Are you ready to build upper body strength? Upper body strength is essential for maintaining flexibility and agility. For some people, upper body strength training can also increase overall muscle strength and improve overall body energy. Knowing that people's strength and muscle mass tend to decline after reaching a certain age, it is important to incorporate upper body strength into your daily exercise.
An effective upper body strength training program is suitable for all fitness levels and can mainly exercise the muscles of the arms, back, and chest. These exercises require almost no equipment and can be performed in a home gym or a professional gym.
Depending on your exercise method, the upper body exercise plan mainly includes training shoulders, chest, back, arms, and abdominal muscles. This exercise plan can exercise different muscle groups, and you can also find the most suitable exercise according to your usual fitness plan.
There are two training dimensions for upper body training: the first dimension is what most people will consider a well-developed upper body. No one will refuse a beautiful V-shaped torso, and many people are also working hard for it. There’s nothing more appealing than having a pair of strong arms, a firm chest, and eight-pack abs.
The second dimension is what we should focus on: improving your fitness level by training your upper body, using a reasonable, diverse approach, and improving functional exercises, rather than those that stretch your T-shirt sleeves. These methods also help promote good posture and improve the efficiency of daily exercise.
The right upper body exercises can benefit you from both dimensions. Here are 10 upper body exercises that can help you stand out from the crowd.
The Top 10 Upper Body Exercises
Pullup
Why: A pull-up is a strength training exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the back, shoulders, and arms, especially the latissimus dorsi, biceps, and traps. In a pull-up, you lift your body upward while hanging from a horizontal bar, pulling your chin above the bar, and then lower yourself back down. It is a bodyweight exercise that requires upper body and core strength.
How to Do It:
1. Start by hanging with your arms fully extended and your body straight. Engage your shoulders and core to maintain stability.
2. Using your back and arm muscles, pull your body upwards until your chin is above the pull up bar.
Sets: 3-4
Reps: 6-8 (or as many as you can manage with proper form)
Military Press
Why: The military press, also known as the overhead press, is a fundamental strength training exercise that targets the shoulders, upper chest, and triceps. It involves pressing a barbell (or dumbbell) overhead from shoulder height, which also engages the core and upper back for stability.
How to Do It:
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grip the barbell with your hands just outside shoulder-width.
2. Position the barbell at chest height, just above your collarbones, with elbows pointed slightly in front of the body.
3. Press the barbell upward in a straight line, keeping your wrists stacked above your elbows.
4. As you press, slightly push your head forward to allow the bar to pass your face, and then continue pressing upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
Sets: 4-5
Reps: 3-6
Farmer’s Carry
Why: The Farmer’s Carry, also known as the Farmer’s Walk, is a simple yet highly effective functional exercise that involves carrying heavy weights in each hand while walking for a specified distance or time. It's a full-body movement that targets the grip, core, shoulders, legs, and upper back, making it a great conditioning exercise.
How to Do It:
1. Place the weights on the ground next to you, just outside your feet.
2. Squat down, bend at the hips, and grasp the weights firmly with both hands.
3. Make sure your grip is strong, and your shoulders are engaged.
4. Stand up tall, engaging your core and keeping your chest high as you lift the weights off the ground.
5. Begin walking while keeping your posture upright. Maintain a steady pace without leaning forward or allowing your shoulders to slump.
6. Hold the weights at your sides with your arms fully extended, keeping your grip firm and your body stable.
Reps: 6-10
Time: 30 seconds
Pushup
Why: A push-up is a classic bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the upper body, including the chest (pectorals), shoulders (deltoids), and triceps, while also engaging the core and stabilizing muscles.
How to Do It:
1. Begin in a plank position, with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor.
2. Your feet should be together or slightly apart, and your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels (like a plank).
3. Keep your core tight, with your abs and glutes engaged to maintain proper alignment.
4. Your arms should be fully extended at the start, but don’t lock your elbows.
5. Lower your body toward the floor by bending your elbows. Keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle from your torso (not flaring out too much).
6. Lower yourself until your chest is close to or lightly touches the floor (but don’t rest on it).
Sets: 3
Reps: 15-20
Dumbbell Bench Press
Why: The Dumbbell Bench Press is a highly effective strength training exercise that primarily targets the chest muscles (pectorals), but also engages the shoulders (deltoids), triceps, and stabilizer muscles. It’s similar to the barbell bench press, but with dumbbells, which provides a greater range of motion and requires more stabilization from the muscles.
How to Do It:
1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Start by positioning the dumbbells on your thighs or knees to help you get into position.
3. Press your feet into the ground to stabilize your lower body.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells in a controlled motion, ensuring that your elbows move at a 45- to 75-degree angle from your body (not too wide or too narrow).
Sets: 4
Reps: 8-10
Barbell Bent-Over Row
Why: The Barbell Bent-Over Row is a powerful compound exercise that primarily targets the back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, and trapezius, but it also works the biceps, posterior deltoids, and lower back for stabilization. This exercise is a key movement for developing overall upper body strength and improving posture.
How to Do It:
1. Place a barbell on the floor with the desired weight.
2. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.
3. Bend down and grip the bar with an overhand grip (palms facing down), hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at your hips, lowering your torso until it’s about parallel to the ground. Your back should be flat, not rounded, and your core engaged to prevent back strain.
Sets: 4
Reps: 6-8
Inverted Row
Why: The Inverted Row is a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the upper back, lats, rhomboids, and trapezius, while also engaging the biceps, forearms, and core for stabilization. It's a great alternative to barbell rows for building pulling strength and improving posture, especially for individuals who may not yet be able to perform pull-ups or need a lower-impact variation of back exercises.
How to Do It:
1. You’ll need a horizontal bar or a suspension trainer (like TRX) that can support your body weight. The bar should be set at a height that allows you to lie beneath it with your arms fully extended.
2. Lie on the ground underneath the bar or suspension straps.
3. Reach up and grab the bar with both hands, using an overhand (pronated) or underhand (supinated) grip, with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Alternatively, you can use a wider grip for more lat engagement.
4. Keep your legs extended and your feet flat on the floor. To make the exercise easier, you can bend your knees and keep your feet planted flat on the ground. To make it more difficult, elevate your feet on a bench or platform.
5. Engage your back and core muscles to pull your chest towards the bar. Focus on using your back muscles (lats, rhomboids) and not just your arms.
Sets: 4
Reps: 6-8
Hanging Leg Raise
hy: The Hanging Leg Raise is an excellent exercise for strengthening the core, particularly the lower abdominals, and it also engages the hip flexors, obliques, and grip strength. It involves hanging from a bar (or other suspended equipment) and raising your legs in a controlled manner, which challenges both your stability and strength.
How to Do It:
1. You'll need a bar that is high enough so that your feet do not touch the ground when you're hanging. This could be a pull-up bar, a gymnastic ring, or any similar setup.
2. Grab the bar with both hands using an overhand (pronated) or neutral (palms facing each other) grip, with your hands about shoulder-width apart.
3. Allow your body to hang straight down, with your arms fully extended. You can slightly bend your knees if needed for comfort, but avoid using your legs to help with the movement.
4. Begin by raising your legs slowly in front of you. Keep your legs straight, and aim to lift them until they are at least parallel to the ground or higher. Some variations involve lifting your legs to your chest or even beyond to target the hip flexors and abdominals more intensely.
Sets: 4
Reps: 10-12
Ab Wheel Rollout
Why: The Ab Wheel Rollout is a highly effective exercise that targets the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscles), obliques, and the hip flexors. It also engages the lower back, shoulders, and arms, making it a full-body movement that challenges both your strength and stability.
How to Do It:
1. Grab the handles of the ab wheel with both hands, keeping your arms extended and your body in an upright, neutral posture.
2. Position your knees about hip-width apart. You can place a mat under your knees for added comfort.
3. Engage your core, tighten your glutes, and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
4. Slowly roll the ab wheel forward while maintaining control. Allow your torso to move forward towards the floor, keeping your arms straight and engaging your core to prevent your back from sagging.
Sets: 4
Reps: 10-12
Face Pull
Why: The Face Pull is a highly effective exercise that targets the upper back, rear deltoids (shoulders), and trapezius muscles. It is often performed using a cable machine with a rope attachment, but it can also be done with resistance bands. The face pull helps improve posture, shoulder health, and overall upper body strength, particularly in the muscles responsible for stabilizing the shoulder joint.
How to Do It:
1. Set the pulley to about eye level (or slightly above).
2. Step back slightly to create tension on the rope, ensuring that the arms are fully extended in front of you and your body is in an upright position.
3. Initiate the pull by engaging your upper back and shoulders. Begin by pulling the rope towards your face, leading with your elbows, not your hands.
4. As you pull the rope towards your face, spread the rope apart (think of separating your hands as you pull). This action activates the rear deltoids and upper traps.
5. Retract your shoulder blades (scapular retraction) as you bring the rope towards your face, aiming to get your hands near your ears or slightly past your head.
Sets: 4
Reps: 10-12
