Is upright row dangerous?

[JamaicaBrah]

Topic

Simple question, i know it is a hell of a good exercise for lateral delts, but i also read that it kills your shoulders(not in a good way, actually kills them)

Can i get some clarification on this? Please and thanks to all who help

[FatAzz]

Lots of people find this and the bnbp harmful to their RCs.

[jocularric]

A shoulder width grip is suggested when performing the upright row. The greater internal rotation required for a close grip upright row decreases the subacromial space (area between the greater tubercle of the humerus and acromioclavicular joint). This may potentially impinge the supraspinatus tendon and the subacromial bursa (a protective sac of fluid cushioning the bone from the tendon). A wider grip allows for more space between the shoulder joint and the head of the humerus allowing for more clearance of the underlying structures. For the same reason, when performing a one arm upright row, keep the elbow pointing directly to the side, instead of angling it slightly to the front. The subacromial space as well as other biomechanical and biometric factors vary from person to person so some individuals may be more prone to complications while others report no problems performing the narrower grip upright row. (ExRx.net)

[-Lucifer]

If you use good form then it's not but that depends from person to person.

[Antz1980]

use good form and don't go too heavy.



If your worried about injury then you shouldn't be in a gym.

[RnR]

narrow grip sucks

wide grip is good. just dont overextend your rom

[crofty22]

varies from person to person, dont base your exercises on what you read about on forums, do what feels right for you

[- sZ -]

find the rom and grip that works best for u. i use a neutral width grip and bring the bar to my lower chest.

[pantera02018]

do em if you can.

i cant. the pain in my shoulders after doing them probably means i should not do them. yea i tried multiple grips..form very wide to very narrow..all same ****

[Tallbill]

I love em, feel no pain. I do them narrow grip for my traps.

[J_Bo]

It took me months to build up to actually being able to do working sets on them. Don't listen to those that say you shouldn't worry about injury. It's better to be a little cautious and lift forever than to be stupid and have to take years off... trust me, i speak from experience.

[maori-rap]

Its definetly the excercise I approach with the most caution, seems to be the most awkward aswell. I use a curl bar, as that way your grip isn't totally horizontal. I tried it with a straight bar and found it put massive pressure on my wrists, seeing as I try and lift it to mid-chest.

[JOHN GARGANI]

all of the responses in this thread are EXCELLENT: everyone has related how, in their experiences, this particular movement was either right, or not right for them.


it also showed how, for the people whom it was right for, how they went about changing it up a bit, to make it comfortable.

This is what must be done for ALL exercises, not just the "dangerous" ones...

every single exercise is potentially dangerous, due to our differences in structure.

[7Forty7]

If your worried about injury then you shouldn't be in a gym.

I know what you're getting at, but this can send the completely wrong message. There's a difference between accepting that the risk of injury during heavy weight training is far higher than other activities... but then there's the attitude that it doesn't matter what you do, injuries are going to happen and you just take them as they come.

Upright rows have caused RC dramas with some people - and this is cause to be careful with them and work out how to best perform the exercise for yourself - or whether you should do them at all. But the above attitude just sounds like would-be hardcore talk. You should ALWAYS be aware of the risk of impending injury - and you SHOULD CARE about it. Call it worrying if you want. That way you'll still be mobile and lifting when you're 50.

[JamaicaBrah]

Wow, thanks alot everyone, i used to do them with a close grip but i would always feel it more in my biceps, but ill try the shoulder width grip and see how i works for me, and i wont move my arms above my shoulders, thanks for the input everyone

And @Antz1980, i know what you mean, but im not one of those hardcore lifters prepared to sacrifice my well being just to lift more weight

Better safe than sorry right

[ilurk]

If your worried about injury then you shouldn't be in a gym.

complete bull****.

worrying about injury and using proper form to ensure you dont injure yourself is extremely important

[Tyciol]

I've more heard of it killing wrists than shoulders.

[Defiant1]

all of the responses in this thread are EXCELLENT: everyone has related how, in their experiences, this particular movement was either right, or not right for them.


it also showed how, for the people whom it was right for, how they went about changing it up a bit, to make it comfortable.

This is what must be done for ALL exercises, not just the "dangerous" ones...

every single exercise is potentially dangerous, due to our differences in structure.

Nice post John.

You are a real asset to the forum.

[shardsofglass]

I've more heard of it killing wrists than shoulders.

It killed my wrists when I went for the highest weight I possibly could. Decided this was not the way to go so dropped the weight, improved my form by decreasing my ROM in the bottom portion of the movement and everything seems good now.

I prefer a narrow grip as well

[labradarep]

Simple solution to decrease wrist & RC impingement.

Use a rope handle on a low pulley.

[Bruteus Maximus]

x2 on rope handles for upright rows. Even if it doesn't hurt your shoulders or wrists, I suggest throwin them in anyways just to mix things up a bit. the fact that its a rope allows you to adjust the ROM throughout the rep for the maximum contraction

[JamaicaBrah]

I dont go to a gym, i workout at home, thanks all the same though

I guess to change it up, ill just do some pyramid sets, or forced reps if my bro is available, lol

[Hard Drive]

If your worried about injury then you shouldn't be in a gym.

No. If you're worried about injury then you should do just that, BE WORRIED.


I start my clients off with light DB upright rows. I let them use whichever form is easier for them at first, narrow or wide grip. I only do it after the shoulders are fatigued, and it's just to train the noobs so that they can 'discover' that muscle group(traps and med delts) so to say, that as they progress into about 2 months we can switch to other exercises, once the basics are down pat and there's a solid foundation to work on.

Light wait and recognising that this NOT an ego lift is pretty much all people need to keep in mind. Some are more predisposed to having impingement than others, but just using a very light wait can make it a good RC exercise on it's own and solidify the shoulders.

[Big Arm Big Pay]

If your worried about injury then you shouldn't be in a gym.

WTF? who isn't worried about injury you should always take caution, you give really bad advice.

[pantera02018]

Simple solution to decrease wrist & RC impingement.

Use a rope handle on a low pulley.

woah never thought of that..ill try this next shoulder day

i guess it would be similar do doing it with dumbells no? maybe better with dumbbells because youll have even more room to adjust your motion to suit your body..

[JamaicaBrah]

Ok thanks again everyone, this is pretty much all the info i need but IF anyone feels the need to contribute anything then you are more than welcome

[Antz1980]

complete bull****.

worrying about injury and using proper form to ensure you dont injure yourself is extremely important

Taken way out of context!


If the BBer is worried about injury it may MENTALLY PREVENT them to achieve the results they need. The idea of gaining muscle is to break down the muscle fibre, then repair it and true, proper form IS essential but i didn't make the comment to dishearten the guy about weight training or gyms as a whole. I've been told this comment by a few ppl over the years (ppl on this forum too!) and it is used for PSYCOLOGICAL PURPOSES.


If you don't follow my drift,it means "The fear of injury will NOT beat me".


Of course the BBer needs correct form and technique but a little mental training never hurt anyone - especially in this sport.

[jshacker2]

I have dislocated my right shoulder three time in sports and have perm. nerve damage. i do this exercise close grip and heavy every week! Absolutely love it. This is an advanced exercise that takes time to get used to so go light till you get used to it. on the other hand dips kill my shoulder so do whats feel good to you.

[spider28]

all excercises are potentialy dangerous if you let your ego control the weight you use, for upright rows just make sure shoulders,wrists and forearms are properly warmed up, i never use them as my first excercise, i generaly leave them for my second last excercise before shrugs

[coloradokevin]

Interesting read...

I can't give an answer that is backed up by any type of scientific opinion here, but I can say that my shoulders are generally my weakest area (military presses and such). For some time now I've had a mostly painless popping sensation in my right shoulder when doing military presses... Don't know what causes it, but it has forced me to proceed very cautiously on overhead type presses.

Nevertheless, I've done upright rows for a while. They've actually never hurt me, and I don't get the "popping" in the shoulder when I do them. I guess it could be argued that they led to the shoulder problem, but the lack of pain in the exercise makes me doubt it. I like upright rows, they give me a good burn in the muscles, and have never hurt me in the joints.

I suppose everyone's results may vary though!