Upright Row

Setup

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing your thighs. Let your arms hang straight down in front of your body with a slight bend in your elbows.

How to do it

1. Pull the dumbbells straight up along your body, leading with your elbows until they reach shoulder height
2. Keep the dumbbells close to your torso throughout the entire movement
3. Drive your elbows up and out to the sides, keeping them higher than your wrists
4. Pause briefly at the top when your elbows are at shoulder level
5. Lower the dumbbells back down with control to the starting position

Watch out for

• ✗Pulling the elbows too high above shoulder level, which can cause shoulder impingement
• ✗Using momentum by swinging the body or leaning backward instead of controlled lifting
• ✗Allowing the dumbbells to drift away from the body instead of keeping them close