Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row — how to, muscles worked, alternatives

How to do the Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row

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

Full technique — 6 steps

Stand tall with feet hip to shoulder width and hold the bar against your thighs.
Take an overhand grip clearly wider than shoulder width with wrists straight.
Start the pull by driving your elbows up and out while the bar tracks close.
Raise until your elbows reach about shoulder height and the bar reaches your lower chest.
Keep elbows higher than wrists at the top without rolling the shoulders forward.
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

Substitutes by equipment

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

Dumbbells

Single Arm Dumbbell Upright Row Easier

Kettlebell

Kettlebell Upright Row with External Rotation Same level

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 Intermediate
This exercise Wide Grip Barbell Upright Row Intermediate

Too hard for now? Start with the EZ Bar Upright Row.

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.