10 Best Barbell Upright Row Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

Ranked Barbell Upright Row Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Upright Row on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. Play demonstration

   1. Scapular Pull-up

   46% match

   • Traps
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   A looser match: it works the traps rather than the delts.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
   2. Retract your shoulder blades by pulling them down and back.
   3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: traps, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
2. Play demonstration

   2. Rear Pull-up

   46% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A looser match: it works the lats rather than the delts.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
   3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
   4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
   5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
3. Play demonstration

   3. Biceps Narrow Pull-ups

   46% match

   • Biceps
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   A looser match: it works the biceps rather than the delts.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing towards you and your hands shoulder-width apart.
   2. Engage your core and pull yourself up towards the bar, focusing on using your biceps to lift your body.
   3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
   4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: biceps, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Upright Row
4. Play demonstration

   4. Biceps Pull-up

   46% match

   • Biceps
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands shoulder-width apart.
   2. Engage your core and pull yourself up by bending your elbows, bringing your chest towards the bar.
   3. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
   4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: biceps, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Upright Row
5. Play demonstration

   5. Chin-ups (Narrow Parallel Grip)

   46% match

   • Upper Back
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   A looser match: it works the upper back rather than the delts.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Hang from a pull-up bar with a narrow parallel grip, palms facing towards you.
   2. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
   3. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: upper back, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Upright Row
6. Play demonstration

   6. Bench Pull-ups

   45% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Position yourself under a bar or a sturdy horizontal surface that is at chest height.
   2. Grab the bar or surface with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   3. Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
   4. Pull your chest towards the bar or surface by squeezing your shoulder blades together and bending your elbows.
   5. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar or surface.
   6. Lower yourself back down to the starting position with control.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Upright Row
7. Play demonstration

   7. Pull-up

   45% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
   2. Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
   3. Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows and bringing your chest towards the bar.
   4. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Upright Row
8. 

   8. Pullups

   45% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
   2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
   3. Pull your torso up until the bar touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
   4. After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
   5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Upright Row
9. Play demonstration

   9. Rocky Pull-up Pulldown

   45% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand in front of a pull-up bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
   2. Reach up and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   3. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
   4. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
   5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, not delts
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
   • Body position: hanging, not standing
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Upright Row
10. Play demonstration

    10. Shoulder Grip Pull-up

    45% match

    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Grab the pull-up bar with a shoulder-width grip, palms facing away from you.
    2. Hang freely with your arms fully extended.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: lats, not delts
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Upright Row