What Are Some Upper Body Exercises Without Equipment

Are you looking for ways to strengthen your upper body without heading to the gym or investing in expensive equipment? Good news - there are plenty of exercises you can do at home using just your bodyweight! In this article, we’ll cover some upper body exercises you can do without any equipment. Here’s a quick table of contents so you can jump to the section you’re most interested in:

• Pushups
• Plank
• Dips
• Diamond Pushups
• Pullups
• Pike Pushups
• Inverted Rows
• Tricep Dips
• Bicep Curls
• Shoulder Taps

Pushups

Pushups are a classic bodyweight exercise that work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. To do a pushup:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line.
3. Push back up to the starting position.

If traditional pushups are too difficult, you can modify the exercise by dropping to your knees or doing incline pushups against a raised surface like a bench or step. If you want to make pushups more challenging, try diamond pushups (see below).

Plank

The plank is another great exercise for strengthening your core and upper body. To do a plank:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Lower down onto your forearms, keeping your elbows directly under your shoulders.
3. Engage your core and hold the position for as long as you can.

Make sure to keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels. If you need to modify the exercise, you can drop to your knees or do a forearm plank against a wall.

Dips

Dips are a great exercise for targeting your triceps and shoulders. To do dips:

1. Find a sturdy surface like parallel bars, the edge of a bench, or the arms of a chair.
2. Place your hands on the surface with your fingers pointing forward.
3. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows.
4. Push back up to the starting position.

If you don’t have access to parallel bars, you can use the edge of a sturdy coffee table or the arms of two chairs placed close together. If you want to make dips more challenging, try doing them with your feet elevated on a bench or step.

Diamond Pushups

Diamond pushups are a variation of traditional pushups that place more emphasis on your triceps. To do diamond pushups:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
2. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line.
3. Push back up to the starting position.

If diamond pushups are too difficult, you can modify the exercise by dropping to your knees or doing incline diamond pushups against a raised surface like a bench or step.

Pullups

Pullups are a challenging exercise that work your back, biceps, and shoulders. If you have access to a pullup bar or sturdy tree branch, here’s how to do a pullup:

1. Hang from the bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
3. Lower your body back down to the starting position.

If pullups are too difficult, you can modify the exercise by using a resistance band for assistance or doing inverted rows (see below).

Pike Pushups

Pike pushups are a challenging exercise that work your shoulders and triceps. To do pike pushups:

1. Start in a downward dog position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Lower your head towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line.
3. Push back up to the starting position.

If pike pushups are too difficult, you can modify the exercise by placing your hands on a raised surface like a step or doing wall pushups.

Inverted Rows

Inverted rows are a great exercise for targeting your back, biceps, and shoulders. To do inverted rows:

1. Find a sturdy surface like a low table or the bottom of a staircase.
2. Lie underneath the surface and grab onto the edge with your palms facing towards you.
3. Engage your core and pull your chest up towards the surface, keeping your body in a straight line.
4. Lower your body back down to the starting position.

If inverted rows are too difficult, you can modify the exercise by using a resistance band for assistance or doing bent over rows with household objects like water bottles or laundry detergent jugs.

Tricep Dips

Tricep dips are another great exercise for targeting your triceps and shoulders. To do tricep dips:

1. Find a sturdy surface like parallel bars, the edge of a bench, or the arms of a chair.
2. Place your hands on the surface with your fingers pointing towards your body.
3. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows.
4. Push back up to the starting position.

If you don’t have access to parallel bars, you can use the edge of a sturdy coffee table or the arms of two chairs placed close together. If you want to make tricep dips more challenging, try doing them with your feet elevated on a bench or step.

Bicep Curls

Bicep curls are a great exercise for targeting your biceps. To do bicep curls:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Hold onto household objects like water bottles, laundry detergent jugs, or canned goods.
3. Bend your elbows and bring the objects up towards your shoulders.
4. Lower the objects back down to the starting position.

If you want to make bicep curls more challenging, try doing them with a resistance band or slowing down the movement to increase time under tension.

Shoulder Taps

Shoulder taps are a great exercise for targeting your shoulders and core. To do shoulder taps:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift your right hand off the ground and tap your left shoulder.
3. Place your right hand back on the ground and repeat on the other side.

Make sure to keep your body in a straight line and engage your core to prevent your hips from twisting. If shoulder taps are too difficult, you can modify the exercise by dropping to your knees or doing a plank with shoulder taps against a wall.

Conclusion

There you have it - 10 upper body exercises you can do without any equipment! Whether you’re looking to build strength, tone your muscles, or just get in a good workout at home, these exercises are a great place to start. Remember to listen to your body and modify the exercises as needed to suit your fitness level. Happy training!