Are Upright Rows Bad for Your Shoulders

The Verdict on Upright Rows (and Why It's Not What You Think)

The answer to 'are upright rows bad for your shoulders' is yes, but only the specific version that 9 out of 10 people perform in the gym. The traditional, narrow-grip barbell upright row, pulled high to your chin, is one of the fastest ways to cause a painful condition called shoulder impingement. If you've ever felt a sharp, pinching pain at the top of your shoulder during this lift, that's exactly what's happening. You're not just 'feeling the burn'; you're grinding a tendon against bone. This isn't a sign of a good workout; it's a warning signal that you're on a direct path to chronic pain and a potential rotator cuff injury that could sideline you for months.

But here's the part most articles get wrong: the movement itself isn't inherently evil. The problem is the tool and the technique. The goal of an upright row is to target the medial (side) deltoid, the muscle that gives your shoulders width. The issue is that the classic barbell version forces your hands into a narrow, fixed position. As you pull the bar up towards your chin, your upper arm bone (humerus) internally rotates and drives upward into the small space at the top of your shoulder, pinching the supraspinatus tendon against the acromion process. It's like repeatedly slamming a door on your finger. You can do it a few times, but eventually, you're going to cause serious damage. The solution isn't to abandon the movement pattern entirely, but to modify it so you get the muscle-building benefit without the joint-destroying mechanics.

The 2-Inch Mistake That Wrecks Your Shoulders

Why does the traditional upright row cause so much pain? It comes down to a simple mechanical flaw: pulling the bar just 2 inches too high. The danger zone for your shoulder joint begins the moment your elbow rises above the height of your shoulder. When you perform a narrow-grip barbell upright row and pull the bar to your chin, your elbows are forced high above your shoulders. This action, combined with the internal rotation forced by the barbell, creates the perfect storm for impingement. Imagine the top of your shoulder socket is a small garage, and your rotator cuff tendon is the garage door cable. The traditional upright row is like trying to close the garage door while a car is parked halfway out-something is going to get crunched.

The specific movement is called subacromial impingement. The subacromial space is the tiny gap between the top of your arm bone and the acromion (a bony projection of your shoulder blade). Your rotator cuff tendons pass through this space. When you raise your arm with an internally rotated shoulder-the exact motion of a high-pull upright row-that space shrinks by up to 60%. You are physically mashing the soft tissues in that joint. The 'burn' people chase is actually inflammation and mechanical friction. This is why your shoulder might feel fine during the first set, but by the third set, it's screaming. You're accumulating micro-trauma with every single rep. The fix is to eliminate this combination of extreme elevation and internal rotation, which is impossible with a traditional barbell upright row.

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The Mofilo-Approved Upright Row Protocol

If you want to build your side delts with an upright rowing motion without destroying your shoulders, you need to change the rules. Forget what you've seen people do with a barbell. This protocol uses dumbbells and a modified range of motion to maximize muscle activation and minimize joint stress. It will feel different-less jarring and more focused. That's the point.

Step 1: Ditch the Barbell, Grab Dumbbells

Your first and most important step is to replace the barbell with a pair of dumbbells. A barbell locks your hands into a fixed, unnatural position, forcing internal rotation. Dumbbells allow your wrists and shoulders to move freely and find their own natural, safer path. This small change is a game-changer. It allows you to turn a shoulder-destroying exercise into a shoulder-building one. For weight, start lighter than you think. If you were using a 65-pound barbell, start with two 20-pound dumbbells. The goal is perfect form for 12-15 reps, not ego lifting.

Step 2: The "Wide Path" Technique

With a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Instead of letting the dumbbells hang in front of your thighs, hold them slightly to your sides. As you lift, think about pulling the dumbbells *up and out*, not straight up. Your hands should lead the movement, and your elbows should follow. Imagine you're dragging the weights up along two diagonal tracks that start at your hips and end outside your shoulders. This 'wide path' encourages slight external rotation, opening up the shoulder joint instead of closing it down. Your palms should face your body or be turned slightly backward throughout the movement.

Step 3: The "Chest-High" Stop Rule

This is the most critical rule. You will *never* pull the weight higher than your lower chest. The moment your elbows become level with your shoulders, the rep is over. Stop the movement when your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Going any higher provides zero additional benefit for your side delts and introduces 100% of the impingement risk. At the top of the rep, your hands should be wider than your elbows. Squeeze your delts for a second, then control the weight back down slowly over 2-3 seconds. The negative portion of the rep is just as important for muscle growth.

Bonus: Three Safer Alternatives for Bigger Shoulders

If you have a history of shoulder pain or simply want other options, these three exercises are arguably better and safer for targeting the medial deltoid.

1. Dumbbell Lateral Raises: The gold standard. Stand or sit, holding light dumbbells (10-25 lbs for men, 5-15 lbs for women). With a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to your sides until they are parallel with the floor. Keep your pinkies slightly higher than your thumbs to focus on the side delt. Perform 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps.
2. Cable Y-Raises: Set two pulleys at the lowest setting. Grab the left cable with your right hand and the right cable with your left hand. Step back so there's tension. With straight arms, pull the handles up and out, forming a 'Y' shape with your body. This hits the side delts and upper traps with constant tension. Aim for 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
3. Band Pull-Aparts: This is more of a shoulder health exercise, but it's crucial. Hold a light resistance band with both hands, arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the band apart until it touches your chest. This strengthens the rear delts and rotator cuff muscles, creating a more stable and healthier shoulder joint. Do 3 sets of 20-25 reps as part of your warm-up or on off days.

Week 1 Will Feel Wrong. That's the Point.

When you switch from the painful barbell version to the Mofilo-approved dumbbell upright row, your first workout is going to feel strange. You'll be using less weight, and you won't feel that familiar, sharp 'bite' in your shoulder. This is a good thing. You are finally isolating the muscle instead of stressing the joint. Here’s a realistic timeline of what to expect.

• Week 1-2: The weight will feel light, almost too easy. You'll be tempted to pull higher, back to your old habit. Resist. Focus on the mind-muscle connection with your side delts. You should feel a deep burn in the muscle by the last few reps of a 15-rep set, not a pinch in the joint. Your shoulders might actually feel better and less 'creaky' after the workout.
• Month 1: You will have comfortably increased the weight on your dumbbell upright rows by 5 pounds without any pain. Your form will feel natural. More importantly, other lifts like the overhead press and bench press will feel stronger and more stable because your rotator cuffs aren't constantly inflamed. Progress is no longer measured by how much pain you can tolerate, but by how many quality, pain-free reps you can perform.
• Month 2-3: You will see a noticeable difference in the mirror. Your shoulders will appear wider and more capped. The chronic, dull ache you may have had in your shoulders will be a distant memory. You've successfully replaced a high-risk, low-reward exercise with a low-risk, high-reward movement that delivers the results you wanted all along.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Role of Grip Width in Upright Rows

A narrow grip on a barbell is the primary cause of impingement. A wider grip can reduce this, but it's still inferior to using dumbbells, which allow for a completely natural and unrestricted path of motion for your wrists and shoulders, virtually eliminating the risk.

Upright Rows vs. Lateral Raises for Shoulder Growth

Lateral raises are superior for isolating the medial (side) deltoid. However, a properly performed dumbbell upright row also engages the anterior (front) delt and upper traps, making it a more compound movement. For pure shoulder width, prioritize lateral raises. Use safe upright rows as a secondary movement.

Can I Do Upright Rows If I Have Shoulder Pain?

No. If you currently have shoulder pain, you must stop doing any variation of the upright row. The risk of making the injury worse is too high. Instead, focus on pain-free exercises like band pull-aparts and light face pulls to strengthen the supporting muscles of the rotator cuff.

How Often to Include Upright Rows in a Routine

Treat the safe dumbbell upright row like any other accessory lift. Including it once per week on your shoulder or push day is plenty. Aim for 3-4 sets in the 12-15 rep range after your main compound presses are completed. Quality over quantity is key.