Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row

Description

How to do Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row

1. 01
   Setup

   Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding a single dumbbell in one hand with an overhand grip, palm facing your body. Let the dumbbell hang naturally in front of your thigh.

2. 02
   Setup

   Engage your core, keep your chest up, and maintain a slight bend in your knees. Your non-working arm can be placed on your hip or extended for balance.

3. 03

   Exhale as you pull the dumbbell straight up towards your shoulder, leading with your elbow. Keep the dumbbell close to your body throughout the movement.

4. 04

   Continue pulling until your elbow is slightly higher than your shoulder, ensuring your wrist remains relatively straight and the dumbbell doesn't go above your chin.

5. 05

   Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position with control, resisting gravity. Avoid letting the dumbbell drop quickly.

Tips

• Focus on leading with your elbow to emphasize the lateral deltoid and minimize bicep involvement in the lift.
• Keep the dumbbell close to your body throughout the entire range of motion to maintain constant tension on the shoulders and prevent swinging.
• Control the eccentric (lowering) phase for 2-3 seconds to maximize muscle engagement and promote growth.
• Avoid shrugging your shoulder excessively; the primary movement should come from the shoulder joint lifting the arm, not your traps.

Common mistakes

• Shrugging the shoulders too high shifts tension from the deltoids to the traps; focus on lifting the elbow, not the shoulder, and stop when your elbow is slightly above your shoulder.
• Using momentum or swinging the weight reduces muscle activation and increases injury risk; use a lighter weight and perform the movement with strict control.
• Flaring the elbow out too wide can put undue stress on the shoulder joint; keep the dumbbell and your elbow tracking vertically close to your body.