The upright row is a vertical pulling exercise where you grip a barbell, dumbbells, or a cable attachment and pull it straight up along your torso to roughly chin or chest height. It’s one of the few exercises that trains your side delts and upper traps in the same movement, since your elbows lead the pull up and out while your shoulders shrug at the top. Done with a narrow grip, it also puts your shoulder into internal rotation under load, which is exactly the position that causes shoulder impingement in some lifters.
That impingement risk is the biggest reason people go looking for a swap. If your shoulder pinches or catches as the bar passes chest height, that’s your rotator cuff getting squeezed under the front of your shoulder blade, and grinding through it isn’t worth it. You might also want an alternative if you don’t have a barbell, if you want to train your delts and traps separately instead of lumped into one lift, or if your shoulders have simply stopped responding to the same movement week after week.
I picked the 8 alternatives below for how well they hit the same side delt and trap targets as the upright row, how shoulder-friendly they are compared to a narrow-grip barbell pull, and what equipment they need. A few are close swaps you could drop into the exact same program slot, a couple isolate the delts or traps on their own, and a couple are heavier or more explosive options for lifters who want more out of the movement pattern. I’ll walk through when to use each one and exactly how to perform it.
Table of Contents
- 1 The 8 Best Upright Row Alternatives
- 2 Reasons to Choose an Upright Row Alternative
- 3 Muscles Worked by the Upright Row
- 4 FAQs
- 4.1 What’s the closest alternative to an upright row?
- 4.2 Why do upright rows hurt my shoulders?
- 4.3 Can I build side delts and traps without upright rows?
- 4.4 What’s the best upright row alternative for shoulder pain?
- 4.5 What’s the best upright row alternative at home?
- 4.6 How many delt and trap exercises should I do per workout?
- 5 Key Takeaways
- 6 Other Alternative Exercises
- 6.1 The 9 Best T-Bar Row Alternatives
- 6.2 The 12 Best Pull-Up Alternatives
- 6.3 The 10 Best Glute Bridge Alternatives
- 6.4 The 8 Best Decline Bench Press Alternatives
- 6.5 The 10 Best Bent Over Row Alternatives
- 6.6 The 10 Best Romanian Deadlift Alternatives
- 6.7 The 10 Best Dumbbell Pullover Alternatives
- 6.8 The 10 Best Lying Leg Curl Alternatives
- 6.9 The 7 Best Deadlift Alternatives
- 6.10 The 9 Best Pendlay Row Alternatives
- 6.11 The 9 Best Leg Press Alternatives
- 6.12 The 10 Best Plank Alternatives
- 6.13 The 8 Best Incline Bench Press Alternative
- 6.14 The 10 Best Lat Pulldown Alternatives
- 6.15 The 10 Best Hack Squat Alternatives
The 8 Best Upright Row Alternatives
- Face Pull
- Cable Y-Raise
- Wide-Grip Upright Row
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Barbell Shrug
- Cable Upright Row
- Kettlebell High Pull
- Snatch-Grip High Pull
1. Face Pull
When to Perform Face Pulls
This is the alternative I reach for first if your shoulders hurt on upright rows. A face pull pulls your shoulder into external rotation instead of internal rotation, the opposite of the position that causes impingement, so it trains your rear delts and upper traps while actively working against the problem. Use it as a warm-up before pressing or pulling work, or as accessory volume on any upper body day. It’s light enough to run for 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps, and you can do it almost every session without it beating up your joints.
How to Perform Face Pulls
- Attach a rope to a cable set at roughly chest or face height.
- Grip the rope with both hands, palms facing each other, and step back to create tension.
- Pull the rope toward your face, leading with your elbows and separating your hands as they pass your ears.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end position, then return under control.
Equipment: cable machine, rope attachment (a resistance band anchored at chest height works too).
This video from ScottHermanFitness shows how to perform the face pull.
Tips for Face Pulls
- Lead with your elbows, not your hands, so your rear delts and traps do the work instead of your biceps.
- Pull to roughly eye level, not down toward your chest, to keep the external rotation intact.
- Use light weight. This exercise is about position and control, not how much you can move.
- Pause and squeeze for a full second at the end of each rep instead of rushing through the set.
2. Cable Y-Raise
When to Perform Cable Y-Raises
This one trains your side delts and lower traps together instead of your side delts and upper traps, which makes it a good complement if you already shrug elsewhere in your program. The cable keeps tension on your shoulder through the entire range, including the stretched bottom position that a barbell upright row skips past. I’ll program this for 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, usually paired with a pressing movement or later in a shoulder-focused session.
How to Perform Cable Y-Raises
- Set two low pulleys with single-arm handles, or use one low pulley and work one arm at a time.
- Grip a handle in each hand and step forward to create tension, arms hanging in front of you.
- Raise both arms up and out at the same time so your body forms a Y, thumbs pointing toward the ceiling.
- Stop around shoulder height, then lower back to the start under control.
Equipment: dual cable stack with single-arm handles (a single low pulley works fine one arm at a time).
This video from Physique Development shows how to perform the cable Y-raise.
Tips for Cable Y-Raises
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows through the whole rep instead of locking them out.
- Lead the raise with your thumbs, not your knuckles, to keep your shoulders in a safer rotation.
- Use less weight than you think. The stretched bottom position is demanding even with light plates.
- Stop the raise around shoulder height. Going higher just turns it into a shrug.
For more targeted lower and middle trap work beyond this one exercise, see our middle trap exercises roundup.
3. Wide-Grip Upright Row
When to Perform the Wide-Grip Upright Row
If you like the upright row itself and just need a version that’s easier on your shoulders, this is the closest swap on the list. Widening your grip to just outside shoulder width cuts down how far your shoulder internally rotates as the bar rises, so you get most of the same delt and trap work with less of the impingement risk. Drop this straight into the same slot a standard upright row would sit in, for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
How to Perform the Wide-Grip Upright Row
- Grip a barbell just outside shoulder width, palms facing your body.
- Stand with the bar resting against your thighs, feet about hip width apart.
- Pull the bar straight up along your torso, leading with your elbows, until it reaches roughly chest height.
- Lower it back down under control to the starting position.
Equipment: barbell.
This video from PureGym shows how to perform the barbell wide-grip upright row.
Tips for the Wide-Grip Upright Row
- Stop the bar at chest height. Pulling it up to your chin brings the internal rotation right back.
- Keep your elbows level with or slightly below your wrists as you pull, rather than jamming them up high.
- Drop the weight if you feel any pinching, and don’t try to push through it.
- A cambered or EZ bar can feel more comfortable on the wrists than a straight barbell.
4. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
When to Perform Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Use this when your real goal was side delt width and the trap work in an upright row was just along for the ride. A lateral raise isolates the side delt with your shoulder moving straight out to the side instead of up and in, so there’s no internal rotation to worry about at all. I run this for 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps, usually toward the end of a shoulder or push day after the heavier pressing is done.
How to Perform Dumbbell Lateral Raises
- Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and raise both arms out to the sides.
- Stop when your arms reach roughly shoulder height, leading with your elbows rather than your hands.
- Lower the dumbbells back down under control.
Equipment: a pair of dumbbells.
This video from ScottHermanFitness shows how to perform the dumbbell side lateral raise.
Tips for Dumbbell Lateral Raises
- Use lighter weight than your ego wants. Swinging the dumbbells up with momentum takes the work off your delts.
- Tilt your pinkies up slightly at the top instead of raising the dumbbells flat, which biases the side delt a bit harder.
- Stop at shoulder height. Raising past it just shifts the load onto your traps.
- A slight forward lean from the hips can help keep tension on your side delt instead of your front delt.
If you want more variety once this stops being enough on its own, see our lateral raise alternatives for other ways to hit the side delt.
5. Barbell Shrug
When to Perform Barbell Shrugs
This is the other half of the split, the one to use when your traps specifically are the priority and you’d rather train your side delts separately. A shrug isolates the upper traps with a short, simple range of motion, and it lets you load far heavier than an upright row ever could since your shoulder isn’t stuck in a compromised position. I’ll program 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, either after deadlifts or as standalone trap work.
How to Perform Barbell Shrugs
- Grip a barbell just outside your hips, palms facing your body.
- Stand tall with the bar hanging at arm’s length, feet about hip width apart.
- Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears, without bending your elbows or rolling your shoulders.
- Lower back down under control to the starting position.
Equipment: barbell (lifting straps help once grip becomes the limiting factor).
This video from ScottHermanFitness shows how to perform the barbell shrug.
Tips for Barbell Shrugs
- Shrug straight up and down. Rolling your shoulders forward or back doesn’t add anything and puts extra strain on the joint.
- Don’t bend your elbows to help the bar up. Keep your arms straight and let your traps do the lifting.
- Pause for a second at the top of each rep instead of bouncing straight back down.
- Grip the bar tight even with straps on, since a loose grip lets your shoulders drift out of position.
If your traps specifically lag behind the rest of your upper back, our guide to growing underdeveloped traps covers more than shrugs alone.
6. Cable Upright Row
When to Perform the Cable Upright Row
This one keeps the same pulling pattern as a barbell upright row but on a cable, which holds tension on your delts and traps through the whole rep instead of losing it at the bottom the way a free weight does. It’s also easier to adjust the effective grip width with a straight bar or rope attachment, so you can dial in whatever feels safest on your shoulder. I’ll run this for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps as a straight swap for a barbell version.
How to Perform the Cable Upright Row
- Attach a straight bar to a low pulley and stand facing the machine.
- Grip the bar just outside shoulder width and step back to create tension.
- Pull the bar straight up along your torso, leading with your elbows, to roughly chest height.
- Lower it back down under control, keeping tension on the cable the whole time.
Equipment: cable machine, straight bar or rope attachment.
This video from PureGym shows how to perform the cable upright row.
Tips for the Cable Upright Row
- Keep your torso still and upright. Leaning back to help the bar up shifts the work off your shoulders.
- Try a rope attachment if a straight bar bothers your wrists, since it lets your hands rotate slightly as you pull.
- Stop the pull at chest height rather than chin height, same as the wide-grip barbell version.
- Slow the lowering phase down, since the cable keeps tension there the whole way instead of letting gravity do the work.
For more cable-only shoulder options to build the rest of your session around, see our cable shoulder exercises roundup.
7. Kettlebell High Pull
When to Perform the Kettlebell High Pull
This is a more athletic option than a standard upright row, since the pull starts from your hips instead of your arms. It’s built for lifters who want their delts and traps trained with some explosive drive behind them, whether that’s for general conditioning or as a bridge into kettlebell swings and snatches. I’ll program 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side, treating it as a power exercise rather than a slow grind.
How to Perform the Kettlebell High Pull
- Set up with a kettlebell between your feet, hips hinged back, similar to a deadlift start.
- Hike the kettlebell back slightly, then drive your hips forward explosively to swing it up.
- As the kettlebell rises past your hips, pull your elbow up and back so your hand finishes near your collarbone.
- Let the kettlebell fall back through the same path and reset your hips for the next rep.
Equipment: one kettlebell.
This video from Greg Brookes shows how to perform the kettlebell high pull.
Tips for the Kettlebell High Pull
- Let your hips generate the power. Your arm should guide the kettlebell, not muscle it up.
- Keep the kettlebell close to your body on the way up instead of letting it swing out in front of you.
- Start with a lighter kettlebell than you’d use for a swing, since the pull adds a new coordination demand.
- Stop the pull around collarbone height. Pulling higher turns your shoulder back toward that impingement position.
8. Snatch-Grip High Pull
When to Perform the Snatch-Grip High Pull
This is the heaviest and most technical option on the list, built for lifters who already deadlift and want a pull that adds trap and delt size along with power off the floor. The wide snatch grip and the pull off the ground both load your traps far harder than a standard upright row can, since you’re moving real weight through a longer range. Keep this to 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 reps and load it the way you’d load a deadlift variation, building the weight up over weeks rather than chasing a heavy single early on.
How to Perform the Snatch-Grip High Pull
- Grip a barbell wide, roughly where your hands would sit for a snatch, and set up like a deadlift.
- Drive through the floor to pull the bar up past your knees, keeping your back flat.
- As the bar reaches your thighs, extend your hips explosively and shrug your shoulders up.
- Pull your elbows up and out to bring the bar up toward your chest, then lower it back to the floor under control.
Equipment: barbell and plates (a platform helps if you’re dropping the bar between reps).
This video from Enkiri Elite Fitness shows how to perform the snatch-grip high pull.
Tips for the Snatch-Grip High Pull
- Start light and build up slowly. The wide grip and the hip extension timing both take practice before you load them heavy.
- Let your hips and legs drive the bar up. Your arms and shoulders finish the pull, they don’t start it.
- Keep the bar close to your body the entire way up, brushing against your thighs.
- Stop the pull around chest height rather than trying to muscle it any higher.
If you’d rather build shoulder power through a pressing pattern instead of a pull, see our overhead press alternatives.
Reasons to Choose an Upright Row Alternative
None of the options above are a downgrade from the upright row. Most of them either match its delt and trap work with less shoulder risk, or let you train those muscles harder than a narrow-grip barbell pull ever could. A few even give you more control over the movement, since you can adjust grip width, cable height, or load in ways a fixed barbell doesn’t allow.
- Upright rows pinch your shoulder. The face pull and wide-grip upright row both avoid or reduce the internal rotation that causes impingement.
- You want to train delts and traps separately. A dumbbell lateral raise and a barbell shrug split the two targets apart so you can load each one on its own terms.
- You don’t have a barbell. The dumbbell lateral raise, cable Y-raise, cable upright row, and kettlebell high pull all cover you without one.
- You want more power and athleticism out of the movement. The kettlebell high pull and snatch-grip high pull turn a slow pull into an explosive one.
- Your delts and traps have stopped responding. A fresh angle like the cable Y-raise gives your shoulders a new stimulus after months on the same lift.
Muscles Worked by the Upright Row
The upright row is a compound pull that trains your shoulders and upper back together, along with a few smaller muscles that stabilize the movement. Its alternatives break that same list apart in different ways, some isolating one piece and some loading the whole chain even harder. Knowing which muscle each variation targets hardest makes it a lot easier to pick the right one for whatever you’re actually trying to fix.
- Lateral (side) deltoid: the primary target of the upright row and the main focus of the dumbbell lateral raise and cable Y-raise. This is the muscle most people mean when they say they want wider shoulders.
- Upper trapezius: works hardest at the top of the pull as your shoulders shrug up, and it’s the muscle a barbell shrug isolates almost entirely on its own.
- Middle and lower trapezius: get more work on the face pull and cable Y-raise than on a standard upright row, since both pull your shoulder blades together instead of just shrugging them up.
- Supraspinatus: a rotator cuff muscle that runs under your shoulder blade, and the one that gets pinched during shoulder impingement on a narrow-grip upright row. The face pull and wide-grip variations are built to protect it instead of stress it.
- Biceps brachii: assists as your elbows bend to lead the pull, most active on the upright row variations and the high pulls.
- Forearm flexors: work isometrically to hold your grip on the bar, dumbbells, kettlebell, or cable handle throughout every exercise on this list.
If your shoulders in general need more work beyond this list, or your traps are still lagging once you’ve added shrugs, see our guides to growing underdeveloped shoulders and growing underdeveloped traps.
FAQs
What’s the closest alternative to an upright row?
The wide-grip upright row or the cable upright row. Both keep the exact same pulling pattern, just with a grip or attachment change that cuts down the internal rotation that causes shoulder pain. If your shoulders feel fine on upright rows already, either one is a drop-in swap.
Why do upright rows hurt my shoulders?
A narrow grip forces your shoulder into internal rotation as the bar passes chest height, which can pinch your supraspinatus tendon under the front of your shoulder blade. Widening your grip, stopping the pull at chest height instead of your chin, or switching to a face pull all reduce or remove that pinching. Pulling the bar higher than your chin makes the problem worse no matter how wide your grip is, so cap the range there even once your shoulders feel better.
Can I build side delts and traps without upright rows?
Yes. A dumbbell lateral raise builds side delt size on its own, and a barbell shrug builds trap size on its own, without ever putting your shoulder in the position that causes impingement. Splitting the two exercises apart also lets you load each muscle group harder than a combined upright row usually allows.
What’s the best upright row alternative for shoulder pain?
The face pull. It trains your shoulder into external rotation instead of internal rotation, so it works your rear delts and traps while actively counteracting the position that caused the pain in the first place. Most lifters can run it pain free even while other pressing and pulling exercises are still bothering them.
What’s the best upright row alternative at home?
A dumbbell lateral raise for your side delts and a dumbbell shrug for your traps. Between the two you cover everything an upright row trains without needing a barbell or a cable machine. If you’ve got a kettlebell instead, the kettlebell high pull covers both muscle groups in one movement.
How many delt and trap exercises should I do per workout?
One or two is usually enough on a day where you’re also pressing, since your delts already get worked by an overhead press or bench press before you isolate them further. On a dedicated shoulder day, 2 to 3 exercises covering a raise, a pull, and a shrug will train the whole area well without piling on volume you don’t need. Adding more than that tends to just make recovery harder without giving your delts and traps anything new to respond to.
Key Takeaways
If your shoulders hurt on upright rows, start with the face pull and add the wide-grip upright row once that feels comfortable. If you just want side delt width without any trap carryover, the dumbbell lateral raise gets you there on its own, and a barbell shrug will build more trap size than an upright row ever will. If you want the movement pattern to carry over to power and conditioning work, the kettlebell high pull and snatch-grip high pull both add that athletic element the barbell version lacks. Base your pick on how your shoulders actually feel and what you’re training for, rather than defaulting to whatever looks closest to the original lift. Progress whichever ones you choose the same way you’d progress an upright row: more weight or more reps over time, as long as your shoulders stay pain free doing it.
Other Alternative Exercises
If you enjoyed this post, check out our other roundups of the best alternatives for other exercises.
