10 Best Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row Alternatives for Shoulder Strength
The Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row is done standing with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Left Hook. Boxing and the Handstand Push-up.
Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works
Original Exercise: Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Primary muscle
- Delts
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
Secondary muscles: Traps, Biceps
How to perform Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with an overhand grip.
- Let the dumbbell hang at arm's length in front of your thighs, with your palm facing your body.
- Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, exhale and lift the dumbbell straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbow.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Ranked Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row Alternatives
10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell One Arm 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.
Best match 1. Left Hook. Boxing
63% match- Delts
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the delts with bodyweight alone.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Keep your left hand up to protect your face and your right hand by your chin.
- Rotate your hips and pivot on your left foot as you extend your left arm forward in a punching motion.
- Twist your torso and engage your core muscles to generate power in the punch.
- Snap your arm back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
2. One Arm Towel Row
59% match- Upper Back
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
A looser match: it works the upper back rather than the delts.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Extend your arm fully, allowing the towel to hang in front of you.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: upper back, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
3. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row
58% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
A looser match: it works the lats rather than the delts.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let the dumbbell hang straight down in front of you, with your arm fully extended.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a towel in front of you with both hands.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly release the tension and return 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 free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
7. Elevator
50% match- Upper Back
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Place your hands on your hips or cross them in front of your chest.
- Keeping your back straight, slowly bend forward at the waist, lowering your upper body towards the ground.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly raise your upper body back up 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: upper back, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Extend your arms straight in front of you, gripping the bar or handles with a close grip.
- Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release and return 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: lats, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
9. Bodyweight Standing Row
49% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Grasp a bar or handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Keep your back straight and core engaged.
- Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
- Slowly release and extend your arms back 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: lats, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
10. Handstand Push-up
46% match- Delts
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Find a wall and face away from it, standing a few feet away.
- Place your hands on the ground shoulder-width apart and kick your feet up against the wall, coming into a handstand position.
- Bend your elbows and lower your head towards the ground, keeping your body in a straight line.
- Push through your hands and extend your arms to return 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: delts, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: inverted, not standing
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row
Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row FAQ
What muscles does Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row work?
The one-arm upright row primarily targets the deltoids, especially the lateral head, while recruiting the upper trapezius and biceps as synergists. The movement combines shoulder abduction/scapular elevation mechanics, so scapular stabilizers and rotator cuff muscles assist to control the humeral head.
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