Barbell Squat to Upright Row
The Barbell Squat to Upright Row combines lower body strength with upper body engagement. This exercise targets the legs, shoulders, and upper back.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across your upper back.
- Lower into a squat, keeping your chest up and knees over your toes.
- Push through your heels to return to standing.
- As you stand, pull the barbell up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
- Lower the barbell back to the starting position and repeat.
How to perform the Barbell Squat to Upright Row
- Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Squat to Upright Row using your barbell.
- Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
- Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.
Coaching cues
- Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
- Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
- Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.
Common mistakes
- Using too much weight and losing positional control.
- Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
- Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.
Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.
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