Upright Row
The upright row is a vertical pulling exercise in which you pull a barbell or dumbbells up the front of the body toward the chin, leading with the elbows. It trains the upper trapezius, deltoids, and biceps and appears in the NSW guide's upper body exercise list.
How to Perform It
Stand holding a barbell or a pair of dumbbells in front of the thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart. Keep the torso upright and pull the weight up along the body by driving the elbows up and out until the hands reach roughly chest height, with the elbows higher than the wrists. Lower under control back to the thighs. A grip that is too narrow or a pull that goes too high can pinch the shoulder, so keep the hands at shoulder width and stop at the chest. The guide's prescription is one set of 8 to 12 reps with a weight that cannot be lifted more than 8 to 12 times with proper technique.
Why It Matters for BUD/S
The upright row is the vertical pull of the shoulder girdle. It builds the traps and deltoids that hold a boat overhead, carry a log on the shoulder, and support the head and neck through long days under load. It also rounds out the pushing and pulling balance the guide asks for in upper body training, providing a pull that starts from the hips rather than from overhead or in front. Strong traps and shoulders also stabilize the joint during the swim and the pull-up. The guide's list is a suggestion rather than a requirement, so candidates whose shoulders do not tolerate the movement can substitute a shrug or a face pull.
Where It Sits in the 26-Week Plan
Upright rows fall in the Upper/Core sessions on Monday and Friday, alongside the core block, for all 26 weeks. The session format is 8 to 12 exercises, one set of 8 to 12 reps each, with only enough rest to set up the next station. Since the upright row uses many of the same muscles as the lateral raise and shoulder press, place it so the shoulders are not exhausted before the heavier presses. Progress by adding weight when 12 reps are clean and stopping at chest height every time. The guide permits an occasional second set for extra stimulus but says one set is usually enough.
Elbows lead, hands follow. Stop the pull at the chest; going to the chin adds nothing but shoulder strain.
Related Terms
Upper body strength training in the NSW preparation program targets the major pulling and pushing muscle groups through compound barbell and dumbbell exercises. These sessions complement the calisthenics work (push-ups, pull-ups) by building the raw strength that supports higher-rep endurance performance.
The deltoid lateral raise is an isolation exercise in which you lift dumbbells out to the sides until the arms are parallel to the ground. The NSW guide lists it in the upper body exercises and adds a specific instruction: raise the arms parallel to the ground but no higher.
The shoulder press, also called the military press, is an overhead pressing exercise performed with a barbell, dumbbells, or a machine. It builds the deltoids and triceps and sits in the NSW guide's upper body exercise list as the main overhead pushing movement.
The seated row pull is a horizontal pulling exercise, usually done on a cable machine, in which you pull a handle toward the torso while seated with the legs braced. It trains the mid-back, lats, rear shoulders, and biceps and is the horizontal pull in the NSW guide's upper body list.
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