Substitute for Upright Row?

Rack Pulls, Cleans, Face Pulls are much better. I have not done a single rep of Upright row in more than 8 years.

hang cleans

Upright rows aren't a necessary movement in general. Revamp your workout if it has an upright row in there as a staple that requires substitute.

sounds like power of suggestion. lifting heavy is bad for joints. will you stop that too?

Lot of folk keep the hands too close together when doing upright rows. If you are not already doing so, try moving the hands to at least shoulder-width apart. Flex wrists slightly as you complete the lift. Concentrate on keeping abs tight and back straight.

If it stills bothers you, try to find a GOOD trainer to double-check your form.

Do lifts that work the the muscles used in the upright row separately. Shrugs for traps, front raises of one kind or another for front delts, rear-delt flies, curls for biceps. What you are calling "the standard shoulder raise" may be what I am calling shrugs but they work your traps just fine. Cook up some super sets or pre-exhaust routines involving these exercises if you think they are not as intense as the compound movement. People who tell you that the way to ease the shoulder strain caused by upright rows is to do cleans can be safely ignored.

deadlifts

Upright row is a pretty worthless exercise. Unless you're a bodybuilder, I wouldn't sweat replacing it in your workout.

Yes- don't think of it as replacing; think of it as moving on to better things. Shrugs, rack pulls, static holds, farmers walk, high pulls, etc for traps. For front delts you got your barbell front raises, military press (not in a fucking chair), jerk, etc, etc (and ect, even)

I don't agree with the majority here- upright rows are one of the few lifts that adequately target the upper trapezius (shrugs is the other), but its primary benefit is for the rear of the deltoid, an area the 'substitute' lifts here won't get. You do have to be careful though- don't put on too much weight (i.e. don't max out), and DO NOT raise the bar up to the maximum height (that IS unnatural). just get a moderate weight on, raise it slowly, and don't raise it very high.

^this

Honestly, i nv did upright rows all these years doing weight training. Let me give my 2 cents worth of experience and knowledge.

Trap development will come in hand in hand when u hit up upper back. As said earlier in this thread, do deadlifts with a DECENT amount of weight with compomising on form. Make sure you squeeze you shoulder blades at the top and arch your back a little. Alternatively, shrugs get the job done saving your shoulder joints. Even though this exercise is not something that would hit the traps spot on it does help in developing a proportionate physique. What do i mean by proportionate? Well developed shoulders WITHOUT the monsterous traps(I am referring to those of Bodybuilders. Unless you are into those sort of physique development, this might not be of proper advise as bodybuilding forums cater specifically for that).

Remember, once your have overdeveloped traps, hitting the shoulders will be a pain in the ass. Trust me on this. Larry Scott(google this bodybuilder) has some great techniques for shoulder/trap development and i have been following his form of training for years. Try Charles Glass- another who trains shoulders with further refined form of the basic exercises.

For shoulders stick with the basics - presses with barbell/DB. Raises/Cables for shaping and for a change at times when you hit a plateau. Just AVOID upright rows...it will do you a world of greatness in the long run. I find Brock Lesner's physique fugly...you should know why by now.

The above is my personal opinion. Others here in SF might be able to help you with better advice. Gd luck!

without traps you will look like shit, like you don;t even work out IMO

Is that from your personal experience as somebody without traps?