Barbell Upright Row
Shoulders · Barbell · Beginner
How to do it
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Let the barbell hang in front of your thighs, arms fully extended.
- Keeping your back straight and core engaged, exhale and lift the barbell straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles worked
Primary: Delts
Secondary: Traps, Biceps
Is your Barbell Upright Row good?
Enter your bodyweight to compare against Buffro's nine strength ranks. The source is Buffro's exercise-specific standards, not a generic chart copied across every movement.
| Buffro rank | Estimated 1RM |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 21 kg |
| Novice | 28.5 kg |
| Intermediate | 36 kg |
| Advanced | 46 kg |
| Expert | 56 kg |
| Veteran | 68 kg |
| Elite | 80 kg |
| Master | 93 kg |
| Apex | 106 kg |
These are estimated one-rep-max targets for adults under 40, scaled to bodyweight. Enter the total external load recorded in Buffro. They are training benchmarks, not medical or safety limits.
The table uses the same nine tiers as the Buffro app for Barbell Upright Row.
Sets and reps
Use an easy load and stop well before failure while you learn the movement.
Finish most sets with 1-3 good reps still available.
Rest 2-4 minutes so each working set stays strong.
Common mistakes
- Adding load before the bar path is repeatable. Use a weight that lets every Barbell Upright Row rep follow the same controlled path.
- Shortening the range as fatigue builds. Use the largest pain-free range that keeps tension on your delts.
- Turning the set into a speed contest. Pause briefly in the hardest position, then control the return instead of dropping into the next rep.
Barbell Upright Row FAQ
What muscles does the Barbell Upright Row work?
The primary target is delts. It also involves traps, biceps while you keep the movement controlled.
How many sets and reps should I do for the Barbell Upright Row?
Start with 3 sets in a repeatable range. Use 6-12 reps for most compound work or 10-15 for smaller isolation work, then add load after you can complete every rep cleanly.
How should I read the Barbell Upright Row strength standards?
Compare estimated one-rep max, not the weight from an arbitrary rep count. Buffro scales the published target to your bodyweight and sex.
