Barbell Shrug vs. Upright Row

Barbell shrugs and upright rows are two weight-training exercises that share a number of similarities. They’re each done from a standing position that begins with you holding a weighted barbell at the front of your thighs. From thereon out, however, the two exercises differentiate and you can determine what muscle groups are involved in each by looking at which joints are moving.

  1. Barbell Shrug Technique

    • The hands are positioned to shoulder width or slightly wider for the barbell shrug. Your palms face your thighs. From there, you keep your arms straight as you elevate your shoulders up toward your ears, lifting them as high as you can. Lower them in a controlled movement down to the starting position and go right into the next repetition. Avoid jerking in an attempt to shrug heavier weights. Another common mistake when performing shrugs is to roll your shoulders instead of lifting them straight up and lowering them straight down.

    Shrug Muscles

    • When you’re shrugging, you’re scapula joints are elevating, which means it slides up your back. This movement is primarily handled by your upper trapezius muscle, which originates at the back of your scull and runs out over the top of each of your shoulders where it inserts at the outer tip of your clavicle. Also assisting in the movement is the middle trapezius and levator scapulae muscles.

    Upright Row

    • When you’re performing the upright row, your hands are set to a more narrow position than when doing barbell shrug. Position them slightly narrower than shoulder width. From this position, pull the bar up toward your neck with your elbows flaring out to the sides. The bar should slide right up the front of your torso. As it nears your chest, allow your wrists to flex. Lower the bar back to the starting position in a controlled motion and immediately repeat.

    Upright Row Muscles

    • Unlike the barbell shrug, the upright row involves joint movement at the shoulders and elbows. As a result, the lateral deltoid, which is the major muscle in the shoulder, is the primary mover during the exercise. It’s responsible for lifting your arms up to the side as you pull the bar up to your neck. A collection of muscles in your arms, including your brachialis, brachioradialis and biceps brachii, work together to bend your elbows. In addition, because of movement occurring at the shoulder, your rotator cuff muscles contract to stabilize your shoulder joints. Because of more joint movements, the upright row recruits a greater number of muscles than the barbell shrug.