Why You Should Be Careful With Upright Barbell Rows

The Upright Barbell Row is a fundamental exercise that is done in a standing position with a barbell. From a mechanical point of view, it is a compound exercise because it is working more than one joint at a time, namely the shoulders, elbows and wrists. However, as we'll note later, there are certain precautions when performing this exercise.
Muscles Used
The Upright Barbell Row works mainly the deltoid and trapezius muscles of the upper back. Because you are also working other joints, it will also work the biceps and muscles of the forearm, especially the brachioradialis. Many stabilizer muscles in the back also come into play.
How To Perform Upright Rows
1. Stand comfortably with your feet apart. Lean down and grasp the bar with both hands slightly less than shoulder-width apart. The bar should be hanging about mid-thigh in front of you.
2. From this start position, inhale and lift the weight to just below your chin with your elbows leading. They will end up higher than your shoulders and wrists.
3. Then slowly lower the bar back down, exhaling as you go back to the starting position.
4. Repeat 8-10 reps for 2-3 sets.
Precautions for Upright Rows
Although you can get a great burn and results from this exercise, it needs to be done with precaution. Because of the abnormal rotation of the shoulder joint internally, it can cause injury to the rotator cuff and other tendons inside the joint. These injuries are no fun and can require surgery.
One of the biggest reasons for injury with this exercise is using too much weight. Too much weight leads to over-stress on the shoulder anatomy as well as improper form, namely swinging the weight up. Even though the weight is heavier, you will not get the intended benefit. You are far better off using a lighter weight and correct form.
Also make sure that you are not doing the exercise too fast, jerking the weight up or leaning back too far.
Special Notes on The Gripping
You also should be careful not to use a grip that is too narrow as this leads to a higher risk of impingement inside the shoulder joint. If you are using a long Olympic bar, you will see that the placement of your hands is important to balance the bar. Although a wider grip balances the bar better, it is nevertheless necessary to balance the bar properly as too much stress on one shoulder can lead to injury.
On the other hand, if your grip is too wide, your trapezius does not come into play as much.