Shoulders · Stick
Stick Standing Upright Row
How to do the stick standing upright row, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Stick
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hold a stick in front of your thighs with a narrow overhand grip. Pull the stick straight up along your body, leading with your elbows until it reaches chest height. Lower it back down under control and repeat.
- 1Side delts and upper traps lifting the stick
- 2Elbows leading the pull and staying above the wrists
- 3Stick tracking close to your body the whole way up
Common mistakes
- Shrugging hard or jerking the stick upward
- Pulling the elbows higher than the shoulders, which strains them
- Swinging the torso to gain momentum
Muscles worked
The stick standing upright row mainly works the side delts and upper traps, with the biceps, forearms, mid traps, front delts, and rear delts assisting.
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the stick standing 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.