Upright Row (Dumbbell)
The Dumbbell Upright Row is a compound upper-body exercise that primarily targets the lateral deltoids and upper trapezius. It involves pulling weights vertically along the front of the body to build shoulder width and upper back thickness.
Iridium assigns volume from this exercise to both the lateral deltoids and upper trapezius, ensuring your total sets remain within your Maximum Recoverable Volume landmarks for each group. The system reviews your 7-day training history to confirm these specific muscles are recovered enough for vertical pulling before programming this movement. RPE tracking is then used to govern progressive overload, ensuring the intensity drives hypertrophy without interfering with recovery for your primary compound lifts.
Form Cues
- Lead the movement by driving your elbows high and wide
- Keep the dumbbells close to your torso throughout the lift
- Maintain a slight bend in your knees and a neutral spine
- Control the lowering phase for a full 2-3 seconds
- Don't pull the elbows higher than shoulder level
- Don't swing your hips to generate momentum
- Don't let the dumbbells drift forward away from your body
- Don't shrug your shoulders up before pulling
Common Mistakes
- Raising elbows above shoulder height
- Using excessive weight and swinging
- Curling the wrists inward at the top
- Rounding the upper back
- Jerking the weight off the thighs
Muscles Worked
This movement is highly effective for developing the 'yoke' of the upper body, specifically hitting the lateral head of the deltoid and the upper trapezius fibers. It also recruits the biceps and forearms as secondary stabilizers to maintain grip and control the vertical path of the weight.
Primary
Secondary
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