Upper body exercises to do at home

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1. Alternating punches

What it’s good for: Shoulders, chest and triceps strengthening. Cardiovascular fitness. This exercise also works well as part of a HIIT workout at home, particularly when performed at higher intensity.

How to do it: Stand with one foot slightly in front of the other and bring both hands into a fist just below your chin. Extend and punch one arm out at a time in front of you creating a straight line from your shoulder to your hand. Bring hand back into a guard position and alternate punches maintaining a consistent tempo.

How to progress: Increase the speed and power of each punch and lift onto the balls of your back foot to generate more force. Grab two dumbbells/lightly weighted objects to increase resistance.

How to regress: Slow the speed, power and range of movement of each punch.

2. Lateral arm raises

What it’s good for: Shoulders, lateral and anterior deltoid.

How to do it: Stand tall and with feet roughly hip-distance apart, roll your shoulders back, engage your core and look straight ahead. Keeping your arms almost completely straight, raise them up straight ahead to shoulder height before controlling back down. Following this, you can also try raising both arms to the front at shoulder level and again control back down. Alternate between both movements.

How to progress: Grab two dumbbells or weight objects and perform the exercises with the added resistance. Slow the return phase of the movement down.

How to regress: Perform exercise in a seated position.

3. Shoulder press

What it’s good for: Deltoids, triceps, traps, upper chest.

How to do it: Stand with both hands either side of your shoulders with elbows bent to approximately 90 degrees and palms facing forward. Push your hands up vertically over-head and fully extend your arms before controlling back down to starting position.

How to progress: Grab 2 dumbbells or weight objects and perform the exercises with the added resistance. Slow the return phase of the movement to increase time under tension. This technique is commonly used in strength and conditioning to develop control and muscular strength.

How to regress: Perform the exercise in a seated position.

4. Standard, wide and warrow Press ups

What it’s good for: Chest, shoulders, triceps and abdominal strengthening.

How to do it: Start on all fours with your hands on the floor and shoulders positioned directly above them. Extend your legs so you are balanced on your toes, keeping your body in a straight line from shoulders to heels. Lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows, then push back up to the starting position. For standard press-ups, keep your hands shoulder-width apart; move them wider to target the chest, or closer together to increase emphasis on the triceps.

How to progress: Place your feet on a raised surface e.g. a step or the sofa and perform the exercise in a decline position.

How to regress: Place your knees on the floor and focus on completing the exercise in the same manner whilst lowering your hips down and keeping them in line with the shoulders and knees at all times.

5. Floor tricep dips

What it’s good for: Triceps, chest and shoulder strength.

How to do it: From a seated position on the floor, place your feet flat down and bring them in towards your hips with knees bent. Place both palms on the floor behind your hips with elbows bent. From here, push your hips up off the floor by extending your elbows before lowering yourself back down.

How to progress: Perform the exercise whilst raising one leg straight up in the air or place hands on the edge of a step, seat or sofa and perform a full tricep dip.

How to regress: Sit down and pause between each repetition.

6. Inchworms

What it’s good for: Strengthen muscles of anterior and posterior chain.

How to do it: Stand tall with your feet roughly hip-distance apart. Bend forward from the hips and place your hands on the floor in front of your feet. Inhale and walk your hands forward, one at a time, allowing your heels to lift off the floor as your body begins to form a straight line from heels to head. Once in an extended plank position complete one press up before reversing the movement and returning to the starting position.

How to progress: Increase the number of press ups for each repetition.

How to regress: Remove the press up element of the exercise.

7. Plank raise

What it’s good for: Shoulders, triceps, glutes, lower back, core.

How to do it: Begin in a plank position with your weight resting on your forearms and your body in a completely straight line from shoulders to ankles. Tighten your abs and without letting your hips shift, push up on to your hands one at a time. Continue to alternate between the plank and extended plank positions.

How to progress: Add a press up every time you come up into an extended plank position.

How to regress: Perform the exercise sequence on your knees ensuring your hips stay in line with your shoulders.

What is the best upper body workout you can do at home?

The best upper body workout at home uses bodyweight exercises that target multiple muscle groups and can be progressed without equipment. Exercises such as press ups, shoulder presses and plank variations provide an effective no-equipment upper body workout when performed with good technique and control.

These movements also support core strength through abs exercises to do at home. For added intensity or cardiovascular benefits, they can be incorporated into a HIIT workout at home or combined with cardio exercises to do at home.

Can you build upper body strength without weights?

Yes. You can build upper body strength without weights by increasing repetitions, slowing the tempo, or progressing exercise variations. Consistent bodyweight upper body exercises place sufficient load on muscles to drive strength adaptations.

How often should I train my upper body at home?

Most people benefit from an upper body workout two to three times per week, allowing rest days for recovery. This frequency supports steady improvements in upper body strength without overtraining.

What muscles does an upper body workout target?

An upper body workout primarily targets the chest, shoulders, arms and core. Many upper body exercises also engage stabilising muscles in the upper back, supporting balanced strength development.

Is this upper body workout suitable for beginners?

Yes. This upper body workout at home includes regressions and progressions, making it suitable for beginners while still challenging more experienced individuals as strength improves.

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