Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell one arm upright row is a unilateral shoulder exercise that targets the deltoids, with secondary emphasis on the traps and biceps. It involves lifting a dumbbell with one arm in an upright rowing motion.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Secondary muscles
Biceps , Traps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell one arm upright row
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell one arm upright row. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: biceps and traps.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell one arm upright row. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: biceps and traps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell one arm upright row

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with an overhand grip.
  2. Step 2: Let the dumbbell hang at arm's length in front of your thighs, with your palm facing your body.
  3. Step 3: Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, exhale and lift the dumbbell straight up towards your chin, leading with your elbow.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell one arm upright row by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Dumbbell One Arm Upright Row alternatives

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.