Cards on the table: there is no one best upper-body workout that fits every exerciser to a T, but we’re confident we have enough options on this page and across the website that everyone can find a workout that suits their goal and their level.
To start with, we have a challenging upper-body workout for gym-goers who have experience with free weights and make it to the weights room a couple of times a week. The six-move session targets all your major upper-body muscle groups, using different angles and rep ranges to recruit and fatigue as many muscle fibres as possible, so they’re rebuilt bigger and stronger.
We also have an advanced four-week, four-workouts-a-week upper-body workout plan. The programme design – with two sessions a week that work your chest and back directly, and two that work your arms both directly and indirectly – will mean you add significant muscle mass across your torso, while the high-intensity weights workouts will also strip away excess body fat.
Not quite what you’re looking for? How about this no-equipment upper-body workout? Or if you can’t commit to four sessions a week, this training plan to develop a bigger upper body requires three sessions instead.
Upper-Body Workout
This is a six-move session made up of two straight sets then two supersets. Do all reps of move 1, sticking to the sets, reps and rest shown, then do all sets of move 2. Then do moves 3A and 3B as a superset, and the same again for moves 4A and 4B to blitz your upper body.
1 Bench press
Sets 5 Reps 8 Rest 60sec
Lie flat on a bench holding a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Plant your heels on the floor, tense your glutes and core, then lower the bar to your chest and press it back up.
2 Chin-up
Sets 5 Reps 5-8 Rest 60sec
Hang from a bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip. Engage your abs and glutes and, keeping your chest up, pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar. Pause in this position, then slowly lower yourself back to the start.
Superset 1
This first superset, with both moves performed on an incline bench, will work your chest, shoulders and arms from slightly different angles to recruit and fatigue even more muscle fibres. Performing slow and controlled reps through a full range of motion is more important than weight, so be smart with your dumbbell selection to work your upper body harder.
3A Incline dumbbell curl
Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 30sec
Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand and arms straight. Keeping your elbows in position, curl the weights up to shoulder height and squeeze your biceps. Slowly lower back to the start.
3B Incline dumbbell flye
Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 60sec
Lie back on an incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand with arms straight and palms facing. With your chest up and a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights out to the sides until you feel a good stretch across your chest, then raise them back to the start.
Superset 2
This final superset is made up of higher-rep sets that fully fatigue your arms, shoulders and chest. Focus on form and control and if you can’t complete all 15 reps, do as many as you can, then reduce the weight and continue until you complete the set.
4A Cable rope overhead extension
Sets 4 Reps 15 Rest 30sec
Stand tall, holding a double-rope handle attached to the low pulley of a cable machine. Turn to face away, bringing your hands up to your head. Keeping your elbows still and pointing up, press the handles up and forwards to straighten your arms. Flex your triceps at the top, then return to the start.
4B Cable cross-over
Sets 4 Reps 15 Rest 60sec
Stand tall in the middle of a cable machine, holding a D-handle in each hand attached to the high pulley. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands down and in so they cross in front of your body. Pause for a second, then reverse the move to the start.
Upper-Body Workout Plan
The four-week plan is made up of four sessions a week, which you will ideally do on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
The Monday session targets your chest and back; the Wednesday one your legs and shoulders; the Friday session your chest and triceps; and the Saturday one your back and biceps.
This means you’ll work your major upper body muscles either directly or indirectly twice a week, and it’s this big increase in training volume that will stimulate these muscles into growing bigger quickly.
Each workout is made up of five moves. The first two moves form a superset and the final three moves make up a tri-set. Do the reps and rest period for move 1A followed by 1B, then repeat that sequence until all the sets of each move have been completed. Then do the same for exercises 2A, 2B and 2C. This approach increases the amount of time per session you are working rather than resting, which will not only keep your muscles stimulated for longer but also keep your heart rate high to increase the rate of fat burn.
To get the full effect from these workouts, you need to stick to the four-digit tempo code for each exercise. The first digit indicates how long in seconds you take to lower the weight, the second how long you pause at the bottom of the move, the third how long you take to lift the weight, and the final digit how long you pause at the top. Find out more with our guide to tempo training.
The accumulated time under tension increases your heart rate to burn body fat and break down muscle tissue so it’s rebuilt bigger and stronger. Keep each rep smooth and controlled so your muscles – not momentum – do the work, and move through a full range of motion.
Upper-Body Plan Workout 1: Chest And Back
1A Bench press
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 30sec
Lie on a flat bench, holding a barbell (check out this guide to the best barbells for your home gym) with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart using an overhand grip. Brace your core and press your feet into the ground, then lower the bar towards your chest. Press it back up to the start.
1B Bent-over row
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Hold a barbell using a shoulder-width overhand grip, hands just outside your legs. Bend your knees slightly, then bend forwards, hingeing from the hips and keeping your shoulder blades back. Pull the bar up towards your sternum, leading with your elbows, then lower it back to the start.
2A Chin-up
Sets 3 Reps 6 Tempo 2011 Rest 20sec
Hold a chin-up bar using a shoulder-width underhand grip. Brace your core, then pull yourself up until your chin is higher than the bar, keeping your elbows tucked in to your body. Lower until your arms are straight again.
2B Incline flye
Sets 3 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec
Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand above your face, with your palms facing and a slight bend in your elbows. Lower them to the sides, then bring them back to the top.
2C Diamond press-up
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2110 Rest 60sec
Start in a press-up position but with your thumbs and index fingers touching to form a diamond. Keeping your hips up and core braced, bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Push down through your hands to return to the start.
Upper-Body Plan Workout 2: Legs And Shoulders
1A Back squat
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 30sec
Stand tall with feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across the back of your shoulders. Keeping your chest up and core braced, squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Drive back up through your heels to return to the start.
1B Overhead press
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across the top of your chest with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your chest up and core braced, press the bar overhead until your arms are straight, then lower it back to the start.
2A Barbell split squat
Sets 3 Reps 6 each side Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec
Stand tall with feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a bar across the back of your shoulders. Keeping your chest up, take a big step forwards with your right foot, then bend both knees to 90°. Drive back through your right foot to return to the start. Repeat for six reps, then switch legs and do another six reps with your left foot forward.
2B Barbell high pull
Sets 3 Reps 8 Tempo 1010 Rest 20sec
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip and arms straight. Keeping your chest up and core braced, pull the bar upwards, leading with your elbows, until it reaches chin height. Then lower it back to the start.
2C Lateral raise
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Stand tall, holding a light dumbbell in each hand by your sides, palms facing each other. Keeping your chest up, your core braced and a slight bend in your elbows, raise the weights out to shoulder height. Turn your thumbs down at the top, then lower them back to the start.
Upper-Body Plan Workout 3: Chest And Triceps
1A Bench press
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 30sec
Lie on a flat bench, holding a bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart using an overhand grip. Brace your core and press your feet into the ground, then lower the bar towards your chest. Press it back up to the start.
1B Seated dumbbell overhead press
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Sit on an upright bench holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forwards. Keeping your chest up, press the weights directly overhead until your arms are straight, then lower them back to the start.
2A Hammer press
Sets 3 Reps 6 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec
Lie on a flat bench, holding dumbbells by your shoulders with palms facing. Drive your feet into the floor and press the weights straight up, then lower them slowly back to the start.
2B Dumbbell triceps extension
Sets 3 Reps 8 Tempo 1010 Rest 20sec
Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand over your head, arms straight. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows pointing up, lower the weights behind your head, then return to the start.
2C Diamond press-up
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Start in a press-up position but with your thumbs and index fingers touching to form a diamond. Keeping your hips up and core braced, bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Push down through your hands to return to the start.
Upper-Body Plan Workout 4: Back And Biceps
1A Pull-up
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 30sec
Hold a pull-up bar using an overhand grip with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then pull yourself up until your lower chest touches the bar. Lower until your arms are straight again.
1B Barbell biceps curl
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Hold a barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart using an underhand grip. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the bar up to your chest, squeezing your biceps as you go. Lower it back to the start.
2A Chin-up
Sets 3 Reps 6 Tempo 2011 Rest 20sec
Hold a chin-up bar using a shoulder-width underhand grip. Brace your core, then pull yourself up until your chin is higher than the bar, keeping your elbows tucked in to your body. Lower until your arms are straight again.
2B Reverse-grip bent-over row
Sets 3 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 30sec
Hold a bar using a shoulder-width underhand grip, hands just outside your legs. Bend your knees slightly, then bend forwards, hingeing at the hips and keeping your shoulder blades back. Pull the bar up towards your sternum, leading with your elbows, then lower it back to the start.
2C Dumbbell curl
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Hold dumbbells by your sides with straight arms, palms facing forwards. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the weights up, squeezing your biceps as you go. Then lower them back to the start.
