3 Ways to Build Upper-Body Strength

There's nothing that catches the eye as much as strong arms, broad shoulders, and firm pecs.  These attributes have been found attractive for thousands of years because they give off the look of someone who can care for themselves and the people around them.  Unfortunately, building up your arms and shoulders to get to that point can be complicated and confusing.  Instead of letting yourself get weighed down by this struggle, here are some basic exercises to help you build your upper body strength without fighting through a thousand new courses and how-to videos.

Weightless Exercise

Although everyone knows of the big three when it comes to weightless exercises, I'd be remiss not to mention these!  Push-ups, boxing against bags, and pull-ups, are all fantastic for building your shoulders and arms.  You should heavily research your form and speed with these exercises since a slight mistake could end up in an imperfect form for the rest of your life.  You will also need the right equipment to help you do these exercises, from pull up bars to boxing bag gloves, so you don't harm yourself. By following these repetitions, you can build up the muscle and give yourself the chance to sculpt a body that can lift even more. The upside of these exercises is that they are free to perform as long as you have a space to do pull-ups!  Gradually add on more repetitions every time, and you won't have to look at Halton real estate to find a house with a giant in-home gym for yourself.

Rowing Machines

Although these machines skip in and out of popularity, there’s nothing like a rowing machine to help build upper-body strength and fill out your shoulders.  These short and simple machines are available in nearly every gym, and you can purchase them for your home for as cheap as a couple of hundred dollars from some sporting goods sites.  These machines are intense, forcing you to focus on the curve of your spine and the placement of your feet in every row.  You can up the weights, the repetitions, or even speed against your distance and time settings to set new records for yourself.  Although you should still work on other upper body exercises like weightless ones, this machine will make you excited to get your arms going.

Weight Training

You may already know about weight training, and this may seem like an obvious choice to you- but many people overlook weight training all together.  Women, who often fear getting too muscled, can even benefit from some solid weight training without worrying about going overboard.  The best way to start this, and ensure you don't accidentally do anything that will hurt yourself, is to go to a gym for a two or three-day free trial.  Take a course on how to lift and use weights properly, and you'll be able to work the gym fearlessly.  Take your time on this option, though, because if you go too hard too fast, you could end up hurting yourself or burning out on the idea altogether.

It's essential to be patient with yourself!  Building up your arms and upper body is a huge task to undertake, but don't let it scare you away!  Your body deserves to look how you want it to look.