Proper Exercise Executions: Upright Rows Exercise and Proper Form

Performance Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip and your hands about two thumb widths apart. Keep a slight bend in your knees as you contract your abs. flatten your back and pull the bar from an arms-extended position to a point just beneath your chin. Keep your eyes focused straight ahead and the bar close to your torso throughout the movement. At the top of the range of motion raise your elbows high and pause. Pause again at the bottom of each rep. Exhale as you pull the bar up and inhale as you lower it.

Kineslological Analysis

The upright row is a good multi joint upper-body exercise that works the shoulders, upper back and neck. Many bodybuilders try to handle too much weight and fail to pause for a full second at the top of the movement. To compensate for the excessive weight, they swing the bar in a circular fashion, thrust their hips, straighten their knees or stand on their toes to recruit extra muscles. As you might guess, this won't help shoulder strength and may make your back and elbows sore. Use less weight until you can do the exercise in a controlled manner. Perfect technique will maximize safety as well as gains in strength and size.

Warmup

Your deltoid and neck muscles are the most vulnerable to injury during the upright row. Your forearm muscles- especially your brachio-radialis-are also susceptible to irritation or pulls. Do light neck and shoulder stretches to help loosen the trapezius and deltoid muscles prior to lifting Also do some light forearm work and warmup sets of upright rows before beginning your heavy sets.

Do's and Dont's:

» Do raise your elbows high.

» Do lift the bar smoothly and keep it close to your chest.

» Do pull the bar to a point just beneath your chin and pause.

» Do slowly return the bar to the starting position.



» Don't rock forward or backward.

» Don't bounce or recoil.

» Don't swing the bar in a circular motion.

» Don't stand on your toes or lock your knees.