Elbow Lift: How-to, Tips & More
The Elbow Lift is a beginner compound exercise for your upper back. You do it with chair. It is a good fit when your goal is muscle growth.
Besides the upper back, it also works your rear delts and core, so it fits well in a session that trains those muscles together.
Muscles worked
Upper back
Primary
Rear delts
Secondary
Core
Secondary
How to do the Elbow Lift
- Sit between two chairs facing up, with your elbows resting on the seats.
- Press your elbows down to lift your back off the floor.
- Hold for a second at the top.
- Lower slowly.
Elbow Lift tips
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you lift.
Sets and reps
Most lifters do well with 6 to 15 reps per set, and 6 to 15 reps is where this exercise tends to work best. Use a weight that leaves one or two reps in reserve on every set, and add weight once you can complete all your sets at the top of the range. It also works well in a superset with an exercise for the opposite muscles.
Equipment
Chair
Type
Compound
Elbow Lift alternatives
Suspension High Row
Upper back
Band Pull Apart
Upper back
Barbell Row
Upper back
Chest Supported T-Bar Row
Upper back
More upper back exercises
Bent Knee Suspension Row
Suspension trainer
Chest Supported Dumbbell Row
Dumbbells
Close Grip Cable Row
Cable machine
Dumbbell Bent Over Row
Dumbbells
High Row Machine
High row machine
Inverted Row
Pull up bar
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Elbow Lift work?
The Elbow Lift mainly works your upper back, with help from your rear delts and core.
How many sets and reps should I do?
A good starting point is 6 to 15 reps per set, and many lifters get the best results between 6 to 15 reps. Use a weight that leaves one or two reps in reserve.
Is the Elbow Lift good for beginners?
Yes. The Elbow Lift is considered beginner and is a good choice if you are new to training. Start light and focus on form.
What equipment do I need for the Elbow Lift?
You need chair.
Add Elbow Lift to your program
Bite fills in your weights, tracks your progress and tells you when to go heavier.
Coming soon