Shoulders · Cable
Lying Upright Row
How to do the 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
- Horizontal Row
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Lie flat on a bench placed in front of a low cable. Grip the straight bar and row it toward your chin, keeping elbows higher than your wrists. Pause at the top, then return with control. Keep your upper body stable on the bench.
- 1Lie on an incline bench facing the cable and pull the handle up toward your chin, feeling your traps and delts contract
- 2Keep your elbows higher than your wrists and pause briefly at the top
- 3Lower the handle slowly to maintain tension through your upper back
Common mistakes
- Don't shrug your shoulders excessively or use momentum to lift
- Avoid pulling the handle too high where it impinges your shoulders
- Don't arch your back off the bench; stay firmly planted
Muscles worked
The 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
Lying Upright Row strength standards
See how your lying upright row ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM12.5 lb
Silvere1RM25 lb
Golde1RM37.5 lb
Platinume1RM62.5 lb
Diamonde1RM97.5 lb
Champione1RM125 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the 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 April 2026.