upper

There are many cool and highly effective strength exercises and it’s impossible to do them all. Between all the variations of deadlifts, presses, rows, squats, and carries, you should never run out of ways to challenge yourself in the gym. But here’s the thing—progress isn’t always about...

Danalinn Bailey was a highly successful IFBB pro during her active career, amassing numerous trophies including the hallowed first place for women’s physique at the 2013 Olympia. Now the bodybuilder and coach is empowering women with her own brand of fitness, and in a recent Instagram post has...

ou probably don't need dozens of movements to develop strength and size - you just need the six very best ones. This is all killer, no filler! Everyone can benefit from getting stronger. But for an athlete, there’s a lot more to physical success than being strong in the weight room. If you’re a...

Secrets of the Trainers How do celebs build superhero bodies so fast? No, it's not always with anabolics. Get the answer here and try this program. When a Hollywood actor bursts onto the big screen with some new muscle, there’s always a lot of hoopla surrounding what he did to obtain that look...

Suspension training often gets a bad rap because you’re using just bodyweight, and there is no cold, hard steel in your hands. Plus, measuring progression using regular free weights is easy, but not with suspension trainers, where doing more reps is usually the best form of progression. So, some...

There are the top seven upper back exercises that should make up the core of your upper back training. For some reason unbeknownst to me or probably anyone else (with the possible exception of those TV psychics who, for a small fee, will tell you that your wife is cheating on you with the...

You want to be powerful, right? Not just the kind that looks awesome but the type that transfers to daily movements—whether you’re on the field, in the gym, or leaping a building with a single bound. That’s where the Med Ball Rotational Side Throw comes in. It’s not about throwing a ball against...

The standard pushup is a body-weight classic exercise that never goes out of style. But like most classics, the occasional update doesn’t go astray. The Spiderman Push Up is the answer if you want to spice up the pushup. This exercise is more than just a cool name—it’s for anyone looking to...

A popular and true saying has been floating around the weight room for a while: You got to row to grow. It doesn’t matter if it is vertical or horizontal, and it doesn’t matter what equipment you use. You must train your posterior delts, upper back, and lats hard and heavy as your wings depend...

It's the best training split for a lot of people, but not everyone. Here are the pros and cons. This upper/lower split allows you to hit everything hard twice per week. There’s a minimal negative carryover from each workout. “Negative carryover” is when one workout will negatively affect the...

Gain an inch on your biceps while building a rock-solid upper body with simple chin-up progressions. Chin-Ups for Pure Muscle Growth There are two problems with most chin-up programs: They're usually designed to help you increase the number of chins you can do, not increase muscle mass. While...

The best mobility drills are ones that work to the point of never having to do them ever again, and that comes with mastery of movement and hitting the "save button" by adding it to your movement library. So what comes after that? An active stability component to the new range of motion or...

You've probably seen the Swiss ball ham curl before. And if you've never done it, it might remind you of something you'd see on those cheesy workout DVDs your mom uses as dust collectors. On paper, the exercise seems comical, almost pathetically simple. But in practice, it'll make you wonder...

A CORE EXERCISE THAT WORKS EVERYTHING Ab wheel rollouts are known as a core exercise, but they involve more than just your abs. The emphasis is on the rectus abdominis, but you'll also need to engage your arms, shoulders, chest, back, glutes, and even your legs. Your lower back is also a key...

Ahh, the humble pullup. It never lies to you—you can either do it or not, and there is no “it’s all you, bro” as the spotter sometimes peels the bar from the lifter’s chest. As great as the overhead and bench press are for the upper body, pullups and chinups are the best upper-body relative...

The pushup is a strength training staple renowned for its simplicity and effectiveness. But what if you could simultaneously elevate the traditional pushup to target more muscle while improving your strength and mobility? Enter the yoga pushup, an exercise that combines the conventional pushup...

Strong triceps contribute to better performance in activities like pushing, lifting, and throwing, making them invaluable for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Triceps exercises help you achieve a well-rounded physique and promote functional strength and stability in your arms and shoulders...

The most often asked gym question is, ‘How much do you bench?’ No one ever asks how much you chin up, but they should. Although the bench press is a fantastic exercise to add upper body size and strength, the chin up, in my opinion, is the gold standard when it comes to upper body strength. It’s...

Don't have access to your favorite upper body gym machines but still want to hit your favorite upper body workout? Check out these band, barbell, and dumbbell alternatives! Getting the motivation to train at home can be tricky. You’re not at the gym surrounded by other people training with the...

Here’s a little-known gym fact, kirk shrug may be, he best shrug variation you’re not doing. There’s nothing more imposing than a lifter with a big yoke, otherwise known as a set of massive upper traps, shoulders, and back will make you stand in awe—and move out of their way as they toss...