Easy Exercise Routine For The Upper Body

This easy exercise routine for your upper body doesn’t require any special equipment. You already have what you need at home.

Even if these exercises are mainly for your upper body they will have a positive effect on your overall appearance, as well, if you focus on the following:

* Keep your back straight and your shoulders down and slightly drawn back during the easy exercise routine. Feel proud! This will improve your posture and your breathing. Nowadays we have a tendency to keep our shoulder muscles drawn up because of stress or sitting hunched over a computer. Take a deep breath and feel the difference in your body as you straighten your back and lower you shoulders. Can you feel the tension disappear?

* Keep your lower tummy muscles held in during the exercise, don’t release them! Even if this easy exercise routine is not mainly for the abs, focusing on your tummy muscles will strengthen them as well, making them flatter as a little bonus! After only a few weeks of doing this easy exercise routine you will keep your tummy in all the time without even thinking about it.

Start with a few repetitions and slowly increase the number over a few weeks.

Chair/Bench Dips

You are using your own body weight as resistance. If you want more weight place something heavy in your lap, like a book or a bottle of water. Breathe!

Everybody has a chair or why not use the sofa in front of the television.

Step 1

Place your hands approximately shoulder width apart on the edge of the chair or the bench, feet together or slightly apart.

Your fingers should be pointing forward, grabbing the edge of the chair so you don’t put too much pressure on your wrists.

Step 2

Slowly lower you body until you feel a stretch in the chest.

Push up again to the start position (not sitting on the chair).

For newcomers to this exercise I recommend 5 to 10 repetitions to begin with.

More advanced!

If you want to increase the difficulty, straighten your legs, or place them on another chair!

Punch In The Air

To avoid injury to the joints from over-extending, you should be punching fast but light, doing it to music is great! (Also great doing it if you are angry.)

You are using your own body weight as resistance. If you want more weight hold something heavy from your home in your hands, like a can of tomatoes or a small bottle of water.

Step 1

This is very easy, but don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this exercise. It’s really effective.

Just continuously punch your hands in the air, alternating between left and right.

Punch Out In Front

Step 1

As in the previous exercise you just continuously punch your hands out in front of you, alternating between left and right.

Great if you had a bad day at work, takes away tension in general.

Wall Push Ups

Again you will be using your own body weight for resistance. When you feel this exercise is too easy, try doing it leaning on a chair or bench before moving on to classical push ups.

Step 1

Stand a little more than arms-length away from the wall; you should be just slightly leaning, your hands shoulder-width apart, and feet almost together.

Step 2

Now, while keeping your body straight, slowly lower until your nose touches the wall.

Push back again to starting position.

Once again, I warn beginners to start with 5 – 10 repetitions.

Push Ups

Once again, you will be using your own body weight for resistance.

Step 1

Start doing push ups from your knees.Place your hands shoulder width apart, arms fully extended, knees together and your tummy held in.

Step 2

While keeping the body flat you lower until the nose comes to the ground. Push up to the starting position.

More advanced 1

This time, instead of supporting your body weight on your knees you will be putting your weight on your toes, feet together. The rest of the exercise is done in the same way as you did the previous exercise on your knees.

More advanced 2

When you feel comfortable with the classical push up, you can add more challenge to the exercise by putting your hand on bricks and still lower your body until the nose reaches the ground. This way you will gain a deeper, more strength building movement.

But please take care! This form of the exercise is for people who have built strength over a long period of time.

For more exercises, see:

Easy Exercises - Legs
Easy Exercise - Abdominals
Easy Exercises - Stomach

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