Combining Upright Row With Shoulder Press

Both the upright row and shoulder press primarily target the major muscle in the shoulders. By combining these two exercises into one fluid movement, you can quickly overload and develop the shoulders. The upright row element of the exercise does place the shoulder in a susceptible position and can lead to shoulder pain and possibly injury.

  1. Exercise Technique

    • Upright row with shoulder press can be performed with either a barbell or a pair of dumbbells. Stand with your arms hanging down in front of your legs with your palms facing your thighs. If you’re using a barbell, position your hands so that they’re shoulder-width apart. Pull the weights up the front of your torso toward your clavicle. As you row the weight, your elbows should flare out to your sides. Once the weight gets to your upper chest, rotate your wrists around the bar so that your elbows move underneath your hands. Press the weight overhead until your arms are fully extended.

    Upright Row Muscles

    • The upright row component of the exercise involves shoulder abduction and elbow flexion. Handling shoulder abduction is the lateral deltoid, which is the middle area of the major muscle in the shoulder. Elbow flexion is handled by a collection of muscles in your arm, including the brachialis, brachioradialis and biceps brachii. In addition, your trapezius controls movement at your scapula.

    Shoulder Press Muscles

    • During shoulder press, your shoulder performs flexion and your elbows. The anterior deltoid, which is the front area of your major shoulder muscle, is responsible for flexing your shoulder, which means it lifts it in front of you. Extending your elbow is your triceps brachii at the back of your upper arm. Your trapezius contributes by elevating the scapula.

    Considerations

    • The upright row places an abnormal amount of stress on the shoulder joints, according to Bodybuilding.com. Upright rows require you to row the weight up to your upper chest while your shoulders are placed in an internally rotated position. As you do this, one of the tendons of a rotator cuff muscle can get pinched. This causes irritation and then inflammation, furthering the problem. If you feel pain or tingling in your shoulders, perform the exercise while using a wider grip. If you still feel discomfort, avoid incorporating upright row into your workouts. You can safely develop the shoulders, triceps and biceps by completing biceps curl to shoulder press.