Upper body strength training exercises to try

If you want to sculpt your shoulders, arms, back, and torso, you must focus on doing some upper body exercises. These strengthen your upper body and help you do everyday tasks effortlessly. The upper body strength in women is almost half that of their lower body strength. Moreover, including upper body strength training in the daily exercise regimen may help develop a positive body image. Also, consider that an upper body exercise will will not make you appear like a body-builder, particularly since women produce about one-tenth of the testosteronei compared to males.

Upper Body Movements To Concentrate On

While fortifying your upper body, you must use the muscles and ligaments that actually help you construct a slender and toned upper body. Here are the 6 body movements that you should focus on.

Horizontal propel – This body movement will involve exercises that you will use to propel the weight away from your body horizontally.
Horizontal draw – This body movement will involve exercises that you will use to draw the weight towards your body horizontally.
Vertical lift – This exercise involves body movements where you will lift the weight away vertically, over your head.
Vertical draw – This exercise involves body movements where you will draw the weight towards you vertically.
Elbow Flexion – These are exercises that require you to flex your forearms and transfer the weight towards your body.A
Elbow Extension – These are exercises that require you to extend your forearms and transfer the weight away from your body.

Which Muscles Will You Work On?

For every exercise, you will focus on certain muscles that will help develop your upper body strength. Here’s the list of muscles you will target.

Push Exercises – You will use the pectoral musclesi , lats, trapezius muscles, triceps, and shoulders.
Pull Exercises – You will use the large group of muscles like lats (upper back), trapezius muscles (center of the back), rhomboids (top of back), and erector spinae (bottom of back).
Flexion/Extension Exercises – Biceps, triceps, forearm flexors and extensors, shoulder muscles, upper abdomen, chest, and back muscles.

Best Upper Body Exercises For Women

Here are the 10 greatest upper body routines for women which include – kettlebell and dumbbell exercises that target your arms, shoulders, back, and chest. These moves will not only tone, sculpt, and carve your muscles but also make you stronger.

1. Dumbbell Punches

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A very effective warm-up exercise that works on all the muscles in your arms and prepares them for a good strength training session. It is also a cardio motion that fires up the body.

How To Do Dumbbell Punches
Lift the dumbbells, one in each hand, and position them near your shoulders with your forearms clinging to your sides.
Punch a dumbbell out alternately by straightening the forearm.
Do this for 1-2 minutes.

2. Bent Over Front Raise

One of the best moves for an attractive back and toned biceps that experts swear by. It is among those back exercises that also work on the torso along with the upper and lower backs, shoulders, biceps, and triceps.

How To Do Bent Over Front Raise
Squat down, bend as low as you can and get up without arching your spine.
Hold a dumbbell in each fist. Keep your palms extended upright in front of you.
Lift the limbs and lift the dumbbells aloft. Do not alter your posture, and do not bend your forearms.
Bring the limbs down. Repeat the move for 12-15 counts.

3. Bent Over Lateral Raise

This exercise opens up the ribcage and works on those pecs. It also tightens the upper back muscles and tones the triceps.

How To Do Bent Over Lateral Raise
Squat down and bend as low as you can and get up without arching your back.
Lift a dumbbell in each hand with your arms in front of you. Keep the dumbbells facing each other and forearms slightly flexed.
Lift the arms to the sides in such a manner that they make a straight line with your shoulders.
Bring the limbs down. Do 12-15 reps.

4. Triceps Kickbacks

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The fat that gets accumulated around the triceps results in bingo wings and makes donning those seductive tanks very difficult. Tricep exercises like triceps kickbacks can give you outstanding upper arms.

How To Do Tricep Kickbacks
Standing erect and grasp a dumbbell in each hand.
Bring your right leg forward, bowing the knee a little, and put most of your weight on your right foot.
Keep the rear leg erect.
Bend forward a little. Place your right hand on your right knee, keep your left hand bowed at your side and your elbow pointing back.
Kick that left dumbbell back by straightening your forearm.
Bring it back. Do 12-15 reps.
Repeat with the other limb.

5. Renegade Rows With Dumbbells

This is an intermediate to advanced level of exercise. Renegade rows obliterate arm flab and tighten your core. If you find it challenging to do this exercise with dumbbells, you can begin by doing it without any weights. Beginners can also do it with dumbbells, but on their knees to make it less challenging.

How To Do Renegade Rows With Dumbbells
Assume the push-up position with each hand grasping a dumbbell situated on the floor.
Lift one dumbbell and elevate it while slightly rotating your body to the side. Take the object back as far as you can. Balance yourself on the other limb and arm.
Lower it and repeat with the other side.
Do 15 reps.

6. Overhead Press

Shoulder exercises like the overhead shoulder press target the upper back and the shoulders and can tone and sculpt the area.

How To Do Overhead Press
Stand erect and keep your core engaged and shoulder blades rolled back.
Grip a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms out in a straight line with your shoulders. Bend them at the elbows such that your forearms are parallel to your head.
Raise the dumbbells directly overhead.
Bring them down to the previous position.
Do 15 presses.

7. Upright Row

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Upright rows target the flab on your back and open up the torso.

How To Do Upright Row
Stand with your ankles slightly arched. Lean forward. Keep your spine erect.
Place the dumbbells, one in each hand, in front of you.
Lift the dumbbells up like you are dragging something towards you. Pull until the dumbbells are near your chest and your forearms make a straight line with your shoulders.
Push them back down. Do 15 reps.

8. Russian Twist With Kettlebell

Here is another exercise for the upper body. This move works on the entire upper body – the core, limbs, and back. Use a kettlebell of whatever weight you prefer. Or you can even use a hefty implement.

How To Do Russian Twist With Kettlebell
Sit erect with your back rigid and legs stretched in front of you.
Bend your knees and elevate your calves in such a way that they are parallel to the ground.
At the same time, tilt your spine slightly backward and balance yourself on your tush.
Tighten all the muscles in your body to make the equilibrium simpler.
Hold a kettlebell in the center near your torso.
Twist to your right and take the kettlebell to that side. Return to the center and repeat it on the left side.
Do 15-20 reps.

9. Plank With Arm Curl

This move is a combination of isometrici and isotonic exercisesi . The plank tightens the muscles in the complete body, particularly the core. And at the same time, the curl strengthens the arms, specifically targeting the biceps.

How To Do Plank With Upper Arm Curl
Get into the plank position with your back erect and abdominal taut.
Place the dumbbells on the floor and hold one in each hand. Settle your toes securely into the earth to sustain the equilibrium.
Balance yourself on one arm and legs and do a bicep contraction with the other arm.
Lower that arm and repeat on the other side.
Do 20 reps.