How to do a Kettlebell Upright Row
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Kettlebell Upright Row
Instructions for Proper Form
Kettlebell Upright Row is a variation on the more standard Upright Row. This compound exercise primarily targets your shoulders. The benefit to using a Kettlebell is the ability to pull the handle in opposite directions at the top of the movement. This can help improve muscle activation compared to other variations.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart, grab ahold of the kettlebell handle with both hands with an overhand grip.
- Pull your elbows up past your shoulders keeping the kettlebell close to your body until the handle reaches your upper chest.
- Control the movement back to to the starting position.
Common Form Mistakes
Elbow Position
Keep your elbows about parallel at the top of this exercise. It’s common to see people raise their elbows as high as they can to raise the weight a bit further, but this can increase the risk of injury. If you’re trying to increase the difficulty of this exercise, consider pausing for a moment at the top instead.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
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Alternative Exercises to Kettlebell Upright Row
1. Dumbbell Front Raise
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 1,188 TIMESDumbbell Front Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise, and can work well to isolate the shoulders to build strength and muscle mass. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
99.5 mSCORESWAPPED 1,010 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for slightly more instability than with equipment like barbells. This can help you recruit and develop stabilizing muscles around the shoulders. In addition, by using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
3. Dumbbell Shoulder Raise
97.8 mSCORESWAPPED 849 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the medial deltoid (middle of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise and can work well for building muscle mass and strengthening the shoulders. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
4. Machine Shoulder Press
92.5 mSCORESWAPPED 672 TIMESis a variation on the more standard shoulder press that utilizes a machine. Like other shoulder presses, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of the machine restricts your movements, and adds more stability. This allows you to focus more on exertion than stabilization. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to learn the basic movement, and develop the strength needed for other similar exercises or functional applications.
- Beginner
- Shoulders
- Shoulder Press Machine
5. Cable Lateral Raise
97.7 mSCORESWAPPED 586 TIMESCable Lateral Raise is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Shoulder Raise. Similar to the Dumbbell Shoulder Raise, this isolation exercise primarily targets the shoulders, and more specifically the medial deltoid (middle of the shoulder). By using a cable machine, you have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from, and can easily make adjustments. In addition, by isolating each side of the body, you can more easily identify and address strength imbalances between sides.
- Beginner
- Shoulders
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
6. Cable Face Pull
96 mSCORESWAPPED 566 TIMESCable Face Pull is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders, more specifically your posterior deltoids (back of the shoulder). By using a cable machine, you have more control over where the resistance is coming from, and can easily make adjustments by either moving towards or away from the cable machine, or by adjusting the height of the pulley.
- Intermediate
- Shoulders
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
7. Upright Row
94.8 mSCORESWAPPED 561 TIMESUpright Row is a variation on the more standard Row. Like other Rows, this is a compound exercise, however this variation primarily targets your traps. The use of a barbell helps to stabilize the movement, allowing you to focus more on exertion than stability. This is a great exercise for developing functional strength, as well as being a great way to improve more advanced exercises like Olympic lifts.
8. Dumbbell Upright Row
90.7 mSCORESWAPPED 534 TIMESDumbbell Upright Row is a variation on the more standard Barbell Upright Row. Like the other variation, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your traps. The use of dumbbells adds a bit more instability to the movement, as well as forcing you to not compensate for any strength or mobility imbalances between sides.
9. Dumbbell Lateral Raise To Front Raise
78.6 mSCORESWAPPED 500 TIMESDumbbell Lateral Raise to Front Raise is a combination of both Shoulder Raise, and Front Raise. Both movements in this exercise are isolation movements that primarily target the shoulder. By performing these exercises together, you can more completely target your shoulders than by using one of these two movements.
10. Dumbbell Standing Front Press
64.1 mSCORESWAPPED 446 TIMESDumbbell Standing Front Press is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Similar to other Shoulder Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your shoulders. The standing position helps improve overall balance and functional strength by engaging your core and stabilizing muscles more than a seated version. Using dumbbells ensures that each side of the body works equally, preventing compensating for any strength imbalances between sides.