5 Upright Row - With Bands Alternatives for Shoulder Pain & No Gear

If you can't do Upright Row - With Bands, pick movements that still load the trapezius while reducing shoulder impingement risk or matching available equipment. Try band face pulls, dumbbell shrugs, wide-grip cable rows, high pulls, or bent-over lateral raises. Cue: lead with the elbows and keep the chest lifted to maximize trapezius activation.

Original Exercise: Upright Row - With Bands

Upright Row - With Bands
Primary Muscle
Traps
Equipment
Band
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders
How to Perform Upright Row - With Bands
  1. To begin, stand on an exercise band so that tension begins at arm's length. Grasp the handles using a pronated (palms facing your thighs) grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. The handles should be resting on top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.
  2. Use your side shoulders to lift the handles as you exhale. The handles should be close to the body as you move them up. Continue to lift the handles until they nearly touches your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the handles, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
  3. Lower the handles back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked Upright Row - With Bands Alternatives

Best Match
Upright Cable Row

1. Upright Cable Row

85.2% Match
Traps Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Grasp a straight bar cable attachment that is attached to a low pulley with a pronated (palms facing your thighs) grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. The bar should be resting on top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.
  2. Use your side shoulders to lift the cable bar as you exhale. The bar should be close to the body as you move it up. Continue to lift it until it nearly touches your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the bar, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
  3. Lower the bar back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Scapula Dips

2. Scapula Dips

79.7% Match
Traps Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended in front of you.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Lower your body by bending your elbows and retracting your shoulder blades, as if you are trying to squeeze a pencil between them.
  4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your hands to extend your elbows and return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Snatch Shrug

3. Snatch Shrug

77% Match
Traps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin with a wide grip, with the bar hanging at the mid thigh position. You can use a hook or overhand grip. Your back should be straight and inclined slightly forward.
  2. Shrug your shoulders towards your ears. While this exercise can usually by loaded with heavier weight than a snatch, avoid overloading to the point that the execution slows down.
Lever Gripless Shrug

4. Lever Gripless Shrug

74.9% Match
Traps Lever Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the leverage machine.
  2. Grasp the handles with your palms facing inwards and your arms fully extended.
  3. Keeping your back straight, exhale and elevate your shoulders as high as possible.
  4. Hold the contraction for a brief moment, then inhale and slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Clean Shrug

5. Clean Shrug

71.4% Match
Traps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin with a shoulder width, double overhand or hook grip, with the bar hanging at the mid thigh position. Your back should be straight and inclined slightly forward.
  2. Shrug your shoulders towards your ears. While this exercise can usually by loaded with heavier weight than a clean, avoid overloading to the point that the execution slows down.
Standing Dumbbell Upright Row

6. Standing Dumbbell Upright Row

70.7% Match
Traps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated (palms forward) grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. The dumbbells should be resting on top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.
  2. Use your side shoulders to lift the dumbbells as you exhale. The dumbbells should be close to the body as you move it up and the elbows should drive the motion. Continue to lift them until they nearly touch your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the dumbbells, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
  3. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Smith Back Shrug

7. Smith Back Shrug

68.9% Match
Traps Smith-machine Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Keep your arms straight and allow the barbell to hang in front of your thighs.
  4. Lift your shoulders straight up towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top.
  5. Hold for a moment, then lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
Cable High Row (kneeling)

8. Cable High Row (kneeling)

67.7% Match
Traps Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a straight bar to a cable machine at chest height.
  2. Kneel down in front of the cable machine and grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  3. Sit back on your heels, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  4. Pull the bar towards your upper abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release the bar back to the starting position.
Barbell Shrug Behind The Back

9. Barbell Shrug Behind The Back

67% Match
Traps Barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with your feet at shoulder width as you hold a barbell with both hands behind your back using a pronated grip (palms facing back). Tip: Your hands should be a little wider than shoulder width apart. You can use wrist wraps for this exercise for better grip. This will be your starting position.
  2. Raise your shoulders up as far as you can go as you breathe out and hold the contraction for a second. Tip: Refrain from trying to lift the barbell by using your biceps. The arms should remain stretched out at all times.
  3. Slowly return to the starting position as you breathe in.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Band Shrug

10. Band Shrug

66.4% Match
Traps Band Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the band under your feet, holding the ends with your hands.
  2. Keep your arms straight and relaxed, and let the band hang in front of your thighs.
  3. Engage your traps by shrugging your shoulders upward, lifting the band as high as possible.
  4. Hold the contraction for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Upright Row - With Bands Alternative

You may substitute Upright Row - With Bands for several reasons: shoulder pain, history of impingement, limited band tension, or a preference for different movement planes. The upright row combines shoulder abduction and internal rotation, which can compress the subacromial space in sensitive shoulders. Using alternatives lets you maintain trapezius stimulus while changing scapular mechanics or load direction. For example, band face pulls emphasize scapular retraction and external rotation to hit mid and lower traps, while shrugs isolate upper-trap elevation. Technique cue: keep thoracic extension, lead with the elbows, and stop short of extreme elevation to reduce anterior shoulder compression.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Match the substitute to the trap region, movement plane, and your shoulder capacity. Want upper-trap vertical loading? Use heavy shrugs or high pulls and cue driving the elbows upward without internal rotation. Want safer shoulder mechanics and mid-trap focus? Pick band face pulls or seated rows and initiate with scapular retraction to emphasize the medial trapezius. Consider equipment: bands require increased band tension or slower tempo for progressive overload. Consider goals: low-rep heavy shrugs for hypertrophy; higher-rep face pulls for scapular endurance and posture. Watch pain, stop on anterior shoulder pinching and prioritize thoracic extension to preserve trap recruitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Upright Row - With Bands work?

Upright Row - With Bands primarily targets the upper trapezius and lateral deltoids while engaging levator scapulae and upper rhomboids to stabilize the scapula. The biceps assist as secondary elbow flexors. Emphasize pulling with the elbows to increase trapezius recruitment.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Upright Row - With Bands?

A strict inverted (Australian) row performed with elbows flared and chest pulled to the bar is the best bodyweight swap to bias the traps and rear delts. Cue: lead the motion with the elbows and pull your sternum to the bar while keeping the torso rigid to activate mid/upper trapezius and scapular retractors.

Can I build muscle without doing Upright Row - With Bands?

Yes. You can build trapezius mass with alternatives like heavy shrugs, high pulls, rows, and progressive band or cable face pulls. Focus on progressive overload, clean technique (drive elbows up or back depending on the variation), and sufficient volume to stimulate growth.

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