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If you wish to construct spectacular pecs, broad shoulders, and chiseled triceps, higher physique push workouts are simply the ticket.
With so many actions to select from, nevertheless, understanding which is able to ship the outcomes you need might be baffling.
Right here’s what I recommend: prioritize compound workouts that allow you to press heavy weights and make constant progress, then complement these with isolation workouts that focus on the muscle mass the compound actions miss.
My favorites are:
- Barbell bench press
- Incline barbell bench press
- Dumbbell bench press
- Incline dumbbell bench press
- Dip
- Shut-grip bench press
- Standing overhead press
- Seated overhead press
- Shoulder press
- Arnold press
- Triceps pushdown
- Overhead triceps extension
- Mendacity triceps extension (“skullcrusher”)
- Dumbbell aspect lateral increase
Hold studying to be taught why these workouts are so efficient, how one can carry out them appropriately, and extra.
- The 14 Best Upper Body Push Exercises
Desk of Contents
+
The 14 Greatest Higher Physique Push Workouts
Doing efficient push day trains could make a night-and-day distinction to your physique.
As an illustration, right here’s how my physique reworked over a two-year interval after I stopped futzing round with “pump-style” coaching and received severe about urgent heavy weights:
As you possibly can see, my pecs developed an “armor-plated” look, my shoulders turned fuller and rounder, and though they’re not seen right here, I gained important mass in my triceps, too.
If you wish to obtain comparable outcomes, make the next 14 higher physique push day trains the main focus of your coaching:
1. Barbell Bench Press
The barbell bench press is among the single finest push day trains for constructing virtually each main higher physique muscle group, significantly your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s so efficient as a result of it permits you to deal with heavy weights safely and progress repeatedly, that are important for gaining mass and energy.
Easy methods to:
- Lie on a flat bench and place your toes flat on the ground.
- Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again.
- Seize the bar with a barely wider than shoulder-width grip and unrack the barbell.
- Decrease the barbell to your chest, maintaining your elbows tucked 6-to-8 inches out of your sides.
- Press the bar again to the beginning place.
2. Incline Barbell Bench Press
The incline barbell bench press is a implausible higher physique push train for coaching your “upper chest,” which is important for growing full, well-rounded pecs.
Easy methods to:
- Lie on a bench angled at 30-to-45 levels and plant your toes on the ground.
- Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again.
- Seize the bar with a barely wider than shoulder-width grip and unrack the barbell.
- Decrease the barbell to your higher chest, maintaining your elbows tucked 6-to-8 inches out of your sides.
- Press the bar again to the beginning place.
3. Dumbbell Bench Press
The dumbbell bench press develops the identical pushing muscle mass because the barbell bench press however permits you to prepare by way of an extended vary of movement, which is typically better for muscle progress. Utilizing dumbbells additionally forces both sides of your physique to raise the identical quantity of weight (one aspect can’t “assist” the opposite), so it’s helpful for locating and fixing muscle imbalances.
Easy methods to:
- Whereas sitting on a flat bench, maintain a dumbbell in every hand and relaxation them in your thighs.
- Lie again and convey the dumbbells up so that you’re holding them on both aspect of your chest by giving them a nudge together with your thighs.
- Press the dumbbells over your chest till your arms are straight and your elbows are locked.
- Decrease the dumbbells to the beginning place.
4. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
The incline dumbbell bench press trains the higher chest, triceps, and shoulders equally to the barbell model. Nevertheless, the incline dumbbell bench press permits you to use a higher vary of movement and stretch your chest muscle mass barely greater than the barbell bench press, which is beneficial for muscle progress.
Easy methods to:
- Whereas mendacity on a bench angled at 30-to-45 levels, maintain a dumbbell in every hand and relaxation them in your thighs.
- Lie again, hoisting the dumbbells up so that you’re holding them on both aspect of your chest by giving them a nudge together with your thighs.
- Press the dumbbells over your higher chest till your arms are straight and your elbows are locked.
- Decrease the dumbbells to the beginning place.
5. Dip
The dip is a implausible higher physique push train because it trains all of your pushing muscle mass concurrently. What’s extra, should you use a dip belt, it permits you to use heavy weights safely, which is vital for gaining muscle and energy.
Easy methods to:
- If you happen to’re utilizing a dip belt, wrap the chain round your waist, add the specified quantity of weight to the chain, and fasten the carabiner.
- Seize each handles of a dip station, then press your self up by straightening your arms and gently leaping off the bottom so your arms are straight and supporting your whole physique weight.
- Bend your knees to maintain your toes from touching the bottom, then decrease your physique by bending your elbows till your higher arms are roughly parallel to the ground.
- Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
6. Shut-Grip Bench Press
Whereas the close-grip bench press trains all of your pushing muscle mass, it’s a very efficient higher physique push day train for constructing triceps mass and energy.
Easy methods to:
- Lie on a flat bench and place your toes flat on the ground.
- Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again.
- Grip the barbell with a shoulder-width grip or barely narrower and unrack the barbell.
- Decrease the barbell to your decrease chest, maintaining your elbows tucked 2-to-4 inches out of your sides.
- Press the bar again to the beginning place.
7. Standing Overhead Press
Along with bettering upper-body energy and shoulder, triceps, and higher chest dimension, the overhead press develops your whole-body stability and coordination.
Easy methods to:
- Set a barbell in a rack on the identical peak as your higher chest.
- Grip the bar with a shoulder-width grip and your palms dealing with away from you.
- Unrack the barbell, step backward, and plant your toes simply outdoors of shoulder width.
- Push the bar towards the ceiling till your arms are straight.
- Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
8. Seated Overhead Press
The seated overhead press trains your shoulders, triceps, and higher chest just like the standing variation. Nevertheless, as a result of the seated overhead press doesn’t require as a lot full-body coordination, you possibly can raise heavier weights and progress quicker, which is mostly higher for muscle progress.
Easy methods to:
- Arrange an upright bench in a squat rack or use a seated barbell overhead press station.
- Set a barbell within the rack at about shoulder peak when standing.
- Sit down and grip the bar with a shoulder-width grip and your palms dealing with away from you.
- Unrack the barbell and decrease it to your collarbone.
- Press the bar towards the ceiling and return to the beginning place.
9. Shoulder Press
The dumbbell shoulder press trains the aspect and rear delts extra successfully than barbell overhead press variations, making it a implausible train for growing “3D” delts.
Easy methods to:
- Sit on an upright bench and maintain a dumbbell in every hand, resting them in your thighs.
- Hoist the dumbbells up so that you’re holding them simply above your shoulders together with your palms dealing with away from you.
- Press the dumbbells towards the ceiling till your arms are straight.
- Decrease the dumbbells and return to the beginning place.
10. Arnold Press
The Arnold press emphasizes your aspect delts greater than different overhead urgent variations, making it a wonderful higher physique push train for constructing balanced shoulders.
Easy methods to:
- Sit on an upright bench and maintain a dumbbell in every hand, resting them in your thighs.
- Hoist the dumbbells up so that you’re holding them simply in entrance of your shoulders together with your palms dealing with you.
- Press the dumbbells straight overhead whereas rotating your wrists till your arms are straight and your palms are dealing with away from you.
- Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
11. Triceps Pushdown
The triceps pushdown trains all three heads of the triceps, however by keeping your elbows barely behind your physique, it emphasizes the lengthy head. That is vital as a result of the urgent workouts talked about above don’t prepare the lengthy head as successfully as they do the opposite heads of the triceps.
Easy methods to:
- Set the pulley on a cable machine to barely above head peak and fasten the rope and straight bar deal with.
- Stand upright or lean barely ahead (you possibly can undertake a staggered stance if it helps you stability), seize one finish of the deal with in every hand, and push it downward by straightening your elbows.
- As soon as your arms are straight and at your sides, reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
12. Overhead Triceps Extension
Whereas the overhead triceps extension trains your complete triceps, it trains the lengthy head when fully stretched, making it implausible for constructing higher arm mass.
Easy methods to:
- Sit up on a bench.
- Grip one finish of a dumbbell utilizing each palms and raise it overhead so your arms are straight. Your palms ought to be flat in opposition to the top of the dumbbell and dealing with the ceiling.
- Decrease the load till it’s behind your head by bending your elbows, then straighten your arms and return to the beginning place.
13. Mendacity Triceps Extension (“Skullcrusher”)
The skullcrusher is an impressive train for coaching all components of the triceps, guaranteeing you’ve got outlined, proportional higher arms. To shift the emphasis to the triceps lengthy head, decrease the bar excessive of your head till it virtually touches the bench on the backside of every rep.
Easy methods to:
- Whereas mendacity on a flat bench, maintain an EZ Bar above your chest with a shoulder-width grip.
- Deliver the bar all the way down to your brow by bending on the elbow, then reverse the motion to return to the beginning place.
14. Dumbbell Facet Lateral Elevate
The dumbbell side lateral raise isolates the “aspect delts”, which is essential for growing full, broad shoulders.
Easy methods to:
- Get up straight with a dumbbell in every hand.
- Elevate the dumbbells out to your sides till your higher arms are parallel to the ground.
- Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
+ Scientific References
- Schoenfeld, Brad J, and Jozo Grgic. “Effects of Range of Motion on Muscle Development during Resistance Training Interventions: A Systematic Review.” SAGE Open Medicine, vol. 8, no. 8, Jan. 2020, p. 205031212090155, https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312120901559.
- Oranchuk, Dustin J., et al. “Isometric Training and Long-Term Adaptations: Effects of Muscle Length, Intensity, and Intent: A Systematic Review.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, vol. 29, no. 4, 13 Jan. 2019, pp. 484–503, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/sms.13375, https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13375.
- Bloomquist, K., et al. “Effect of Range of Motion in Heavy Load Squatting on Muscle and Tendon Adaptations.” European Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 113, no. 8, 20 Apr. 2013, pp. 2133–2142, link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00421-013-2642-7, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2642-7.
- Raizada, Shiny , and Amritashish Bagchi. Comparison among the EMG Activity of the Anterior Deltoid and Medial Deltoid during Two Variations of Dumbbell Shoulder Press Exercise. Oct. 2017, www.researchgate.net/publication/322132613_Comparison_among_the_EMG_Activity_of_the_Anterior_Deltoid_and_Medial_Deltoid_During_Two_Variations_of_Dumbbell_Shoulder_Press_Exercise, http://dx.doi.org/10.5958/0976-5506.2017.00411.9.
- Kholinne, Erica, et al. “The Different Role of Each Head of the Triceps Brachii Muscle in Elbow Extension.” Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica, vol. 52, no. 3, 1 May 2018, pp. 201–205, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6136322/, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aott.2018.02.005.
- Landin, Dennis, and Melissa Thompson. “The Shoulder Extension Function of the Triceps Brachii.” Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, vol. 21, no. 1, Feb. 2011, pp. 161–165, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2010.09.005.
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