The dumbbell upright row is an excellent exercise to boost your shoulders growth. As with any other exercise that utilizes weights, it is important to know the proper technique.

If you are new to weight training and think you can impress your friends by pulling 50-pound dumbbells, you may end up with a permanent injury.

Do not do anything stupid, your first priority should be safety. Here is how to execute the dumbbell upright row exercise:

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells in front of your thighs with a pronated (palms-down) grip. Space your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly.

With your head neutral, eyes forward and chest out, pull the dumbbells up toward each same-side shoulder, keeping the weights close to your body.

With your elbows high, continue the pull until the dumbbells reach shoulder height or just above.

Pause at the top, squeezing your delts before slowly lowering the weights to the starting point.

The Dumbbell Upright Row Tips:

Maintain a wide hand position throughout the move to place greater emphasis on your middle delts, limiting front delt and trap involvement.

Don’t allow your elbows to point backward, which can compromise shoulder stability. Focus on keeping them in the vertical plane.

Hold the dumbbells as close to your body as possible, and don’t lean forward or backward. Similar to the barbell version, stand erect with your chest up. Pulling your abs in tight helps stabilize your torso.

Don’t attempt to increase weight too quickly; proper form is essential for isolating the targeted muscles and avoiding injury, so learn to do it correctly before going heavier. [via]