# Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row

A barbell upright row with a grip wider than shoulder width, targeting the lateral delts and upper traps. The wide grip lets the elbows travel out to the sides and keeps the pull short of the chin.

- Intermediate · Compound
- Equipment: Barbell
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/barbell-wide-grip-upright-row/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/wide-grip-barbell-upright-row/

## Muscles worked

- Side delts: 9/10
- Traps: 8/10
- Rear delts: 6/10
- Front delts: 5/10
- Rhomboids: 4/10
- Biceps: 4/10
- Forearms: 3/10

## How to do the Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the bar wide against your thighs.
2. Grip the bar with your palms facing down, wrists straight, and elbows relaxed.
3. Pull the bar up by driving your elbows out to shoulder height.
4. Lower the bar slowly back to your starting position, arms fully extended.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Stand tall with feet hip to shoulder width and hold the bar against your thighs.
2. Take an overhand grip clearly wider than shoulder width with wrists straight.
3. Start the pull by driving your elbows up and out while the bar tracks close.
4. Raise until your elbows reach about shoulder height and the bar reaches your lower chest.
5. Keep elbows higher than wrists at the top without rolling the shoulders forward.
6. Lower the bar back down along the same path until your arms are fully extended.

## Common mistakes

- Raising elbows far past shoulders
- Yanking with body momentum
- Letting wrists fold backward
- Bar drifting away forward
- Shoulders rolling forward up top

## Form cues

- Drive elbows up
- Stop at shoulder height
- Bar stays close
- Wrists stay neutral
- Stand tall

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps · rest 2 min · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (best fit): 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Dumbbells**: [Single Arm Dumbbell Upright Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-dumbbell-upright-row/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Upright Row with External Rotation](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-upright-row-with-external-rotation/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [EZ Bar Upright Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/ez-bar-upright-row/) — Intermediate
- **This exercise: Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row — Intermediate**

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row work?

Primary: Side delts 9/10, Traps 8/10. Also works: Rear delts 6/10, Front delts 5/10, Rhomboids 4/10, Biceps 4/10.

### When should I do the Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row in a workout?

Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 8 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps, rest 2 min, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row?

Dumbbells: Single Arm Dumbbell Upright Row. Kettlebell: Kettlebell Upright Row with External Rotation.

### What is an easier version of the Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row?

EZ Bar Upright Row (Intermediate).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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