Shoulders · Resistance bands

Band Upright Row (Under Two feet)

The band upright row under two feet is a targeted pulling exercise designed to build the lateral deltoids and the upper trapezius. It works well in home or gym workouts as an accessory movement to increase shoulder width and improve upper-body posture.

Muscles: Shoulders, Back
Equipment: Resistance bands
Type: Strength
Animation: Men

How to do it

Stand on the middle of the band with both feet, shoulder-width apart, holding both handles in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
Keep your back straight and your core braced.
Inhale, then as you exhale, pull the handles straight up along your body to chest height, leading with your elbows.
Keep your elbows higher than your wrists at the top of the movement.
Inhale and slowly lower the handles back to the starting position.

Common mistakes

Pulling your hands higher than your elbows puts the shoulder joints in an internally rotated position that can cause impingement.
Leaning back and using body momentum to jerk the band upward takes tension off the working deltoids.
Shrugging the shoulders upward before initiating the pull shifts the load into the neck rather than the side delts.
Letting the band snap your hands back down removes the muscle-building benefits of the eccentric phase.

Tips

Focus on driving your elbows up and out toward the sides rather than pulling primarily with your wrists.
Widen your foot stance on the band to increase resistance, or narrow your stance if you need less tension.
Pause for a brief second when your hands reach chest height to maximize peak contraction in the lateral delts.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions with a controlled lowering phase and 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets.

Muscles worked

Band Upright Row (Under Two feet): shoulders, back

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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Questions

How high should the band be pulled during an upright row?

Stop the pull once the handles reach mid-chest level with elbows roughly parallel to the shoulders. If you feel pinching or joint discomfort, stop the exercise and consult a specialist.

Which muscles are worked the most by this exercise?

The movement primarily isolates the lateral deltoids and upper trapezius, with secondary recruitment of the anterior deltoids, biceps, and forearms.

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