The front row pullup, or upright row, targets the muscles in your shoulders but also works your back and arm muscles. It can be done with a barbell or two dumbbells and, as with all strength exercises, maintaining proper technique is essential for achieving optimum muscle development.
Technique
Take hold of a barbell with an overhand grip — that is, your hands over the top of the bar and your palms facing you — says the ShapeFit website. Position your hands toward the center of the bar, a few inches apart, and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Start with the bar resting against your thighs then bend your elbows to lift the bar up to just below your chin. Make sure you keep your elbows above the height of your hands as you pull up. Slowly lower back to the starting position and repeat.
Shoulder Muscles
The upright row targets your deltoids, which are the muscles that cover the tops of your shoulders and give them a contoured shape. According to Sportsinjuryclinic.net, the anterior — front — section of your deltoid is the part that is worked hardest during an upright row. This part of the muscle is responsible for flexing and internally rotating your shoulder, while the posterior — back — section extends and externally rotates your shoulder. In daily activity, one of your deltoids’ main functions is lifting, such as the action you perform when doing an upright row, says Sportsinjuryclinic.net.
Back Muscles
Your trapezius muscles are also given a workout during an upright session, says Sportsinjuryclinic.net. These muscles extend across the tops of your shoulders and down both sides of your spine, from your neck down to the bottom of your rib cage. Your trapezius muscles are responsible for raising and retracting, or pinching your shoulder blades together.
Arm Muscles
Your biceps brachii are the muscles in the front of your upper arms. They attach to your shoulder joint and to your elbow, says Sportsinjuryclinic.net. These muscles are largely responsible for flexing your elbow and, in everyday activity, this translates to picking a shopping bag up off the floor. When it comes to working out, your biceps are called on to do an upright row.
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