New Strategies for Upper Body Training

Packing on upper body mass and strength takes more than showing up weekly, throwing more weight on the bar, and completing your bench press routine. This article takes you through new movements and exercises with a wide variety of equipment that you can add to your arsenal.

The barbell bench press is the classic upper body movement that is mastered and completed by almost anyone who sets foot in a gym. It is inherently flawed though and if you’ve ever had the feeling of hitting a “plateau” with this movement, its time to mix it up. Barbell bench puts your hands in a fixed position due to the two-hand grip and limits your shoulder blades from fully retracting at the bottom of the movement. To help I’ve provided a routine below for you to change up your upper body strategy along with photos and descriptions of the benefits.

Day 1: A1) DB Fat Grip Incline Press (See Below) 6x6 A2) SA DB Fat Grip Row (See Below) 6x5ea

B1) Push-Ups 4xMax B2) Chin-Ups 4xMax

C1) Wrist Roller (Flexion and Extension) 3x1ea C2) DB Fat Grip Hammer Curl 3x10

Day 2: A1) SA Landmine Press 6x5ea (See Below) A2) OH to NG Ring Row 6x8 (See Below)

B1) DB NG Bench Press 4x8 B2) Band SA Pulldown 4x8ea

C1) DB Zottman Curl 3x8 C2) Cable Tricep Reverse Grip Ext 3x8

Day 3: A1) Block Push-Ups 6x8 (See Below) A2) Alternated Grip Pull-Ups 6x4ea (See Below)

B1) DB Arnold Press 4x6 B2) Inverted Row 4x8

C1) BB Bam Bam 3x10ea (Each way, each arm) C2) DB NG Skullcrusher 3x10

Adding Fat Grips will challenge the weakest link in your upper body movements: forearm and grip strength. Fix the weakest link and watch your upper body numbers increase.

The landmine press is very user friendly compared to a barbell overhead press, allows for great movement at the scaps, challenges you through a single arm movement, and again provides a wide grip.

Going from an overhead grip at the start to neutral grip at the finish allows to pair horizontal extension with adduction at the shoulder, basically hitting more muscles in the process of the row. Move your feet around to change the difficulty. (TRX also works)

Classic push-ups are limited due to your chest hitting the floor. The block push-ups will elevate you and allow for increased motion. Increase motion = increase mass. I have some old school push-up blocks here but placing your hands on a pair of dumbbells works as well.

Challenge those upper back muscles in a new way with alternated grip pull-ups. Everyone knows: elbows extended at the bottom, chin over the bar at the top!

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