10 Best Cable Upright Row Alternatives for Shoulder Strength
The Cable Upright Row is done standing with a cable machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Scapular Pull-up, the Rear Pull-up and Bench Pull-ups.
Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works
Original Exercise: Cable Upright Row
- Primary muscle
- Delts
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
Secondary muscles: Traps, Biceps
How to perform Cable Upright Row
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold the cable attachment with an overhand grip.
- Keep your back straight and your core engaged throughout the exercise.
- Pull the cable attachment straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Slowly lower the cable attachment back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Ranked Cable Upright Row Alternatives
10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Cable 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. Scapular Pull-up
52% match- Traps
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Isolation
A looser match: it works the traps rather than the delts.
How to perform this exercise
- Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
- Retract your shoulder blades by pulling them down and back.
- Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
2. Rear Pull-up
52% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
A looser match: it works the lats rather than the delts.
How to perform this exercise
- Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
- Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
3. Bench Pull-ups
51% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Position yourself under a bar or a sturdy horizontal surface that is at chest height.
- Grab the bar or surface with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
- Pull your chest towards the bar or surface by squeezing your shoulder blades together and bending your elbows.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar or surface.
- Lower yourself back down to the starting position with control.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Upright Row
4. Pull Up (Neutral Grip)
51% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Hang from a pull-up bar with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and your arms fully extended.
- Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows and driving your elbows down towards your hips.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position with control.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Upright Row
5. Pull-up
51% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
- Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows and bringing your chest towards the bar.
- Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Upright Row
6. Pullups
51% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Upright Row
7. Rocky Pull-up Pulldown
51% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand in front of a pull-up bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Reach up and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
- Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Upright Row
8. Shoulder Grip Pull-up
51% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Grab the pull-up bar with a shoulder-width grip, palms facing away from you.
- Hang freely with your arms fully extended.
- Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Upright Row
9. Wide Grip Pull-up
51% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar.
- Lower your body back down to the starting position with control.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Upright Row
10. Wide-grip Rear Pull-up
51% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using a wide grip.
- As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar, bring your torso forward and head so that there is an imaginary line from the pull-up bar to the back of your neck. This is your starting position.
- Pull your torso up until the bar is near the back of your neck. To do this, draw the shoulders and upper arms down and back while slightly leaning your head forward. 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.
- 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.
- 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 a cable
- Body position: hanging, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Upright Row
Cable Upright Row FAQ
What muscles does Cable Upright Row work?
The Cable Upright Row primarily targets the lateral deltoid and upper trapezius, with secondary activation of the anterior deltoid and biceps. The movement elevates the humerus and scapula, so you also engage the serratus and rotator cuff to stabilize overhead mechanics.
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