A strong upper body can do more than make you look good. It improves your posture, reduces your risk of injury and helps you move with ease, making everyday tasks like carrying groceries or children easier.
By contrast, weak upper-body muscles can make it harder to lift and reach for things, maintain balance or even stand up from a chair.
Resistance training is a great way to build upper-body strength—and you can do it from home. Certified personal trainer Cecilia Harris, co-founder of RWL fitness app and retreats, says these are her daily “non-negotiable exercises”.
How to do Harris’s home upper-body workout
Harris recommends performing eight to 10 repetitions of each exercise and completing three rounds. Aim for 20-30 seconds of rest in between sets.
While Harris says she does this routine daily, for the majority of us, training the upper body once or twice a week will be plenty.
And while Harris uses the same pair of dumbbells in the video, you may find it helpful to use a heavier pair for the row and press, and a lighter pair for the other exercises.
Harris’s form tips
To help you experience the benefits of this routine I asked Harris for more pointers on how to execute each exercise.
Row
“Bring your weight forward and go as slow as you can to release the weights down rather than letting them fall back without control. Use your muscles to slowly return them to the start position. This will force them to work overtime and build strength,” says Harris.
Single-arm lateral raise
“This is a great move because it offsets your balance,” says Harris. “To make it effective, don’t go too heavy, as you will end up moving your whole body to get the weight up. Pick a light to medium weight and focus on keeping your body as still as possible, only moving your arm. This way you’re using your core and making the movement super effective.”
Chest press
“The key with this move is again to control your speed,” says Harris. “Push up with speed and power, but do not rush the way down. Use your chest and core muscles to slow the movement down and fight against gravity to get muscles working to their max.”
Lying flye
“Push your lower back into the floor to max out your core muscles as well as your chest.”
Staggered-stance shoulder press
“Isolate your core by keeping a tall posture. Avoid looking at the floor, look forward and keep your shoulders back. Tuck your tailbone under, rather than letting a curve form in your lower back—this engages the core muscles, creates a stable base and lets your shoulders work to their max.”
Single-arm biceps curl
“Do not rock. Keep your body as still as possible and avoid thrusting your hips. The more still your body is, the harder your biceps will have to work to move the weights and that’s what we want.”
Shop home dumbbells
While Harris uses the same dumbbells in the video, it’s helpful to have a couple of options so you can choose heavier weights for the row and chest press, and a lighter weight for lateral raise. You can buy a few of fixed-weight pairs or invest in adjustable dumbbells. Here’s a recommendation for both types.
Affordable and come in a range of weight options.
Our pick of the best adjustable dumbbells.
