The EZ bar upright row has been performed by many gym enthusiasts and famous Olympic gold medalists, I’m pretty sure.
Well, the biceps are not the primary muscle group that upright row targets, but you can still get the most out of this exercise for your biceps.
Many folks don’t like to do this exercise because they think that upright rowing is dangerous, but if performed correctly, you can do this exercise without any hesitation.
So to show you the right moves for the upright row, we covered everything from how to do the EZ bar upright row to common mistakes so you feel confident about adding it to your arm day routine.
Ez Bar Upright Row Muscles Worked
Executing the upright row with an EZ bar provides a versatile angle to target multiple muscles.
This exercise primarily engages your side shoulders and upper back muscles due to the upright pulling motion, which places significant tension on these areas.
Additionally, it activates your front shoulders, both short and long heads of the biceps, forearms, and lower back.
When performed with proper technique, the upright row can effectively contribute to the development of your overall upper body strength and muscularity.
How to Do EZ Bar Upright Row
Equipment: EZ bar
Grip: Shoulder Width Apart/Pronated Grip
Primary Muscle Work: Side Delts, Traps
How to Do
- Stand tall with your chest up and grab an EZ bar. Hold it with your hands shoulder-width apart. Keep your elbow slightly bent.
- Now bring your elbows up, stopping around the high chest area, then lower them back down.
- Do this for about 10 to 15 reps, and repeat for however many sets you feel comfortable with based on your strength level.
Pro Tips
- Prevents injury: In order to save your shoulders from getting injured, lean forward slightly.
- Better muscle engagement: Use an EZ bar. With a barbell, you’re not going to hit as many muscles, and you can also go high enough to hit different muscles.
- Risk reduction: Don’t use heavy weights to get better results; it will increase the risk of injury.
- Injury caution: Don’t do this exercise if you already have a shoulder or bicep injury.
EZ Bar Upright Row Benefits
Upright rows offer numerous benefits for your upper body, but four stand out prominently.
Upper Back Engagement
EZ bar upright rows are effective in engaging the upper back, particularly the trapezius muscles, through several key mechanisms.
As you lift the EZ bar towards your chin, the movement prompts scapular retraction, where your shoulder blades pull together.
This action activates the middle and upper fibers of the trapezius, promoting strength and development in these areas of the upper back.
Additionally, the exercise involves shoulder extension, where the shoulders move backward as you raise the bar, further engaging the upper traps and contributing to improved posture and stability in the upper back.
Functional Strength
EZ bar upright rows elevate functional strength by engaging essential muscles vital for daily activities and sports movements.
Focusing on the shoulders and upper back, this exercise enhances shoulder stability, mobility, and strength.
These improvements translate to enhanced performance in tasks such as lifting overhead and maintaining optimal posture, as well as in sports that demand robust and stable shoulder movements.
Ultimately, this exercise cultivates enhanced upper body coordination and balance, refining functional movement patterns for both everyday activities and athletic pursuits.
Strengthens Shoulders and Traps
The EZ bar upright row is one of those movements that should be incorporated into strength training because of the following advantages: First, it is very useful for training such muscles as shoulders and traps.
The upward pulling motion fundamental to all the exercises would directly call into play these muscle groups and, in the process, facilitate hypertrophy of the upper body pull, leading to an increase in the power of the upper body.
This means they will likely perform better in other exercises and daily tasks involving the shoulder muscles.
Boosts Strength for Pulling Activities
More so, this exercise is quite beneficial, especially to those who engage in activities involving a lot of pulling, such as rowing, rock climbing, or wrestling.
Like these movements, the EZ bar upright row also brings about the internal rotations that are helpful in the development of the requisite sport-specific strength and power.
First, it needs to be pointed out that this kind of exercise is not only for professional athletes but also for anyone experiencing a certain level of functionality.
The functional strength built through the performance of this exercise will make lifting and carrying more secure and simple.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The EZ bar upright row is a useful movement in the gym but should be done correctly to maximize benefits and reduce the risk of injury.
Using a Narrow Grip
While holding the bar with a close grip might seem like a good idea to work other muscles from a different angle, it actually has some drawbacks.
Performing upright rows with a close grip puts negative pressure on your wrist joints, as lifting the bar with a close hand position excessively bends your wrists.
This can have a negative impact on your wrist joints.
Additionally, it could hinder your performance due to the discomfort it causes.
Lifting the Bar Too High
You might think that lifting the bar higher will activate more muscles during the EZ bar upright row, but this can actually be counterproductive.
While lifting the bar higher might engage some other muscles, it can prevent you from completing the recommended number of reps and increase the risk of injury.
To get the most benefit from the EZ bar upright row, it’s crucial to maintain proper form.
When you lift the bar, it should align with your chest at the top of the movement. You shouldn’t lift the bar above chest level.
Going higher can strain your shoulders and other muscles unnecessarily, potentially leading to injury.
Keeping the bar at chest level ensures you target the correct muscles effectively and safely, promoting optimal muscle growth and minimizing the risk of injury.
Remember, proper form and controlled movements are more important than lifting heavier or higher to maximize your workout results.
Ignoring Pain
If you feel any unnecessary pain in your shoulders or biceps, don’t think that it’s just regular muscle tension. It’s actually the opposite!
Experiencing unusual pain could mean you’re doing something wrong.
You might need to adjust your form or stop the exercise altogether to prevent injury.
Ignoring this pain and continuing with improper form can lead to more severe issues, so it’s crucial to pay attention to your body’s signals and make the necessary adjustments.
Using Excessive Weight
Common mistakes include lifting weights that are too heavy for the body. This, in turn, leads to poor form and increases the excess stress on the shoulder joint structures.
The effects of this mistake are as follows: the chances of straining the rotator cuff muscles and decreased muscle contractions.
To prevent this, it is advised to use lighter weights and gradually add the pounds with great adherence to the correct body postures.
Swinging or Using Momentum
Many people need to learn to transfer the weight onto the bar without using their body properly for a lift.
One tends to lean back or swing the bar. This makes the exercise useless and may cause tension in the lower back.
Avoid slouching while carrying out the exercises; avoid hurried movements.
The force to hit the ball should originate from your shoulders and traps, not your legs swinging.
Alternative
- Bent-Over Barbell Row
- Seated Cable Row
Bent-Over Barbell Row
The bent over barbell row is an excellent exercise to train your upper body.
All you need is a barbell, making it convenient to perform anywhere.
This exercise targets your biceps, lower back, and upper back muscles.
If you’re looking to grow your biceps with this exercise, using a supinated grip can specifically target your biceps.
Overall, the bent over barbell row can help you gain muscle and increase your overall strength.
Seated Cable Row
The seated cable row is another great alternative to the upright row.
This exercise is performed while seated, pulling the cable toward your body and working your back muscles with more ease.
The primary muscles targeted are the lats, traps, rear delts, and rhomboids.
As a pull-type movement, it engages these muscle groups first, all of which are located on your back.
Additionally, your core and biceps are activated during the exercise.
The seated cable row can also improve your sitting posture, as you need to maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
Variation
- Dumbbell Upright Row
- Arnold Press
Dumbbell Upright Row
Using dumbbells to execute an upright row offers greater freedom of movement since you have a separate weight in each hand.
This advantage means you don’t have to worry about your elbows touching your body, allowing you to target all the muscles properly and execute the exercise with perfect form.
The primary muscles activated during this exercise are the shoulders and upper back, with a particular focus on the deltoids and traps.
This makes the upright row an excellent choice for building upper-body strength and improving overall muscle balance.
Arnold Press
The Arnold Press is a versatile and effective shoulder exercise that targets multiple muscle groups in a single movement.
Starting with the dumbbells in front of your shoulders, your palms facing you, and your elbows bent, you press the weights overhead while rotating your palms outward.
This dynamic motion engages not just the deltoids but also the triceps and upper chest.
By combining a press with a rotation, the Arnold Press helps improve shoulder strength and stability.
Wrap Up
In today’s scenario, the EZ bar upright row has turned out to be a lethal exercise for building shoulder and trap muscles.
If and when done appropriately, it has value-added impacts on the upper body’s physical appearance and muscular strength.
However, the correct form and knowing the typical flaws present in most individuals should be taken into account to get the most out of the exercise and prevent injuries.
Regarding the EZ bar upright row, the principle of isometrics applies in the sense that the more controlled the movements, the better one’s chances are of success with the exercise, and adopting a gradually progressive approach will help considerably in this regard.
Warm up with dumbbells so that you have better technique for lifting before putting on the weight. Here, variations and alternative exercises are handy so that the programs do not become monotonous and the muscles are developed in different directions.
FAQs
What is the Difference Between Upright Row Straight and EZ Bar?
When you use a straight bar, you’re working certain muscles, like the long head and short head. But with an EZ bar, it’s a bit different. The EZ bar lets you target multiple muscle groups, like the biceps and forearms, all at once. This is because the angled grip of the EZ bar can change the position of the wrists and elbows, giving you more opportunities to target more muscles.
Since it is a guide, can novices do the EZ bar upright row?
Of course, this is an exercise that beginners can also do, but care should be taken to start with small weights, and the correct form should be followed. It may be helpful to consult a personal trainer to ensure you have the proper form.
What position should I raise the bar during the EZ bar upright row?
In general, the bar should be pulled to the vicinity of the chest or until the subject’s elbows are positioned at least centimeters higher than the shoulders. Performing pullovers with the bar and pulling it over the head may lead to shoulder impingement.
Featured image by Getty Images edited by SA
