You only need your bodyweight and these six moves for a stronger upper body

I’ve been strength training for a long time and mostly use kettlebells to build muscle, but recently I’ve developed an interest in bodyweight exercises and circuit training, which can be a great way to get stronger while also boosting your cardiovascular system.

And don’t be fooled into thinking exercising without weights is necessarily easier. “Bodyweight exercises can be surprisingly humbling and incredibly effective for building strength and muscle,” says certified personal trainer Katie Leonard, group fitness coach at Life Time athletic country clubs.

“Many people underestimate bodyweight exercises, but when you think about it—your bodyweight is likely over 100 pounds, meaning every time you do a push-up, dip or squat, you’re moving significant resistance,” says Leonard.

“If your goal is muscle hypertrophy [developing muscle size], adding weights will accelerate growth by providing progressive resistance beyond what bodyweight alone can offer.

“However, if your goal is functional strength, endurance and mobility, bodyweight movements can get the job done.”

Perhaps most importantly, training with your bodyweight means it’s less likely that life will get in the way of exercise. “If you’re traveling, short on time, or can’t make it to the gym, bodyweight workouts allow you to stay on track,” says Leonard. “Consistency is the most important factor in seeing results.”

To help you get started, Leonard has supplied a bodyweight upper-body workout for you to try.

“These particular exercises are great for the upper body because they are resistance-based and force you to lift your own bodyweight due to the different prone angles they work in,” says Leonard.

“Plus, whenever your spine is parallel to the ceiling—such as when performing a plank, inverted plank or lateral bear crawl—that’s when your upper body and your core are going to be forced to support your own body weight to resist gravity.”

How to do this workout

This workout is organised into two circuits. To do one round of a circuit, perform each exercise for 30 seconds then rest for 30 seconds.

Do three rounds of the first circuit (labeled 1A, 1B and 1C), rest for 60-90 seconds, then complete three rounds of the second circuit (labeled 2A, 2B and 2C).

The workout includes push-ups—a phenomenally effective bodyweight exercise, but not one everyone can do. So what should you do if you can’t do a push-up?

“If a full push-up is not available for you, always drop down to your knees,” says Leondard. “The majority of these movements—such as the plank up-down, Superman to push-up and wide-to-narrow push-up) can be performed on the knees and bring you just as much of a burn as if you were on your toes.”

If you find the workout too demanding, see if this straight sets no-equipment upper-body workout is a better fit for your current level of strength.

The workout in brief

• 1A. X plank
• 1B. Plank up-down
• 1C. Superman to push-up
• 2A. Lateral bear crawl
• 2B. Wide to narrow push-up
• 2C. Reverse plank with knee drive

How to do the exercises

1. X plank

• Get on your hands and knees with your wrists underneath your shoulders, engage your core and step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Keeping your torso as still as possible, bring your left knee to the center of your body and your right hand to tap your left toes.
• Return to the high plank position and repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

1B. Plank up-down

• Get on your hands and knees with your wrists underneath your shoulders, engage your core and step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Keeping your body in a straight line throughout, lower onto your forearms, one arm at a time. Your elbows should be directly underneath your shoulder.
• Push back up to the start position, one arm at a time.
• Continue, alternating the arm you lead with.

1C. Superman to push-up

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• Lie face down with your forehead on the mat and your arms extended in front of you. Your arms should be shoulder-width apart and your feet should be hip-width apart.
• Engage your core and lift your legs and arms.
• Return your arms to the floor and place your hands under your shoulders.
• Keeping your body in a straight line, push powerfully through your hands to extend your arms.
• Bend your elbows to lower slowly.

2A. Lateral bear crawl

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart.
• Engage your core and lift your knees just off the floor, your back should be flat and parallel with the floor.
• Keeping your back parallel with the floor throughout, move your left hand and right foot to the left, followed by your right hand and left foot.
• Reverse the movements to the start, then repeat on the other side.

2B. Wide-to-narrow push-up

• Get on your hands and knees with your wrists underneath your shoulders, engage your core and step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Walk your hands out to the sides so they are wider than shoulder-width apart, then, keeping your body in a straight line, bend your elbows to lower, ideally until your head is at least level with your elbows.
• Push powerfully through your hands to extend your arms back to the start.
• Walk your hands in so they are narrower than shoulder-width apart, then, keeping your body in a straight line, bend your elbows to lower, ideally until your head is at least level with your elbows.
• Push powerfully through your hands to extend your arms back to the start.
• Continue, alternating between wide and narrow push-ups with each rep.

2C. Reverse plank with knee drive

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended and your hands on the floor just behind your hips, shoulder-width apart.
• Engage your core and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line.
• Bring one knee to your chest, then return to the reverse plank position.
• Repeat with the other knee, alternating sides with each rep.