Upper Body Workout: 10 Best Exercises of All Time & Its benefits

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July 20, 2022

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Tailor a complete basic strength- training schedule that is comfortable yet powerful with easy upper body exercises that you can do at the comfort of your home.

What does Upper Body Workout mean?

Known by different names such as resistance training or strength training, Upper Body Workout is a set of exercises that is important to tone your chest, shoulders, back, biceps, core, triceps, and lower body.

What is Upper Body Workout?

Upper Body Workout includes not only bodyweight exercises but also equipment such as machines, bands, weights. The upper body workout helps build strength to help you get a strong foundation that slowly allows you to take up more challenging exercises. An important aspect in choosing the best approach to upper body workout is to ensure different exercises are chosen for each muscle group, the best suited for your body, and adequate rest gaps.

Why is Upper Body Workout important?

Having remarkable upper body strength is vital as your upper body is in charge to achieve even small tasks such as reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting shopping bags, or even climbing flights of stairs. When you have a strong upper body, it enhances your flexibility, agility, and range of motion.

What are the different types of Upper Body Workout?

For those who are wondering how to start with your upper body workout, we have compiled below a list of ten upper body exercises that are completely simple yet effective. This list also includes upper body exercises at home, so it's cost-effective too.

Burpee
Push-Up
Plank Tap
Dumbbell press
Triceps Dips
Dumbbell standing shoulder press
Decline Press-up
Inchworm
Narrow Press-up
Side Plank

10 Upper Body Workout exercises to fit in your day to day life.

Before starting the upper body workout, ensure to do a warm-up for ten minutes to help prepare your body. You can incorporate the below exercises to design an effective workout regime.

1. Burpee

The first upper body workout is the classic Burpee. Begin by keeping your feet together. Squat and come forward to place your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back to a high plank with your hands set under your shoulders such that your body is in a perpendicular line from your feet to head. Come down to lower your chest into a push-up and back to a high plank.

2. Push-Up

One of the easiest upper body exercises at home, to do the push-up, start in a high plank with shoulders directly above the wrists. With the core engaged, bend the elbows and lower your chest to the ground. Push through the palms back to straighten your arms and repeat.

3. Plank Tap

Begin with a high plank and shoulders set above your wrists and legs stretched behind you. Pat your right hand to your left shoulder with your core and glutes engaged while keeping your hips as static as possible. Repeat the same alternative by tapping your left hand to your right shoulder. Continue this easy upper body workout at home by alternating sides.

4. Dumbbell press

This is an upper-body dumbbell workout wherein you start by resting on your back on the floor. Clutch your dumbbells and stretch your arms by keeping the dumbbells above your chest. Bring it back to your chest and repeat.

5. Triceps Dips

Triceps Dips is a Great Upper Body Workout to strengthen your total body. Keep your hands on a sturdy chair or table behind you while joining your feet together such that your legs are straight and your heels touch the ground. Extend your elbows fully and slowly come down till you can. Slowly push yourself back till your arms are straight to the start position and repeat.

6. Dumbbell standing shoulder press

To do this Upper Body Workout, keep your feet apart with a shoulder-width gap and stand with two dumbbells at shoulder's height such that you have an overhand clasp. Press the dumbbells above your head till your arms are completely drawn-out. Come back slowly to the start position and repeat in sets.

7. Decline Press-up

Another upper body workout at home, begin by placing your feet on a chair or sofa with your hands resting on the floor opposite to you. Let your body down till your chest nearly touches the floor. Press your body up to the initial position while expelling your chest. Wait for a few seconds before you begin again.

8. Inchworm

A famous upper body workout for women, the inchworm is a highly effective exercise. Stand with your feet in a hip-width gap and arms by your side. Slowly, bend at your waist and rest your hands on the ground. Come forward by walking with your hands to come to a high plank with your hands flat on the ground, and wrists set below your shoulders.

9. Narrow Press-up

One of the popular strengthening chest workouts, begin this exercise by resting on the floor and have your body straight. With your hands, form a diamond shape and lower your body till your chest is nearly in contact with the floor.

10. Side Plank

Side plank is a perfect workout for beginners. Stay on your right side and keep your right hand directly under your right shoulder. Stretch your legs and keep your left foot on top of your right. Contract your glutes and abs to raise your hips off the floor.

What are the benefits of Upper Body Workout?

Concentrating on upper body exercises at least once a week in your fitness regime is essential as it helps in building a strong and efficient total body workout. To begin with, you can start with an easy upper body workout at home to get used to and slowly advance to advance upper body workout. The following benefits of the upper body workout will serve as a great encouraging factor for you:

• Upper body workout helps in fixing and improving posture.

• Upper body workout increases total body awareness and thus decreases the threat of injuries.

• Upper body exercises also aid in increasing speed, stability, and power.

• A functional upper body attained through exercises such as upper body dumbbell workout increases flexibility.

• Upper body workout works up major muscle groups in the body, thereby helping reduce more fat.

• With upper body exercises, you can attain a toned and fit body.

‍Disadvantages of Upper Body Workout

As Upper Body Workouts focus on different muscle groups, it may get tough to focus and hit a particular muscle group as the intensity can be too challenging to handle.
If not structured properly, Upper Body workouts may result in overtraining and injury
Concentrating on upper body workouts for more than three times a week may sore the targeted areas and hence it is necessary to alter the patterns and/or bring down the number of sets.
Intensity of upper body workouts, especially for more than two times per week can be difficult to sustain.

Dos & Don'ts of Upper Body Workout

Do not skip the warmup.
Breath out as you lift the weight or dumbbells and breathe in as you lower it.
Do not work-out on a heavy stomach and wait for around three hours before starting your regime if you have consumed heavily.
Always have a bottle of water and drink from it regularly to avoid dehydration.
Gradually add more weight after talking with your trainer.
Do check with a doctor before advancing to complex exercises especially if you are older or have medical history.

What to eat after Upper Body Workout?

Consuming the right food with the right nutrients post workout is necessary as your body attempts to rebuild its system and repair those muscle proteins. It is necessary that simple and easy-to-digest foods are chosen to enhance improved nutrient absorption. Foods such as fruits, eggs, nuts, Avocado, yoghurt, Salmon, Chicken, Protein bar, smoothies, oatmeal, quinoa, and a bowl of vegetables are great choices.

Is it effective to do Upper Body Workout at home?

The fact is that the weight of your body is enough to create the required resistance to build muscle and burn calories. With an effective upper body workout plan, you can easily do the same at the comfort of your home.

What to do post Upper Body Workout?

To relax and soothe the targeted areas after a pumped-up Upper Body Workout, one may do the following stretches such as:

Neck Stretch
Overhead Triceps and Shoulder Stretch
Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch
Biceps Stretch
Chest Stretch
Wrist Extension and Flexion Stretch

The famous yoga asana named Child's Pose can also be done to relax and cool-down to bring your heart rate back down in a controlled way.

What is the right age to do Upper Body Workout?

Upper Body Workouts are not only about improving your body's strength and health, but it also helps in preparing your body against potential problems in the future. Upper Body Workouts can be safely started by kids and teens without the use of equipment and machines. Kids as young as 7 or 8 years old can resort to upper body workout in a toned-down structure with guidance if they are found to possess a good balance and control of their body.

What are the equipment & accessories required for doing Upper Body Workout?

The following equipment and accessories are recommended to help strengthen the upper body:

Dumbbells
Kettlebells
Lat's pulldown machine
Resistance Bands
Rowing machine
Shoulder press
Chest fly machine
Cable machine
Assisted pull-up machine

Upper body workout can prove to be a wonderful workout for teenagers who need a break from a monotonous workout regime . While light dumbbells may not provide the same space for muscle growth, it is helpful in averting injury and to sustain the muscle mass when you can't hit the gym.

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