulder has dislocated before, check with your physio before you try this exercise. After shoulder surgery, check with your surgeon or physio first, as lifting weights this way usually waits until your protocol allows it. Stopping lower, with the elbows at or below shoulder height, and holding the weights a little wider apart are common ways to make the movement gentler.

Choose dumbbells light enough that your body stays still and the lowering stays slow. If you have high blood pressure, breathe steadily through every repetition and never hold your breath. The lateral raise works the outside of the shoulder with straight arms, and shoulder shrugs work the muscles between the neck and shoulder on their own.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Upright row