How to do it
- Attach a straight bar or rope to a low pulley and stand tall.
- Pull the handle up along your body, leading with the elbows, to about chest height.
- Lower under control to full arm extension.
Cues that matter
- Stop at chest height — higher offers nothing and stresses the shoulder.
- Use a wider grip to spare the wrists.
Common mistakes
- Pulling all the way to the chin with a narrow grip.
- Swinging the torso to start each rep.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Traps
- Upper traps
Also works
- Side delts
- Biceps
Sets and reps
What to do with it depends on what you are training for. These are the ranges MuscleMap uses when it puts Cable Upright Row in a session, with 150 seconds between sets.
- Strength
- 4–6 reps
- Build muscle
- 6–10 reps
- Endurance
- 12–20 reps
Same muscle, different kit
Movements that train the same part of the traps with different equipment — for a day the cable is taken, or a gym that does not have one.