10 Best Smith Upright Row Alternatives for Shoulder Strength
If you can’t use the Smith-machine upright row, choose dumbbell upright rows, barbell upright rows, cable upright rows, dumbbell lateral raises, or face pulls to hit the delts. Cue: lead with your elbows, keep the torso tall, and stop at chest height to emphasize lateral deltoid activation while minimizing scapular impingement.
Original Exercise: Smith Upright Row
How to Perform Smith Upright Row
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing the smith machine.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the barbell up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Smith Upright Row Alternatives
1. Dumbbell Upright Row
88.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
- Let the dumbbells hang in front of your thighs, with your arms fully extended.
- Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, exhale and lift the dumbbells straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Dumbbell Upright Row (back Pov)
81.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
- Let the dumbbells hang in front of your thighs, with your arms fully extended and your palms facing your body.
- Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, exhale and lift the dumbbells straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
- Continue lifting until the dumbbells are at shoulder height, with your elbows pointing out to the sides.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
3. Band Front Raise
79.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band in front of your thighs with your palms facing down.
- Keep your arms straight and slowly raise them forward until they are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Dumbbell Scaption
79.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- This corrective exercise strengthens the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blade. Hold a light weight in each hand, hanging at your sides. Your thumbs should pointing up.
- Begin the movement raising your arms out in front of you, about 30 degrees off center. Your arms should be fully extended as you perform the movement.
- Continue until your arms are parallel to the ground, and then return to the starting position.
5. Dumbbell Standing Around World
78.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Extend your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing down.
- Keeping your arms straight, slowly rotate your arms in a circular motion, bringing the dumbbells in front of your body and then overhead.
- Continue the circular motion, bringing the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Arm Circles
77.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up and extend your arms straight out by the sides. The arms should be parallel to the floor and perpendicular (90-degree angle) to your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Slowly start to make circles of about 1 foot in diameter with each outstretched arm. Breathe normally as you perform the movement.
- Continue the circular motion of the outstretched arms for about ten seconds. Then reverse the movement, going the opposite direction.
7. Crucifix
77% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- In the crucifix, you statically hold weights out to the side for time. While the event can be practiced using dumbbells, it is best to practice with one of the various implements used, such as axes and hammers, as it feels different.
- Begin standing, and raise your arms out to the side holding the implements. Your arms should be parallel to the ground. In competition, judges or sensors are used to let you know when you break parallel. Hold for as long as you can. Typically, the weights should be heavy enough that you fail in 30-60 seconds.
8. Dumbbell Incline Raise
76.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
- Lean back on the bench and raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, palms facing forward.
- Keeping your back against the bench, exhale and raise the dumbbells above your head, fully extending your arms.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Band Front Lateral Raise
75.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band in front of your thighs with your palms facing down.
- Keep your arms straight and lift the band up in front of you until your arms are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the band back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
75.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
- Keep your back straight and engage your core.
- Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Smith Upright Row Alternative
People swap the Smith upright row for several reasons: shoulder pain during the lift, limited gym equipment, or a desire for cleaner biomechanics. The fixed bar path of the Smith can force an elevated shoulder position that increases subacromial compression for some lifters. Substitutes let you change elbow angle, range of motion, or plane of movement to load the lateral deltoid and posterior cuff while reducing impingement. For example, a dumbbell upright row lets each shoulder track naturally, and a face pull shifts emphasis to external rotators and scapular stabilizers. Use controlled tempo and stop short of full elevation to protect the rotator cuff.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Decide based on your goal, equipment, and injury history. For pure delt mass choose heavy dumbbell or barbell upright rows with elbows leading and a compact ROM; for scapular control and posterior cuff strength pick face pulls with high repetitions and full scapular retraction. If you lack free weights, use cables to maintain constant tension and set the pulley height to control elbow flare. If you have impingement history, prioritize lateral raises or face pulls with strict technique—humerus abducted ~30 degrees and neutral rotation—to reduce subacromial contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Smith Upright Row work?
The Smith upright row primarily targets the lateral deltoid and upper trapezius, with secondary activation of the anterior deltoid and biceps brachii. Biomechanically it combines shoulder abduction and elevation; cue a high-elbow pull to bias the lateral deltoid while keeping scapular motion controlled.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Smith Upright Row?
A strict pike push-up is the best bodyweight substitute to load the delts and train vertical pressing mechanics; position your hips high and drive the head toward the floor while adducting the scapula to engage the lateral and anterior deltoids. If you need more posterior shoulder work, use bodyweight face-pull progressions with a towel around a sturdy post for scapular retraction cues.
Can I build muscle without doing Smith Upright Row?
Yes. You can build shoulder mass using free-weight upright rows, lateral raises, overhead presses, and cable variations that load the delts through targeted ranges. Prioritize progressive overload, proper elbow tracking, and exercise selection that preserves scapular mechanics to maximize hypertrophy without the Smith-machine version.
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