Currently, many people are more aware of their body condition. Getting a healthy and fit body might be a plus for them. So that is why many people start to do upper body exercises that are highly possible bringing a healthy and fit body. Learn more about the benefits and recommendations of the best exercise for the upper body below.
The Benefits of Upper-Body Exercises You Should Know
1. Strengthen the Body and Metabolism
As it is called, exercise for the upper body is very beneficial for training the endurance and metabolism of the body. So that is why, people who love to do this kind of exercise will get more strengthen their bodies with a high level of endurance, They are not easily tired because simultaneously do an exercise routine.
More than that, the positive impact of doing an exercise routine like this is it can boost the body’s metabolism. As it is known, body exercise is an excellent way to decrease fat, which might cause many problems in the body. However, it should be followed with a calorie-deficit diet to get the maximum result.
2. Improve the Posture of the Body
People can perform a good posture if they have a strong and straight-up back. Because of lifestyle or other reasons, many people nowadays are hard to realize it. So that is why many people seem to have imbalanced postures. To recover body posture, it needs exercise or training to maintain the back and whole body form, which will lead to good posture.
In detail, to reach a good posture, people need a strengthened back and muscles, and also a tight chest. The appropriate exercise for that is an upper body workout, which is very focused on creating a good form of the upper body. Another reason to support reaching good posture is it can help people to have a better appearance and performance on a daily.
3. Stay Healthy to do Daily Activities
Starting to do routine exercises for the upper body is amazing. Regarding the positive benefit of a healthy and fit body, people will feel fresher and more energetic on a daily. It will help to do many activities such as work, play, or others. For long-term impact, it might help them to avoid the risk of health problems and might extend their age.
10 Best Exercises for Upper Body You can do at Home
1. Push-Up
The common exercise for the upper body is push-up. It is a basic movement to train the physical endurance of people, it is also well-known as upper body exercises for the basic training of athletes and the military. With the benefit and easy-to-do of doing this exercise, people can use it as an exercise for the upper body. It is because push-ups lead some muscles to work together.
How to do this exercise people must lower and raise the body simultaneously, using their arms. On the other hand, in the modified push-up, the knees also can be the pivot points. Furthermore, the upper body muscles that work when people push-up are including the abdominals, deltoid, chest muscles, back, triceps brachii, forearms, biceps, joints, and tendons.
2. Pull-Up
Pull-up is well-known for training the strength of the upper body, which this exercise is defined as a closed-chain movement. To do this exercise starts by gripping a bar or other equipment that should be wider than the shoulder, and pulling up the body until the chest is parallel to the bar. As it happens, the shoulder and elbow work.
In another way, this exercise can be claimed as muscle activation. It is because pull-up brings many muscles to work together. From the beginning, the trapezius, brachialis, and infraspinatus muscles work. Then, in the middle of the exercise, the teres major, latissimus dorsi, and biceps brachii reach the peak of activity. Furthermore, the subscapularis and tricep brachii get the maximum at the top of the pull-up exercise.
3. Pull-Down
The ultimate similarity between pull-down and pull-up is in the terms of the muscle activation exercise. Furthermore, pull-down is an open-chain movement, this exercise uses a weight machine with a brace and seat for the thighs. It started from sitting at the machine with braced thighs. Meanwhile, the back is straight-up and the feet are on the floor.
The next step is hands grasping the bar that connects to the weight stack with the arms overhead. Then pull down and up the elbow simultaneously until the bar is parallel to the neck. Furthermore, this exercise is designed to train the latissimus dorsi muscle. Besides that, the pull-down is also combining the dynamic work of the elbow and shoulders with the muscles surrounding.
4. Tricep Dips
When people want to have great upper body muscles, the tricep and bicep are important to train. Both of them need the training to be balanced, it looks not good if one is bigger than the other. One of the common upper body exercises is tricep dips, which need a flat surface such as a chair, bench, or couch. It will be better if use a tricep dips machine.
How to perform this exercise start with a straight-up To maintain balance, sit on the surface with one foot planted on the floor and grip the surface’s edge. Then, extend the leg until the toes are straight and the heels are firmly planted on the floor. Slide the glutes forward while gripping the edge of the surface.
At this point, the elbows would be bent and the body would be hovering on the surface. When everything is in order, he begins to bend his elbows between 45 and 90 degrees, and he glutes straight down to the floor without touching it. Then, squeeze the tricep as the body hovers above the floor. Inhale and push your body up to the surface.
5. Bicep Curl
The following exercise is bicep curl, with consistently doing it, the arms will be strong and build the muscles correctly. Furthermore, dumbbells must be lifted during this exercise, and the weight of the dumbbells is adjusted to the ability. Or it can be added simultaneously with consistent training. It can also be added concurrently with consistent training.
To perform this exercise begins with standing up with the foot open about hip-width. Then, hold the dumbbells in each hand. Before lifting the dumbbells, let the arms relax on the side of the body with the palm facing forward. However, keep the arm stable and the shoulder relaxed. After that, bend the elbows and lift the dumbbells until they approach the shoulders.
When doing this exercise, do not forget to stay relaxed, and exhale while lifting the dumbbells. Repeat the steps and gain more along the time. Besides that, pay attention to the step of this exercise, because there might some errors when doing it such as the movement is going too fast, or the incorrect elbow position that might cause an injury.
6. Overhead Press
Overhead press exercises may be familiar to people who want to train their upper body, especially if they want to build muscle. To perform this exercise, people need to hold a bar over the head and lower it back until it is parallel to the shoulders. It is one of the compound upper body exercises, in which the upper body press the weight overhead, and the lower body maintains balance.
The proper step of the overhead press begins with standing up the body with the bar position in front of the shoulders, and the hands are on the next shoulders. Use an appropriate high rack for the bar. Then, press the bar until it is over the head and balance it. Do not forget to lock the elbows at the top and shrug your shoulders to the ceiling. Hold the bar for a second, lower it back, and then repeat the step.
7. Dumbbell Bench Press
The dumbbell bench press is viral among people who love to exercise, especially to build upper body muscles. It is the classic exercise to build up the chest stronger. It also works for the triceps and deltoids. The equipment required is just dumbbells and a bench for the surface to lie down on.
The step to do is to lie down on the bench with both hands carrying the dumbbells resting on top of the hips. Using the hip to lift the dumbbells, do it one by one so they can be in the position in front of shoulder-width. At that time, rotate the wrists forward and the palm facing away from the body. Pay attention to the dumbbells, it should be on the side of the chest with the forearm and upper arm making 90 degrees form.
While breathing up, use the chest to pull up the dumbbells. Lock the arm on the top position and squeeze the chest. Hold the position for a second and then slowly lower down. Repeat the steps to customize the repetition amount for routine training. Furthermore, remember to not drop the dumbbells next to the body when finis the exercise because it is dangerous for the rotator cuff in the shoulders and other people around.
8. Hammer Curl
Hammer curl is one of the bicep curl variations, moreover, this exercise focuses on upper and lower arm training. Most people use dumbbells for this exercise, but it is possible to use bands or cables too. Seeing that, this exercise has the potential to train the upper body and can be added to an exercise routine.
Standing up and both hands carrying dumbbells are the first step of this upper body exercises. Keep the arms on the side of the body and shoulders relaxed. Then, bend the elbow and lift the weight with the lower arms until it is forward to the shoulders. The wrist is parallel to the forearm. Then, hold the position for a second and lower the weight. Repeat the steps several times.
9. Farmer’s Walk
A farmer’s walk is defined as an exercise that requires both people’s hands to carry heavy loads and walk for customized distances. As a result, the whole body’s muscles will be working and it will stimulate cardiovascular activities. Moreover, this exercise is popular among people, from athletes to gym enthusiasts who like to do it.
To perform this exercise, people are required to use dumbbells and space to walk, the weight is variously adjusted to the ability. Firstly, place the heavy loads on the floor. Secondly, bending the hips and knees then grasping the dumbbells on both hands. Hold the dumbbells firmly and maintain the straight-up position of the body. Lastly, take a walk on the customized distance.
10. Side Plank
Last but not least, there is a side plank as one of the options to train the upper body. It is an exercise that is excellent to strengthen the abdominal muscles of the body, and it is safe to be added to the core-exercise routine. More than that, this exercise is quite simple and does not require any equipment. So that is why people can easily do this at home.
The first step is lying on the right side of the surface, it can be a sports mat or carpet. Then, the legs are extended and stacked from hip to feet. The right-arm elbow is under the shoulder. Ensure that the head is parallel with the spine and the left arm is parallel with the left body side. Pay attention to this position before doing the side plank, it will reduce the injury risk.
Then, engage the abdominal muscles by drawing a line from the navel to the spine. While taking an exhale breath, lift the hips and knees from the surface. The torso of the body should be straight in line and hold the position of this one of the upper body exercises for seconds. After that, take an inhaled breath and repeat the steps. After looking at the various benefits and recommendations of the best exercise for the upper body above, it probably can increase the desire to do this kind of exercise routine later. Get a good posture and a healthy and fit body through this routine. There are a lot of kinds of upper body workouts that people can try, so do not be demotivated to get a better life with a healthier body.
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