Shoulders · Cable
Sz Bar Cable Lying Upright Row
How to do the sz bar cable lying upright row, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Lie flat on a bench placed in front of a low cable with an SZ bar attached. Grip the angled portions of the bar and row it up toward your chin, keeping your elbows higher than your wrists. Pause at the top, then lower with control while staying flat on the bench.
- 1Drive your elbows up and out and feel your side delts and traps contract
- 2Keep your elbows higher than your wrists and pause briefly at the top
- 3Lower the bar slowly to keep tension through your upper back
Common mistakes
- Do not shrug excessively or use momentum to lift the bar
- Avoid pulling so high that your shoulders pinch
- Do not arch your back off the bench; stay planted
Muscles worked
The sz bar cable lying upright row mainly works the side delts and upper traps, with the biceps, forearms, and mid traps assisting.
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- LatsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the sz bar cable lying upright row for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.