Cable Upright Row

What is the Cable Upright Row?

The cable upright row pulls a handle or bar straight up the front of the body from a low pulley, leading with the elbows to about chest height. The cable keeps constant tension up the whole path, so the side delts and traps stay loaded from the bottom, making it a smoother, often more shoulder-friendly take on the upright row than a free barbell.

Muscles worked

Primary: Shoulders

The side (lateral) deltoid drives the upper arms up and out as the elbows lead the handle upward toward chest height.

Secondary: Traps, Biceps

The traps assist by elevating the shoulder blades, and the biceps help flex the elbows as the handle rises.

How to perform the Cable Upright Row

1. Set a low pulley with a straight or EZ bar and stand facing the stack, holding the bar at thigh height with a shoulder-width grip.
2. The cable keeps steady upward tension from the bottom, unlike a barbell that is lightest at the start of the pull.
3. Keep the chest tall and the bar close to the body as you begin.
4. Pull the bar up along the torso by driving the elbows up and out to the sides.
5. Stop the bar around lower-chest height; taking the elbows above the shoulders risks shoulder impingement.
6. Lower the bar under control against the cable back down to thigh height before the next rep.

Suggested working range: 10–15 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Mechanics

A side-delt-and-trap isolation performed on a cable: the handle travels straight up the front of the torso as the elbows rise and flare out to the sides against constant cable tension. Leading with the elbows above the hands keeps the side delts and traps working, and the cable, unlike a barbell, keeps the load on from the very bottom of the pull.

Form cues

• •Set a low pulley and stand close so the cable runs straight up the front of your body.
• •Lead with the elbows, keeping them above the hands and driving them out to the sides.
• •Stop when the upper arms reach about parallel to the floor rather than yanking to the chin.
• •Lower under control against the cable down the front of the body each rep.

Common mistakes

• •Pulling the elbows above the shoulders, which pushes the shoulder into impingement.
• •Leaning back to heave the bar up with momentum rather than driving the elbows.
• •Letting the bar drift away from the body instead of tracking it up the torso.
• •Letting the stack yank the bar back down without controlling the descent.

Variations & alternatives

• •Barbell upright row: the free-weight version, heavier but with a fading bottom.
• •Dumbbell upright row: independent arms and a more forgiving path for the wrists.
• •Lateral raise: an alternative side-delt builder with less shoulder-joint stress.
• •Face pull: trades the vertical pull for a rear-delt and upper-back move if uprights bother you.

Overhead Press

Shoulders · Barbell

Dumbbell Overhead Press

Shoulders · Dumbbell

Lateral Raise

Shoulders · Dumbbell

Cable Lateral Raise

Shoulders · Cable

Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders · Dumbbell

Programming: sets, reps & when to use it

Train the cable upright row as a side-delt and trap accessory in the library’s 10–15 rep range with a moderate load you can pull cleanly. The constant cable tension makes it a good higher-rep option; stop the pull around chest height, keep the reps controlled, and if the shoulders feel pinched, widen the grip or switch to lateral raises.

Frequently asked questions