How to Work the Shoulder With Cable Upright Row

The upright cable row will work your deltoid and trapezius muscles in addition to others. It makes a great alternative to other shoulder exercises in your routine. All you need is a cable pulley machine, which is available at most gyms.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Stand in front of the cable pulley machine. If your machine has duel cables, you'll want to choose one of the stations to stand in front of. Your feet must be about shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Attach a short bar to the cable pulley machine and adjust the weight to a comfortable level. You'll want to place your hands at no wider than your shoulders, and you may want to use a more narrow hand grip. Use an overhand grip.
3. Raise the bar up until it is under your chin or about mid-chest level. As you raise the bar, lead with your elbows, keeping your back straight and your abs tight. Your elbows will flare up and out.
4. Hold the bar at mid-chest for a second and then slowly lower the bar down. Your arms will straighten out, but keep from letting the weights rest back on the stack. You may need to step back slightly so that you have enough room on the cable to avoid resting the weights on the stack. Once you are at the starting position, you can repeat the exercise.
5. Lower the weight if you find that you are trying to swing your body to raise the bar. Proper form will help protect you from injury while completing the exercise.