Upright Rows. Safe?

[Hopper]

What are your thoughts on upright rows? I hear they are harmful to the shoulders and I hear they should be included in every shoulder routine.

Thanks

[Arsenal1986]

Im not too sure how dangerous they are but over on t-nation they seem to be criticised alot and you dont often see them in many new programs out there but having said that they are a decent compound exercise and withstanding the olympic lift variations are one of only three compound shoulder movements (others being Push press an military press) so im sure theres no harm in doing them once in a while....

[Mon]

I hear they are harmful to the shoulders as well. Where did you hear they should be included in every shoulder routine? I don't even do them myself. anymore. I used to, but when I heard they are harmful to the shoulders, I stopped doing them. I am a person that believes just about everything I read because I don't ever want to get injured.

On the other hand, Upright Row Safety at exrx.net
Weight Training Safety and Injury

Even reading that, I still would not do upright rows.

[Arsenal1986]

yeah definity no need to include them in evry shoulder routine military presses and push presses are better

[Flashy]

There's almost no better way to hit your traps. However, the upright row can facilitate impingement of the rotator cuff, specifically the supraspinatus.

If you want to use the upright row in your workout, it's best to maintain a wide-grip on the barbell or E-Z curl bar. Even better, do a one-arm dumbbell row and concentrate on keeping your elbow pointed out to the side, instead of angling as one can tend to do.

Learned all this from a physio, following recovery from a torn R.C.

[Arsenal1986]

would a one arm row not be more of a lats movement?

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Flashy

There's almost no better way to hit your traps. However, the upright row can facilitate impingement of the rotator cuff, specifically the supraspinatus.

If you want to use the upright row in your workout, it's best to maintain a wide-grip on the barbell or E-Z curl bar. Even better, do a one-arm dumbbell row and concentrate on keeping your elbow pointed out to the side, instead of angling as one can tend to do.

What about high-pulls? They seem virtually identical to upright rows, with the exception of using a bit of jump to help move the bar up.

[Mon]

Cynic - Do Face Pulls have almost the same movement as upright rows as well?

[Arsenal1986]

face pulls are more a lower traps rear delt exercise

[Flashy]

Originally Posted by Arsenal1986

would a one arm row not be more of a lats movement?

Well, the upright row is meant to primarily target the lateral deltoid anyway ... but as a compound exercise, it hits the traps.

Originally Posted by Cynic

What about high-pulls? They seem virtually identical to upright rows, with the exception of using a bit of jump to help move the bar up.

Never done those ... they'd be duplication in a workout with cleans, no?

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Flashy

Never done those ... they'd be duplication in a workout with cleans, no?

Yes, they would be.

[Arsenal1986]

when i say lats i mean lattismus dorsi not lateral delts.....are you sure it primarily hits the lateral delts? They traditionally get worked with side raises

[Flashy]

Originally Posted by Arsenal1986

when i say lats i mean lattismus dorsi not lateral delts.....

Sorry ... brain fart ...

I don't see how the lats would be a primary target in a one-arm upright row, although they would be engaged.

[Arsenal1986]

ah sorry now im doing it! thought u meant one arm DB row as in one arm bent over DB row!

[Frank.S]

high pulls you are using mostly momentum from the bottom to bring the weight up. yes, you are holding onto the the weight so you will get some hypertrophy in the traps/shoulders from them.. but nothing like an upright row. Also, in a high pull you are not holding the weight up top, you are just getting it there.

If your going to do them, do them wide grip and dont bring the bar higher then when your elbows are perp. to to ground..

that being said.. what are your trying to accompligh with them? deadlifts/rack deads are probally the best way to hit your upper traps. I also like barbell shrugs at times, but some people are against these because 90% of people do them shitty.

[Frank.S]

ie:

this is an example of a half decent high pull
YouTube - clean high pull 70 side view nov 5

this is an example of a (really) bad high pull
YouTube - high pull 15x50kg

[Flashy]

Originally Posted by Arsenal1986

ah sorry now im doing it! thought u meant one arm DB row as in one arm bent over DB row!

Whew ... I thought I was losing it!

[Flashy]

Originally Posted by Frank.S

high pulls you are using mostly momentum from the bottom to bring the weight up. yes, you are holding onto the the weight so you will get some hypertrophy in the traps/shoulders from them.. but nothing like an upright row. Also, in a high pull you are not holding the weight up top, you are just getting it there.

If your going to do them, do them wide grip and dont bring the bar higher then when your elbows are perp. to to ground..

that being said.. what are your trying to accompligh with them? deadlifts/rack deads are probally the best way to hit your upper traps. I also like barbell shrugs at times, but some people are against these because 90% of people do them shitty.

I must be in that 90%. I never feel like I'm doing shrugs correctly.

[Flashy]

Originally Posted by Frank.S

ie:

this is an example of a half decent high pull
YouTube - clean high pull 70 side view nov 5

this is an example of a (really) bad high pull
YouTube - high pull 15x50kg

That's a lot of weight for a skinny fella!