6 Upper Body Exercises You Can Do At Home

During these unprecedented times, due to COVID-19, many of us find ourselves working from home. As we all know, we have unavoidable statutory conditions and restrictions, and exercise time outdoors is limited, whilst gyms are closed. These times are stressful, but we can still take care of ourselves by finding time to exercise to maintain our physical well-being.

Here, we have prepared six upper body exercises that are helpful for strengthening and for injury prevention as well. These exercises aim to create and maintain upper body strength and to preserve movement and motion.

The answer is as many as you can handle and as many as you see fit — ideally, 10-15 reps, 1-2 sets and 1-2 times per day.

It is more important to focus on good technique and form, because poor technique can make the exercise less effective and even unsafe. If you focus on proper technique and form, you can get away with fewer reps and the results will be more rewarding.

1. Tricep Dips – using your couch or a lower surface that you have in your house or outdoors that is stable (i.e. a coffee table or a bench), place your palms on the table with your fingers gripping the outside or the underside of the surface. Slowly lower your body until your arms are at a right angle and then push through your palms to rise back up to your original position. Knees can be bent or straight.

2. Wall/Kneeling Push Ups – placing your palms open against a wall or floor, push your body towards the wall or lower your body if using the floor until you are close to the surface and then push to rise back up to your original position. Elbows should be in.

The next four exercises involve free weights. If you don’t have any at home, you can use full water bottles or put sand in them to make them heavier:

3. The Front Raise – with elbows slightly flexed, raise the arm one at a time to 90 degrees in front of you.

4. The Lateral Raise – with elbows slightly flexed, lift both arms out to about 90 degrees to the side

5. Reverse Flyes – sit bent over forward with back straight and arms hanging straight down to the floor. Then raise both arms sideways until they are horizontal.

6. Shoulder Shrugs – while standing and with arms hanging down by your side, elevate both your shoulders as high as possible.