These Are the 15 Bodyweight Exercises You Should Do to Improve Your Upper-Body Strength

Updated on 3/20/2019 at 1:40 PM

Getting sculpted and strong arms is going to take time, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. If you're new to working out, we recommend beginning with bodyweight exercises to strengthen your arms. Once you've built up your strength, you can begin to incorporate a few beginner dumbbell exercises into your routine as well.

In order to make your life easier, we've rounded up 15 bodyweight exercises that will help strengthen and sculpt your arms. Just a friendly reminder that this is not a workout, and doing all 15 exercises at once will make you extremely sore. Instead, choose three to five exercises that work different muscles in your arms (i.e. push-ups, mid-rows, and pull-ups) to make a workout.

Once you've got a strength foundation, be sure to progress to more intense movements in order to keep building muscle and prevent hitting a plateau. In the meantime, put your arms to work with the 15 strengthening exercises ahead.

Elevated Push-Up

Start in plank position, placing your palms on a stable surface like a wall, chair, kitchen counter, back of couch, or bench. Keep your arms and legs straight with weight on your toes, shoulders above the wrists, and core engaged.
Take a breath in, and as you exhale, bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your torso in one piece (it's common to leave your pelvis behind, aka sticking your butt out) toward your hands. Stop when your shoulders are in line with your elbows. Inhale and straighten your arms to return to your starting position. This counts as one rep.

Triceps Dip

Position your hands shoulder width apart on the floor or on a secured bench or stable chair.
Move your booty in front of the bench with your legs out in front of you and feet placed about hip width apart on the floor.
Straighten your arms, and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
Now slowly bend at your elbows, and lower your upper body toward the floor until your arms are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press off with your hands, and push yourself straight back up to the starting position.
This counts as one rep.

Bent-Knee TRX Assisted Pull-Up

Start with the TRX straps overshortened, as high as they can go.
Grab the handles, and make sure your hands are directly over your shoulders and hips. Your spine should be straight, and your feet should be flat on the ground.
Pull yourself up as high as you can, then lower back down to the starting position.

TRX Mid-Row

Before getting started, make sure the TRX suspension trainer is secured to an anchor point (a fixed object that won't move and can support you weight). The straps should be at mid-length.
Grab the handles with each hand and walk your feet out, approximately two feet away from your body. Your arms should be extended in front of you and your body should be in a straight line. The further you walk your feet in front of you, the more challenging the exercise will become.
Engage your core and make sure your spine is in a neutral position. Avoid rounding your shoulders and arching your lumbar spine.
With your palms facing in and your ribs by your, side pull your elbows back. Keep your core engaged and tension on the straps as you return to the starting position with control. This counts as one rep.

Banded Assisted Pull-Up

Place a large resistance band securely around a pull-up bar. A band with more resistance will provide you with more assistance/momentum to pull yourself up.
Stand on a stable object (a bench will work), and grip the pull-up bar. With one hand, place the band around the arch of your shoe. Fully extend the banded leg.
With a neutral spine and your abs engaged, pull yourself up. The band will provide you with momentum to lift your body up. Lower back down to the starting position.

Modified Single-Arm Glider Push-Up

Start in a modified push-up position with your knees on the ground and a glider underneath your right hand.
Engage your core as you lower down into a push-up with control. As you lower your body, simultaneously extend your right arm out in front of you. Lower down as far as you can go without losing your form. Be sure to keep your back flat.
With control, push your body up as you simultaneously pull your right arm back in so that it's directly underneath your shoulder.
This counts as one rep.

TRX Curl

Start facing the anchor point, with the straps at mid-length.
Apply tension to the straps. Keeping your body in a straight line and your core engaged, curl your arms, bringing your palms toward your face. Be sure to maintain a 90-degree angle at your elbow joint.
Lower back down to the starting position. This completes one rep.

For this exercise, the closer your feet are to the anchor point (you'll be more at an incline), the harder it will be. The farther away your feet are from the anchor point, the easier it will be.

Push-Up

Start in a plank position with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above your wrists.
Take a breath in, and as you exhale, bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your chest toward the ground. Stop as soon as your shoulders are in line with your elbows. Inhale to straighten the arms. This counts as one rep.
If this is too difficult, do this exercise with your knees on the floor.

Burpee

Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
Do one basic push-up, bending the elbows and then straightening back to plank.
Jump the feet forward to the hands and come into a squat.
Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can.

Negative Pull-Up

Place a bench, box, or another stable object underneath the pull-up bar. Stand on top of the bench, and grip the pull-up bar with both hands. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart, and your palms should be facing away from your body.
Jump up off the bench and pull yourself up. If you can, try to get your chin above the bar. This is your starting position.
With control, slowly lower your body down for three counts or until your arms are fully extended. Be sure to keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement.

One Arm Med-Ball Push-Up

Start in a plank position with your left hand on a medicine ball.
Keeping your torso square to the floor, perform a push-up by bending and straightening both arms. If a traditional push-up is too challenging, lower your knees to the floor.
Roll the ball to the right hand and do another push-up. This completes one rep.

TRX Deltoid Fly

Before getting started, make sure the TRX suspension trainer is secured to an anchor point (a fixed object that won't move and can support you weight). The straps should be at mid-length.
Grab the handles with each hand and walk your feet out approximately two feet away from your body. Your arms should be extended in front of you and your body should be in a straight line. The further you walk your feet in front of you, the more challenging the exercise will become.
With your core engaged, open your arms out toward the sides, like you're making a "T" with your arms. Be sure to keep tension on the straps throughout the entire movement.
With your core still engaged and tension on the straps, return to the starting position with control. This counts as one rep.

Single-Arm Glider Push-Up

Start in a plank position with a glider underneath your right hand.
Engage your core as you lower down into a push-up with control. As you lower your body, simultaneously extend your right arm out in front of you. Lower down as far as you can go without losing your form. Be sure to keep your back flat.
With control, push your body up as you simultaneously pull your right arm back in so that it's directly underneath your shoulder.
This counts as one rep.

TRX Push-Up

Start standing at a 45-degree angle, facing away from the anchor point. The straps should be at full length.
Grip the handles as you lower your chest toward your hands. Keep your back flat and core engaged as you lower down into a push-up.
Press back up to your starting position. This completes one rep.

For this exercise, the closer your feet are to the anchor point, the harder the move will be. The closer you are to standing straight up, the easier it will be.

Diamond Push-Up

Begin in plank position. Place your hands together, directly under your sternum, with the tips of your index fingers and thumbs touching. Your fingers and thumbs should form a diamond or triangle shape.
After an inhale, exhale to bend your elbows, lowering your chest toward the floor.
Inhale to straighten the arms.
This counts as one rep.
If this is too difficult, try separating your hands a couple inches or widening your feet slightly. Still too hard? Then lower the knees to the ground.