Upright rows are a compound exercise that has been in the routines of countless bodybuilders and athletes. That includes the Man himself, Rich Piana. Even though Rich believed in regularly changing up his routine, he still did Upright Rows frequently - but with a twist. Leave it to Rich to do something different. In this case, he preferred dumbbells, and his performance of the exercise is the reason why.

What Is The Dumbbell Upright Row

The Dumbbell Upright Row is a compound exercise. It involves pulling a pair of dumbbells from a full hang position up toward your shoulders (or about chin height). Next, we’ll look at the muscles worked by this exercise.

Muscles Worked

As noted, this exercise is a compound movement that primarily hits the lateral (side) deltoid. Synergists include the anterior deltoid, brachialis, brachioradialis, and biceps brachii. It also works the middle and lower trapezius, with the upper trapezius acting as a stabilizer.⁽¹⁾

Why Rich Preferred These Over The Barbell Upright Row

Rich preferred using dumbbells over a barbell because they allowed him to pull the bells slightly out at the top. This changed the feel of the exercise. Rich also felt it gave him a better contraction. If you watch a video of Rich performing this exercise, you can clearly see what he meant. In contrast, when you use a barbell, you’re locked into a precise movement. It should come as no surprise that this approach was unique to Rich. Next, we’ll see how to use this exercise in your routine.⁽²⁾

Sample Routine

Let’s take a look at a sample shoulder routine in the style of Rich Piana. You can perform this routine as written or add Dumbbell Upright Rows to your current shoulder routine. Like the Front Press, this is a compound movement. Therefore, you’ll want to do these exercises first when you’re at your strongest.

Smith Machine Front Press - 5 sets - 20, 15, 12, 10, 8 reps

Rich preferred the Smith machine, but feel free to use a regular barbell or dumbbells. 

Dumbbell Upright Row - 5 sets - 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps

Try doing these Rich-style by pulling the bells slightly outward at the top. 

Rear Laterals - 5 sets - 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps

You can use a machine for this exercise if your gym has one. Otherwise, you can use dumbbells. Remember to focus on form and don’t let momentum take over.

Shrugs - 5 sets - 20, 15, 12, 10, 8 reps

Rich used the Smith machine for this exercise but you can use a barbell or dumbbells.  

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References:

1. https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidLateral/DBUprightRow
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dFw-qPnspo