Upright Cable Row

How to do the Upright Cable Row

1. Grasp a straight bar cable attachment that is attached to a low pulley with a pronated (palms facing your thighs) grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. The bar should be resting on top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.
2. Use your side shoulders to lift the cable bar as you exhale. The bar should be close to the body as you move it up. Continue to lift it until it nearly touches your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the bar, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
3. Lower the bar back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	traps
Secondary	shoulders
Equipment	cable machine
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No cable machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Upright Row - With Bands Resistance Bands Standing Dumbbell Upright Row Dumbbell Kettlebell Sumo High Pull Kettlebell Scapular Pull-Up Bodyweight Dumbbell Shrug Dumbbell Smith Machine Upright Row Machine

Easier than the Upright Cable Row

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Smith Machine Upright Row beginner · Machine Standing Dumbbell Upright Row beginner · Dumbbell Upright Row - With Bands beginner · Resistance Bands

Superset the Upright Cable Row with

Opposing chest work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Flat Bench Cable Flyes chest Incline Cable Flye chest Cable Chest Press chest Incline Cable Chest Press chest

Common questions

What muscles does the Upright Cable Row work?

The Upright Cable Row primarily works the traps, with the shoulders as secondary movers. Kettlebell Sumo High Pull, Smith Machine Upright Row, and Standing Dumbbell Upright Row train the same muscle, across 7 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Upright Cable Row?

A Cable Machine. Without a cable machine, Upright Row - With Bands, Standing Dumbbell Upright Row, and Kettlebell Sumo High Pull train the same muscle, and 1 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Upright Cable Row suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Smith Machine Upright Row, Standing Dumbbell Upright Row, and Upright Row - With Bands and work up.

Where should the Upright Cable Row go in a workout?

Early — the Upright Cable Row is compound, working 2 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Flat Bench Cable Flyes and Incline Cable Flye later.

Similar exercises

Kettlebell Sumo High Pull Kettlebell Smith Machine Upright Row Machine Standing Dumbbell Upright Row Dumbbell Upright Row - With Bands Resistance Bands Clean Shrug Barbell Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug Machine