Increasing upper body strength??

NatalieSkywalker

I am currently 185lbs and relatively fit (I work out for an hour every day). My problem is that I have absolutely no upper body strength, I struggle to do even one push up. What is the best way to improve upper body/arm strength??
I do not have access to a gym and my main form of exercise now is cycling, walking and yoga.

gxm17

I have the same problem and often wonder if I was born missing a muscle that everyone else has. But I'm doing a program now that includes lots of push-ups and I've been able to go from doing half push-ups (on my knees of course) to being able to get through reps of 12 (still on my knees but I can lower to the floor and back). It may not sound like much but for me it's a huge improvement. My advice would be to add push-ups into your routine; do whatever you can do, even it's just half push-ups (only halfway to the floor) on your knees and you will see improvement. Another trick is to do push-ups standing up, against a wall. I would also recommend buying a set of adjustable dumbbells and adding strength training to your weekly regimen.

FullOfWin

bench press, overhead press, bent over rows, pull up variant (assisted if needed)

might as well throw in some squats and deadlifts and call it a balanced routine

notthatthis

bench press, overhead press, bent over rows, pull up variant (assisted if needed)

might as well throw in some squats and deadlifts and call it a balanced routine

Maybe you missed the bit about not having access to a gym.

jasonp_ritzert

Google push-up variations and see what you come up with. Chair dips are good for your triceps. Bicep curl a gallon of water (approx. 8 lbs). If you invest in some quality exercise bands, those may help without a gym.

I would think that certain varieties of yoga would help with certain positions used.

Also, add in some bodyweight squats, wall sits, and lunges for your legs as well. All great bodyweight exercises or do them with a backpack with cans in it, etc. to add weight as your progress.

sboubin

If you don't have weights at home, grab something kinda heavy like a bottle of laundry detergent and do bicep and tricep exercises. Also, instead of pushups, start out with the plank position. (hold yourself like you are at the top of a pushup for as long as you can) This will build up endurance in the muscles used for pushups.

jacksonpt

calisthenics/body weight exercises at home are more than sufficient.

chosanjuan

Google push-up variations and see what you come up with. Chair dips are good for your triceps. Bicep curl a gallon of water (approx. 8 lbs). If you invest in some quality exercise bands, those may help without a gym.

I would think that certain varieties of yoga would help with certain positions used.

Also, add in some bodyweight squats, wall sits, and lunges for your legs as well. All great bodyweight exercises or do them with a backpack with cans in it, etc. to add weight as your progress.

I definitely second all of these!

You can also add in incline (not negative incline) pushups. Lean into a table or night stand and do pushups that way. You aren't putting all of your bodyweight on your arms so you can work your way up from there. The more weight your arms can take, put your feet out further away and then go to the "girl pushups" on your knees then go to the traditional ones.

Just don't say "you can't" and you'll make it up there!

Falenea

I'm totally going to try incline on table or chair push ups. Thats a great idea.

NatalieSkywalker

These are all great suggestions, I am going to try some out later tonight. Thank you everyone!

missferoux

I asked the same question recently, and had much of the same advice. I haven't been doing them as often as I should, but I have been doing a mixture of wall and worktop push ups.

I can't do girly ones yet, but it's only a week or so since I started doing them, so I'm not expecting (or even trying) yet, but I can feel the difference x

FitBeto

Im not very good at doing handstands. So instead of trying to do other things to try and better my handstands i just do handstands and variations of it.

If you cant do a pushup do variants / one pushup then break, then one then break then next workout try and do two and keep going!

wonderbolt

bench press, overhead press, bent over rows, pull up variant (assisted if needed)

might as well throw in some squats and deadlifts and call it a balanced routine

Put some very heavy bags/cans of food in a backpack. Proceed to do these lifts.

Sean_The_IT_Guy

Pushups and pullups will build upper body strength. For folks who can't yet do the full motion (I can do 15+ pushups in a set, but I can't do a single pullup) there are easy ways to modify them to start.

Pushups can be done in front of a staircase, with feet on the floor, and hands on the steps. This increases the incline and takes some of the resistance off the arms. You can also do knee pushups to achieve the same lightening of resistance.

Pullups are much harder for most people, but you can modify them, as well. You can do just the negative portion, buy standing on a chair or bench to bring yourself to the "up" position, then lowering yourself as slowly as possible. Doing the negative portion will strengthen the same muscles as the full motion, and eventually you will be able to do a pullup. I usually recommend doing as many full pullups as you can, even if that's zero, then doing as many negatives as you can to make up a total of 8, counting your full pullups. Then rest for a few minutes, and do that again, rest and do again. 3 sets of 8 reps. Do this a couple times a week, or as often as soreness allows, and you'll be cranking out pullups in a couple months.

Shelialouise66

Good thread, because I am having this very same issue, ugh. I have these massive muscular legs and the weak arms. I work as a nurse and am constantly pulling and tugging on patients, so I didn't think I was so upper body weak, until I got in the gym and just had a pitiful showing on the machines. Thanks for all of your suggestions. I'm gonna start with push-ups and go from there.

budgester

If you get the opportunity give kayaking a try......

moment_to_arise

http://hundredpushups.com/