10 Best Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row Alternatives for Shoulder Development

Ranked Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Wide-grip 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. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Barbell Upright Row

   98% match

   • Delts
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   The same equipment, taken with an overhand grip.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   2. Let the barbell hang in front of your thighs, arms fully extended.
   3. Keeping your back straight and core engaged, exhale and lift the barbell straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the barbell 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: delts, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
2. Play demonstration

   2. Cable Upright Row

   75% match

   • Delts
   • Cable
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the delts.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold the cable attachment with an overhand grip.
   2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged throughout the exercise.
   3. Pull the cable attachment straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
   5. Slowly lower the cable attachment back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Equipment: a cable, not free weights
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
3. 

   Progression

   3. Snatch From Blocks

   73% match

   • Quads
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the quads rather than the delts.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Begin with a loaded barbell on boxes or stands of the desired height. A wide grip should be taken on the bar. The feet should be directly below the hips, with the feet turned out as needed. Lower the hips, with the chest up and the head looking forward. The shoulders should be just in front of the bar, with the elbows pointed out. This will be the starting position.
   2. Begin the first pull by driving through the front of the heels, raising the bar from the boxes.
   3. Transition into the second pull by extending through the hips knees and ankles, driving the bar up as quickly as possible. The bar should be close to the body. At peak extension, shrug the shoulders and allow the elbows to flex to the side.
   4. As you move your feet into the receiving position, forcefully pull yourself below the bar as you elevate the bar overhead. The feet should move to just outside the hips, turned out as necessary. Receive the bar with your body as low as possible and the arms fully extended overhead.
   5. Keeping the bar aligned over the front of the heels, your head and chest up, drive through heels of the feet to move to a standing position. Carefully return the weight to the boxes.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: quads, not delts
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
4. 

   Progression

   4. Hang Snatch - Below Knees

   70% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the hamstrings rather than the delts.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Begin with a wide grip on the bar, with an overhand or hook grip. The feet should be directly below the hips with the feet turned out. Your knees should be slightly bent, and the torso inclined forward. The spine should be fully extended and the head facing forward. The bar should be just below the knees. This will be your starting position.
   2. Aggressively extend through the legs and hips. At peak extension, shrug the shoulders and allow the elbows to flex to the side.
   3. As you move your feet into the receiving position, forcefully pull yourself below the bar as you elevate the bar overhead. Receive the bar with your body as low as possible and the arms fully extended overhead.
   4. Return to a standing position with the weight overhead, and then return the weight to the floor under control.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, not delts
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
5. Play demonstration

   5. Kettlebell Sumo High Pull

   69% match

   • Traps
   • Kettlebell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

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

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outwards.
   2. Hold a kettlebell with both hands in front of your body, arms extended downwards.
   3. Bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat position, keeping your back straight.
   4. Drive through your heels and explosively extend your hips and knees, pulling the kettlebell up towards your chin.
   5. As you pull the kettlebell up, keep your elbows high and wide, and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
   6. Lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: traps, not delts
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
6. 

   Progression

   6. Snatch

   67% match

   • Quads
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Place your feet at a shoulder width stance with the barbell resting right above the connection between the toes and the rest of the foot.
   2. With a palms facing down grip, bend at the knees and keeping the back flat grab the bar using a wider than shoulder width grip. Bring the hips down and make sure that your body drops as if you were going to sit on a chair. This will be your starting position.
   3. Start pushing the floor as if it were a moving platform with your feet and simultaneously start lifting the barbell keeping it close to your legs.
   4. As the bar reaches the middle of your thighs, push the floor with your legs and lift your body to a complete extension in an explosive motion.
   5. Lift your shoulders back in a shrugging movement as you bring the bar up while lifting your elbows out to the side and keeping them above the bar for as long as possible.
   6. Now in a very quick but powerful motion, you have to get your body under the barbell when it has reached a high enough point where it can be controlled and drop while locking your arms and holding the barbell overhead as you assume a squat position.
   7. Finalize the movement by rising up out of the squat position to finish the lift. At the end of the lift both feet should be on line and the arms fully extended holding the barbell overhead.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: quads, not delts
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
7. Play demonstration

   7. Barbell Standing Bradford Press

   66% match

   • Delts
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   It still works the delts, through a different movement.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip.
   2. Press the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms.
   3. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
   4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
8. 

   8. Bottoms-up Clean From The Hang Position

   66% match

   • Forearms
   • Kettlebell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Initiate the exercise by standing upright with a kettlebell in one hand.
   2. Swing the kettlebell back forcefully and then reverse the motion forcefully. Crush the kettlebell handle as hard as possible and raise the kettlebell to your shoulder.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps on each side.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: forearms, not delts
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
9. 

   Progression

   9. Hang Snatch

   66% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Begin with a wide grip on the bar, with an overhand or hook grip. The feet should be directly below the hips with the feet turned out. Your knees should be slightly bent, and the torso inclined forward. The spine should be fully extended and the head facing forward. The bar should be at the hips. This will be your starting position.
   2. Aggressively extend through the legs and hips. At peak extension, shrug the shoulders and allow the elbows to flex to the side.
   3. As you move your feet into the receiving position, forcefully pull yourself below the bar as you elevate the bar overhead. Receive the bar with your body as low as possible and the arms fully extended overhead.
   4. Return to a standing position with the weight overhead. Follow by returning the weight to the ground under control.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, not delts
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
10. 

    Progression

    10. Muscle Snatch

    66% match

    • Hamstrings
    • Barbell
    • Advanced
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Begin with a loaded barbell held at the mid thigh position with a wide grip. The feet should be directly below the hips, with the feet turned out as needed. Lower the hips, with the chest up and the head looking forward. The shoulders should be just in front of the bar. This will be the starting position.
    2. Begin the pull by driving through the front of the heels, raising the bar. Transition into the second pull by extending through the hips knees and ankles, driving the bar up as quickly as possible. The bar should be close to the body.
    3. Continue raising the bar to the overhead position, without rebending the knees.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, not delts
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Wide-grip Upright Row