Shoulder Exercises With a Vertical Row

Your shoulders are a ball and socket joint, which gives them the ability to move in many directions. Any strength-training workout for your shoulders should use this movement ability to your advantage. The vertical row, most commonly known as an upright row, is one way to target your deltoids using a variety of training tools.

  1. Upright Row

    • The vertical row is performed in a standing position with your feet at shoulder-width apart. Your arms begin in a straight position with your hands on the front of your thighs and your palms facing your legs. As you exhale, bend and raise your elbows as your hands travel up your torso to chest height. Lead with your elbows and keep them above your hands. For safety purposes, raise your elbows only to the height of your shoulders. Inhale, straighten your arms and return to the starting position.

    Equipment Variations

    • Add resistance to your upright row by holding onto a dumbbell in each hand. Or, stand in the middle of a resistance band, cross the band in front of you and hold onto a handle in each hand. Other tools to provide resistance include barbells, dumbbells, cable machines, a Smith machine or kettlebells. Use the type of resistance that is comfortable for you and a weight that fatigues your muscles. For example, if holding onto a barbell with two hands is uncomfortable on your wrists, hold a dumbbell in each hand instead.

    Workout Guidelines

    • Select your desired resistance and add your upright rows to your total-body workout routine, or to the days you do your shoulder exercises. Perform one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. The weight you select should cause muscle fatigue on your final two repetitions of each set. It should also take at least 60 seconds of rest before you're ready to perform your next set.

    Safety

    • Regardless of the training tool you choose for your vertical rows, keep your hands positioned at shoulder width to reduce your risk of shoulder impingement. Stand tall with your back straight, stomach pulled in, chest high and shoulders pulled down away from your ears as you do the upright row. Keep your hands as close to your torso as possible throughout the lifting and lowering phase of the row.