Upper-body strength is something I've always struggled with [1], and I know firsthand that strengthening your arms, shoulders, and back isn't as easy as pumping out a few push-ups and bicep curls and calling it a day. If you really want to build upper-body strength [2], it's all about doing the most effective moves with consistency.
We did part of the work for you by asking trainers for their top moves for getting stronger in your arms, shoulders, and back, which you can check out ahead. If your goal is to get stronger, be sure to mix them into your strength workouts, which trainers recommend doing three to four times a week [3] to get results. Buckle down, grab your dumbbells, and let's get to work!
Negative Push-Up
Traditional push-ups are great, but several trainers said negative push-ups are even more effective. They "strengthen the chest, shoulders, upper back, and triceps when done with correct alignment and proper form," said Karen L. Arceneaux [5], an NASM-certified personal trainer at Ailey Extension [6]. The difference? In this variation, "you start at the top of the push-up position and slowly lower the body down."
- Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend your legs behind you, coming onto your toes to come into a high plank position. Pull your core in toward your spine and make sure your shoulders and wrists are still aligned. This is your starting position.
- Take a breath in, and as you exhale, bend your elbows, slowly lowering your entire body all the way to the ground. This should be done very slowly, over the course of two to four seconds. Allow your shoulder blades to pinch in toward your spine and make sure to keep your core tight. Do your best not to let your torso collapse, making sure your whole body touches the floor at the same time.
- Return to the high plank starting position. You can either push yourself up with your arms like a push-up, or get on your hands and knees and reset. The point of the negative push-up is to emphasize the movement down to the ground, not the push back up.
- This counts as one rep. To modify, do this with your knees on the floor.
Inclined Push-Up
This modified push-up is recommended by Steven Mack, a certified strength and conditioning specialist at Simple Solution Fitness [7], who said it's a great way to teach your shoulders how to move properly in a push-up motion.
- Begin in a high plank with your hands on an elevated surface, like a bench, a couch, a sturdy chair, or a stair. (The lower the surface, the harder the move will be.) Your hands should be under your shoulders, your core pulled in toward your spine, and your back flat.
- Bend your elbows, lowering your chest to about elbow height with your triceps parallel to your ribs. Keep your core pulled in throughout the movement.
- Drive through your hands to push away from the surface until your arms are straight and you're back in the high plank position.
- This counts as one rep.
Bent-Over Row
"Bent-over rows work your triceps, traps, lats, shoulders, rotator cuffs, and several key muscles along your back," said NSCA-certified personal trainer John Fawkes [8]. While you might really feel this in your shoulders and triceps, it's those important back muscles that help support and align your spine for better posture, he told POPSUGAR.
- Start standing with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand and resting them on your thighs. Your palms should be facing toward your body.
- Pull your core toward your spine as you shift your hips backward, like you're going to sit in a chair. Bend your knees slightly, keeping them behind your toes. Be sure not to round your back.
- Slowly extend your arms until they're straight. Hold the dumbbells directly below your shoulders without allowing them to drag you forward or hunch your back.
- Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do. Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don't arch your back.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position, continuing to keep your core pulled in.
- This completes one rep.
Dumbbell Bench Press
The bench press is a compound movement that works multiple muscles at once, said ACE-certified personal trainer David Sandoval of DMSfit [9]. Your triceps, deltoids in your shoulders, and pectoral muscles in your chest are all building strength here.
- Sit on a flat workout bench with one leg on either side. With one dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs, lie back onto the bench. (If you don't have a bench, lie flat on the ground with your legs bent, knees over ankles.)
- Hold the dumbbells above your chest, shoulder-width apart, creating a 90-degree angle between your upper arms and forearms. Your palms should be facing forward. Press your back against the bench and tighten your core.
- Exhale as you push the dumbbells up, fully extending your arms so the dumbbells come to a stop above your shoulders. Hold for one second.
- Inhale and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with control.
- This counts as one rep.
Plank With Shoulder Tap
Plank with shoulder tap is effective because it targets your shoulders, arms, back, and glutes all at the same time, said PJ Shirdan [10], a NASM-ceritifed personal trainer with FightCamp. "This high plank variation is challenging for all fitness levels," he added.
- Begin with both hands firmly planted on the mat slightly farther than shoulder-width distance apart. Your legs should be extended behind you and you should be resting on the balls of your feet.
- Lift your right hand up off the ground to touch your left shoulder, ensuring that you brace your abdominals to keep your hips parallel to the floor. Lower your right hand back to the ground to return to the starting position.
- Repeat the same movement, this time lifting your left hand up and off the ground and touching your right shoulder. Lower your left hand to the ground and return to the starting position.
- Be sure to keep your hips square to the floor (your hip bones should always be pointing down toward the ground) at all times.
- This counts as one rep.
Overhead Shoulder Press
Target your deltoids with this simple up-and-down move, which Sandoval said can also improve mobility.
- Start standing with your feet hip-width apart while holding a dumbbell in each hand, resting at your sides with your palms facing in.
- Brace your core as you lift the dumbbells, placing them just above (but not touching) your shoulders. Your palms should still be facing in. This is your starting position.
- Straighten your arms to press the weights directly up. Keep a slight bend in your elbows at the top, ensuring that the weights are directly over your shoulders. Make sure you're pulling your core in tight and keeping your back flat, not allowing it to bend or hunch.
- Bend your elbows, lowering the dumbbells to come back to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
Upright Row
This move recruits the muscles that support your shoulder blades, said physical therapist and NSCA-certified strength and conditioning coach Leada Malek [11], DPT. The upright row "forces you to emphasize a good posture while doing it," she explained. The muscles you're targeting "not only help with posture, but provide the basis of a strong and stable shoulder prepared for more advanced movements, like overhead presses."
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body, shoulders directly over your pelvis, and a slight bend in your knees. Brace your core and pull your abs in toward your spine.
- Keep the dumbbells close to your body as you raise them toward your shoulders, bending your elbows out to the sides. As you move, brace your core and keep your torso still. Stop when you get to chest height.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
Bent-Over Reverse Fly
This move strengthens your upper back, Mack said, which can help improve your posture. If you prefer not to get into the bent-over position, he recommended trying the resistance-band pull-apart [12] instead.
- Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip.
- Hinge forward from your hips so that your torso is parallel to the floor. Bend your knees slightly and extend your arms to hold the dumbbells directly below your chest. This is your starting position.
- Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and raise the dumbbells outward and upward from below your chest until they reach shoulder height. You should feel a small squeeze between your shoulder blades.
- On an inhale, gently lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
Bicep Curl
"The biceps tendon is one of your most important shoulder stabilizers," Mack told POPSUGAR, and this classic move is a great way to target it.
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at the sides of your body with your palms facing out. Pull your abs toward your spine to engage your core.
- Keeping your elbows close to your ribs, bend your elbows and slowly raise the dumbbells to your shoulders. Continue to pull in your abs and make sure your elbows stay in line with your sides, not poking back behind you.
- Moving with control, lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Keep your torso stable and don't lean forward as you move.
- This counts as one rep.
Curl and Press
By combining two traditional upper-body exercises, you can hit multiple muscle groups at once and get more bang for your buck, said personal trainer Ali MacKellar [13], who has DTS Level 1 and Strive Life Level 1 certifications. "The bicep curl focuses on your biceps, delts, and forearms, while the overhead press focuses on your delts, traps, and triceps," MacKellar explained. This move is a great choice for anyone, they added, as these are functional movements we all do in our daily lives.
- Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (your palms should be facing in toward your thighs) and your arms extended. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and bend your elbows, and curl the dumbbells in toward your chest, keeping your elbows in close contact with the sides of your body.
- On an exhale, extend your elbows as you press the dumbbells above your head, ensuring that your arms are in line with your ears on either side of your head.
- On an inhale, lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders and then extend them so that you are holding the weights back by your side and in the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
Bent-Over Row to Triceps Kickback
MacKellar recommended rows as a way to target multiple muscles in the back of your body and improve core stability and strength, while kickbacks work your triceps and biceps. You're getting the best of both of these key moves.
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at the sides of your body. Tilt your torso forward while keeping your back flat and core pulled in. Bend both knees.
- Extend your arms in front of you, bringing the dumbbells directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your core tight and back flat, not allowing your shoulders to hunch forward.
- Bend your elbows and pull them behind your back, raising the dumbbells toward the sides of your ribs. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Avoid arching your back.
- Straighten your arms behind you with your palms facing in, extending your arms until they're parallel to the floor.
- Squeeze your triceps, then bend your elbows to return the weights to your chest.
- Lower your weights and extend your arms to return to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
Triceps Dip
"Triceps dips work your triceps and your shoulders," said Alex Weissner, a NASM-certified personal trainer at Brunch Running [14]. She recommended starting with your knees bent; as you get stronger, try extending your legs out long to make it more challenging.
- Start sitting and place your hands behind you at shoulder-width apart, either on the floor or on a secure bench or stable couch or chair.
- Place your feet flat on the ground in front of you, hip-width apart, knees bent up.
- Straighten your arms to lift your butt off the ground. Keep your core pulled toward your spine and your back flat, not letting your butt dip toward the ground. Keep a little bend in your elbows to keep the pressure off your elbow joints. This is your starting position.
- Slowly bend your elbows and lower your upper body toward the floor until your arms are at about a 90-degree angle. Your butt should be just off the ground. Make sure you're lowering with your arms, not dipping down with your pelvis. If you're using a bench or chair, be sure to keep your back close to it.
- When you're at the bottom of the movement, a few inches off the ground, slowly press with your hands and push yourself straight back up to the starting position. Keep bracing your core and initiating the movement from your arms, not your torso or hips.
- This counts as one rep.