The EZ Bar Upright Row is one of the best variations of the upright row. It helps you build stronger and bigger lateral delt and upper trap.
The EZ bar’s angled grip allows for a more natural wrist position, reducing the strain on your wrists and shoulders. This is especially helpful if you have experienced discomfort with traditional straight-bar versions.
With EZ bar, you can also achieve better muscle engagement due to the improved hand positioning. This means you can push harder, lift heavier, and make more significant gains without worrying about potential wrist pain.
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EZ Bar Upright Row Muscles Worked
- Primary Muscles: Lateral Deltoids and Upper Trapezius
- Secondary Muscles: Biceps brachii, Brachialis and Rhomboids
- Stabilizing Muscles: Core muscles (abdominals and obliques) & Forearms
Know More: 20 Best Trap Workout And Exercises For Mass And Strength
How To Do Upright Row With EZ Bar
- Hold an Ez barbell with an overhand grip and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Your hands should be positioned slightly closer than shoulder-width apart, taking advantage of the curved bar for comfort. Let it hang in front of you.
- Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart. Keep your knees bent. Engage your core to maintain a stable posture.
- Lift that bar straight up towards your chin. As you lift, your elbows should be higher than your hands, but donโt go too high.
- Allow your shoulder blades to move naturally with your shoulder joints. Pause at the top of the movement.
- Then, with control, lower the bar back to the starting position. That’s one rep.
- Repeat the upright row for your desired number of repetitions.
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Tips and Form
Make sure your hands arenโt too close together. A narrow grip increases ulnar deviation, which can strain your wrists. Slightly widening your grip helps reduce this strain and lowers the risk of wrist injury when lifting. - Lift a manageable weight to maintain control and proper form. If the weight is too heavy, you’ll rely on momentum, shifting focus away from your shoulders and risking excess strain on them.
- Avoid pulling the bar too high, as this can increase the risk of shoulder impingement. Keep your elbows at shoulder height to minimize the risk of injury.
- Brace your core and maintain an upright torso while lifting. A strong core stabilizes your spine and prevents you from swinging the weight away from your center of mass.
- Avoid rolling your shoulders forward. Keep your shoulders back and chest up as you lower the weight to maintain proper form.
- Keep your elbows slightly bent in the low position to maintain constant tension on your shoulders and trapezius muscles.
Benefits of an Ez Bar Upright Row
- The pulling motion of the EZ bar upright row works many upper body muscles. Regularly performing this exercise will likelyย accelerateย muscle growth and strength in your back, biceps, and shoulders.
- The upright row works all of the major areas of the shoulders, making it an excellent exercise for upper body stability. By doing frequent ez bar upright rows, you will improve your position and protect yourself.
- Traps are tricky to build, and only a handful of exercisesย mainly target them. EZ bar upright row utilizes your traps just as much as it works your shoulders.
- The upright row is great for the biceps, strengthening your arms and improving your performance in other exercises and activities.
- When practiced with proper form, Ez bar upright exercises help build strength in your upper body stabilizer muscle groups, helping you stand up tall and keep your back straight.
Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.
Through โFit Life Regime,โ he generously shares the insights heโs gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.