Upper Body Workout Plan With Easy To Understand Images & Videos

If you're a guy and you're reading this, then I probably don't need to tell you why having a well-developed upper body is important in today's world. Of course there's the whole healthy/want to stay in shape thing, but let's not kid ourselves -- all of us guys want to feel and look as good as possible and having a great upper body always helps in that department. Plus, unlike women, our upper body is meant to be shaped and chiseled (at least once in our lives) and what kind of old man would we be if we didn't some stories about how great our body looked when we were younger?

Now, if you're a woman and reading this, don't leave just yet -- there's plenty of good information in here for you, too. Even though you and most other women don't want to get as buff and built as your average man, I'd have to guess that you would still would like to have a nice and toned upper body. From a man's perspective there's nothing better than seeing a woman with a toned back and slightly defined arms. It will also keep you much younger looking as most women's arms tend to get a little bit flabby with age, even if they stay skinny.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that whether you are a man or a woman, the following workout can be useful to you as long as you cater it to your specific needs and fitness level. Just be careful, make sure to stretch and don't push it too hard in the beginning because everyone wants to look good, but no one wants to get hurt.

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Before you start the upper body workout that I lay out below, I thought that I should set some expectations for you, as well as give you some tips so that you don't get surprised by anything or feel like you don't really know what's going on.

I'll start out with setting a few expectations that you should be ready for:

• Working out isn't easy, it's actually really hard (I guess that's why they call it working out). But, if you make it become a habit and get through the first few weeks, I promise that you'll be feeling better than ever.
  
• You're going to be pretty sore in the beginning. Having sore muscles after a workout is totally normal, especially when you're fist starting out. Working out is basically the process of tearing your muscles, letting them heal up and then tearing them back down again. If you didn't ever get sore, you would probably start worrying.
  
• It takes time to see the results from working out. This is something that's really hard for our 'want-it-now' generation to deal with and believe me, it's never going to change no matter what you do. Developing a good upper body just takes time, so you should be prepared for not seeing any real results for up through the end of your first month.

Also, here are some tips that you should keep in mind as you begin working out:

• You're not in any hurry, so just take your time. I'm sure that you want to see some results as soon as possible, but the truth is that lifting weights and developing your body takes time, so just chill and take it one day at a time.
  
• Clean up after yourself in the weight room. The weight room isn't yours and no one wants to clean after you so please re-rack all of your weights and equipment when you're done. Also, take it a step further and clean up someone else's mess that they left behind -- it never hurts to get some good weight room karma going.
  
• Leave your cellphone in the car. Unless you're a brain/heart surgeon that is on call and has other people's lives in your hands, please leave your cell phone in your car and don't even think about bringing it into the weight room. You owe it to yourself to focus one hour on your workout, so texting Tommy or Sally about the party this weekend is just going to have to wait.
• Give a spot/ask for a spot. Don't be afraid to see if someone that's lifting some serious weight next you if he/she needs a spot. It's a great way to meet some cool people and if you ever need a spot they'll be sure to return the favor. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, you know what I mean?

OK, that's enough for now -- I think that it's time to get down to business. Keep on reading below for an easy to understand and super simple upper body workout that will get you built and looking good before you know it. Just remember, it takes time, so work hard, be patient and you'll do great.

The amount of time that you want to dedicate to working out is totally up to you, but I would suggest lifting weights at least 4 times a week at the bare minimum. This will keep your muscles in shape and will allow you to continue to gain more strength as your workouts continue.

The following upper body workout is split up into two groups: Back/Shoulders/Triceps and Chest/Biceps. What I suggest doing is working out one group one day and then working out the other group the next day and going back and forth as your time allows. This will give you a good, overall upper body workout that you'll be more than happy with.

For example, if you worked out 4 day a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays here is what your workout would look like:

Monday: Chest/Biceps
Wednesday: Back/Shoulders/Triceps
Friday: Chest/Biceps
Saturday: Back/Shoulders/Triceps

Then on the next Monday you would start with the Chest/Biceps again after you give yourself a day of rest on Sunday. Remember, rest is very important, so try not to overdue it too much, especially during your first month of working out.

Your workouts should last no longer than an hour or so and you should try to push through your workout as quickly as you can while still maintaining good form. From my experience, keeping up a good pace and getting a solid sweat going is always a good thing. Now, on to the exercises -- pay attention!

The following exercises and lifts focus on working your back muscles (lats and upper back), your shoulders (both front and rear deltoids) and your triceps. Your workout for this group should consist of doing two shoulder exercises, two back exercises and a good triceps workout at the end.

Alternate a shoulder and a back exercise and do 3 sets of each of them with 8-12 reps during each set. This is called super-setting because you don't really have rest in between each set, only after the full 3 sets of each are completed. Here is an example of what a back/shoulders/triceps workout would look like:

Shoulder Exercise
Back Exercise
Shoulder Exercise
Back Exercise
Shoulder Exercise
Back Exercise

[REST/WATER BREAK]

Shoulder Exercise
Back Exercise
Shoulder Exercise
Back Exercise
Shoulder Exercise
Back Exercise

[REST/WATER BREAK]

Triceps Exercise
Triceps Exercise
Triceps Exercise

[FINISH]

The shoulder, back and triceps exercises are listed below.

The dumbbell shoulder press is one of the best core lifts that you can do for your upper body. Here are some quick instructions on how to safely perform this exercise (also see video to your right).

1. Pick a set of dumbbells that you can press above your head 8-12 times and find yourself a chair bench that you can sit in and that supports your back.
   
2. Lift up the dumbbells onto your knees and push them up above your head once you are ready to start your reps.
   
3. Do 8-12 times and be sure to keep your form.
   
4. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of back exercises in between each one.
5. Be sure to re-rack your dumbbells after you're done with your sets.
   

Arnold presses (names after the famously weight-lifting legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, are just like the dumbbell shoulder presses, but instead or mainly working the back to mid shoulder, these work the front (anterior) section of your shoulders. Arnold presses take some getting used to, but they really work great once you get the hang of them.

1. Grab a set of fairly light dumbbells (probably about 1/3 of the weight that you used for regular shoulder presses).
   
2. Find an upright chair bench so that you can get the back support that you need.
   
3. Lift the dumbbells into the starting position (see image to your right) and follow the instructions in the video for the proper form of the exercise.
   
4. Do 8-12 reps and be sure to keep your form the entire time. Don't be hesitant to drop weight if needed. You should always focus on technique, not the amount of weight you can throw around.
   
5. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of back exercises in between each one.
6. Be sure to re-rack your dumbbells after you're done with your sets.

Lat pulls and pull ups are great exercises for working the upper sections of your back (otherwise known as your 'lats'). These two exercises can be substituted for one another whenever you feel like you need to switch things up a bit without ever skipping a beat. Also, depending on how busy your gym is, one of the machines might be taken and you could easily do the other one, no problem.

As far as lat pulls go, they are done with a cable machine that looks very similar to the one that you see to your right.

1. Adjust the seat of the lat pull machine so that your knees can fit under the bar comfortably and snug.
   
2. Choose a weight that you can pull all the way down and let all the up 8-12 times. Go light if you need to when first starting so that you can get your form down.
   
3. You can either pull the lat pull bar down in front of you or behind your neck (which some say can be bad for you), just make sure to go all the way up and all the way down with each rep. 
4. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of shoulder exercises in between each one. 

For pull ups, just be sure to find a bar that you can reach without assistance and that gives you enough room to do the exercise.

1. Grab the pull up bar with a grip that's just a little wider than your shoulder.
2. Pull up your body all the way until the pull up bar hits the back of your neck or is just below your chin. You can do pull ups either in front or behind your head.
   
3. Do as many reps as you can and as you can do more that 10-12 reps, feel free to add more weight to you with a weight belt or dumbell. 
4. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of shoulder exercises in between each one.
   

Dumbbell rows are another solid exercise that can really give your back a great workout. Sometimes these are called 'lawn mowers' because if you do the form correctly the motion looks just like when you're trying to start up a lawn mower. When you pair these with lat pulls or pull ups you will get a full back workout that will really get your back muscles all ripped up.

1. Grab one dumbbell that you can pull up to your side 8-12 times.
   
2. Find a stand-alone flat bench that you can use for the exercise.
   
3. Lift the dumbbells into the starting position with your arm straight down towards the ground and your opposite knee or arm up on a bench or other object (see image to your right) and follow the instructions in the video.
   
4. Do 8-12 reps with each arm and be sure to keep your form the entire time. Don't be hesitant to drop weight if needed. You should always focus on technique, not the amount of weight you can throw around.
   
5. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of shoulder exercises in between each one.
6. Be sure to re-rack your dumbbells after you're done with your sets.

Triceps actually make up the majority of the muscle in your arm, even though it's usually the bicep that gets all of the attention. I always finish out my back and shoulder workouts with three sets of some type of triceps exercise, with the tricep cable push-downs being my overall favorite. There are several different types of triceps exercises and you can do a majority of them using one or both arms at once, so I'm going to leave that decision completely up to you. I usually count a single arm set on both arms and a set with both arms as one overall set if that makes sense.

1. Find a cable machine that will work for tricep push-downs. Usually there are four or so stations on any large cable machine that will work just fine for these exercises. There are usually two on the ends and then two in the middle. All you need is one of these for what you'll be doing.
2. Choose which type of attachment you'd like to use. There are the single hand grips that are great for your one arm push-downs and other attachments like ropes, triangles and straight bars for your two arm push-downs. Pick a few out and give them a shot, different people seem to prefer different attachments. Personally, I like the single hand and the triangle attachments.
   
3. Choose a weight that you can pull all the way down and let all the up 8-12 times. Go light if you need to when first starting so that you can get your form down (see video on the right for proper technique).
   
4. Once you start with the reps keep your elbows to your side and your back straight so that you can maximize the amount of weight that your triceps are pushing down. Don't cheat! (it's easy to do on this one)
   
5. Repeat this for 3 sets.
   

The following exercises and lifts focus on working your chest muscles (pecs) and your biceps (beach muscles!). Your workout for this group should consist of doing three chest exercises and three biceps exercises.

Alternate a chest and a biceps exercise and do 3 sets of each of them with 8-12 reps during each set. This is called super-setting because you don't really have rest in between each set, only after the full 3 sets of each are completed. Here is an example of what a chest/biceps workout would look like:

Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise
Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise
Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise

[REST/WATER BREAK]

Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise
Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise
Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise

[REST/WATER BREAK]

Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise
Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise
Chest Exercise
Biceps Exercise

[FINISH]

The chest and biceps exercises are explained in detail below.

The bench press is the ultimate chest exercise and is regularly used as a measure of anyone's overall strength and power. I'm sure that you've overheard someone talking about how much they bench or how much they saw someone else bench, it happens all the time at any gym that you go to. How much weight someone can bench press is most often seen as the one thing that everyone can be judged on and is probably one of the most regularly practiced exercises in anyone's upper body routine. Your chest, or pecs, are like the foundation of your upper body, which is why there are three exercises in this workout that specifically work this huge muscle group. 

1. Find a flat bench press bench that has the needed setup for the exercise (a bench with a straight bench bar included).
   
2. Find the amount of weight that you can bench press 8-12 times. This might take a little bit of time for you to find initially, but it's worth taking the time to find the right amount to start with. Also, keep in mind that the weights are as follows 2.5lbs, 5lbs, 10lbs, 25lbs, 35lbs, and 45lbs (a 'plate') and a regulation bench bar weighs 45lbs.
   
3. Once you have the right weight added to the bar, lift the bar off of the cradle and extend your arms all the way out.
   
4. Do 8-12 reps and be sure to keep your form the entire time. Don't be hesitant to drop weight if needed. You should always focus on technique, not the amount of weight you can throw around. See the proper bench technique in the video to your right.
   
5. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of biceps exercises in between each one.
6. Be sure to re-rack your weights after you're done with your sets.

The incline bench press is an exercise that focuses on building up the top sections of your chest (pectoral) muscles. This exercise is done on an inclined bench that is usually raised up at an angle that's a little less that 45 degrees. Getting the form and technique of this exercise down is very important because the motion will feel very awkward when you first try it. Be sure to drop down your weight (usually about 2/3 of your regular bench press) and to focus on getting used to the technique before bumping it up.

1. Find an incline bench press bench that has the needed setup for the exercise (a bench with a straight bench bar included).
   
2. Find the amount of weight that you can bench press 8-12 times. This might take a little bit of time for you to find initially, but it's worth taking the time to find the right amount to start with. Also, keep in mind that the weights are as follows 2.5lbs, 5lbs, 10lbs, 25lbs, 35lbs, and 45lbs (a 'plate') and a regulation bench bar weighs 45lbs.
   
3. Once you have the right weight added to the bar, lift the bar off of the cradle and extend your arms all the way out.
   
4. Do 8-12 reps and be sure to keep your form the entire time. Don't be hesitant to drop weight if needed. You should always focus on technique, not the amount of weight you can throw around. The bar should go from the very top of your chest (just under your chin) and directly out, not up. See the proper incline bench technique in the video to your right.
   
5. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of biceps exercises in between each one.
6. Be sure to re-rack your weights after you're done with your sets.

The decline bench press is the final of the three main types of bench press and it works the lower sections of your chest (pectoral) muscles. This is an often overlooked exercise, but actually one of my favorites due to the fact that it is responsible for creating the 'ledge' that's at the bottom of your chest . This ledge is what gives your chest a nice look and is what really defines your upper build. Just like the incline bench press, the motion and technique of the decline press will feel awkward in the beginning as you get used to it, so don't be afraid to drop some weight until you get a good feel for it. Normally the weight that you use for decline is about 80% of the weight that you're using for your normal bench press.

1. Find a decline bench press bench that has the needed setup for the exercise (a bench with a straight bench bar included).
   
2. Find the amount of weight that you can bench press 8-12 times. This might take a little bit of time for you to find initially, but it's worth taking the time to find the right amount to start with. Also, keep in mind that the weights are as follows 2.5lbs, 5lbs, 10lbs, 25lbs, 35lbs, and 45lbs (a 'plate') and a regulation bench bar weighs 45lbs.
   
3. Once you have the right weight added to the bar, lift the bar off of the cradle and extend your arms up so that they're extended all the way out.
   
4. Do 8-12 reps and be sure to keep your form the entire time. Don't be hesitant to drop weight if needed. You should always focus on technique, not the amount of weight you can throw around. The bar should go from the very bottom of your chest (just under your chin) and directly up, not out. See the proper decline bench technique in the video to your right.
   
5. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of biceps exercises in between each one.
6. Be sure to re-rack your weights after you're done with your sets.

Single arm concentration curls are important to include in any overall bicep workout. The 'concentration' in the name stems from the fact that if the proper technique is used, most of the exercise should be concentrated directly on the bicep and more specifically the peak of the muscle. By resting your elbow on the inside of your thigh, the weight is focused directly on the bicep, with no additional help from the shoulder or any other muscle group. As always, keeping your motion nice and smooth is key and be sure to flex your bicep and hold for a second or two at the top of each rep.

1. Grab one dumbbell that you can curl at around 8-12 times.
   
2. Find a stand-alone flat bench or something else that you can sit down on and use for the exercise.
   
3. Grab the dumbbell on the ground and put your elbow into position inside your inner thigh (see image to your right) and follow the instructions in the video.
   
4. Do 8-12 reps with each arm and be sure to keep your form the entire time. Don't be hesitant to drop weight if needed. You should always focus on technique, not the amount of weight you can throw around.
   
5. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of chest exercises in between each one.
6. Be sure to re-rack your dumbbells after you're done with your sets.

It's always a good idea to mix it up a bit when doing curls for your biceps, which is why these straight bar curls are always great to include in your workout. Some gyms have shorter, smaller straight bars that are similar in size to an EZ curl bar, but most of the time I just use a bench bar that 's not being used at the time. Be sure to get the right weight (you won't need much added when first starting out), get a good grip that is a little closer than shoulder-width apart and do the reps nice and slow.

1. Find a straight bench bar that isn't being used and some room to do these curls. I would suggest using either an open squat rack or an incline bench press that's not being used. If all else fails, just grab a bar and find an open space somewhere in the gym.
   
2. Add enough weight so that you can do between 8-12 reps without stopping. You should also grab some weight clips if your gym provides them so that your weights don't slip off.
   
3. Do your 8-12 reps nice and slow and be sure to go all the way down and all the way up with a nice bicep flex at the top of each rep. If you're doing these right they should burn a little bit. Also, be sure to keep your back straight and don't sway (see video for more info on the proper technique).
4. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of chest exercises in between each one.
5. Be sure to re-rack your weights and bar after you're done with your sets.

Hammer curls are yet another core biceps exercise that will help beef up your arms a bit. The hammer curl mainly works the outsides of your biceps, which gives them much more thickness as opposed to peak. I really like doing hammer curls and I think that they are a great addition to any arm workout. When you're doing hammer curls, be sure to alternate back ad forth between each arm in a nice and smooth motion with no jerking or swaying. These babies will burn after a few reps, but keep on pushing through 'em -- it'll be worth it!

1. Grab two dumbbells that you can hammer curl at around 8-12 times.
   
2. You can either do these standing up (which I prefer) or you can use the edge of a bench or a seated bench (which can help stop you from swaying and jerking).
   
3. Grab the dumbbells off the ground and get into the proper position with both arms down before you start the reps (see image to your right) and follow the instructions in the video.
   
4. Do 8-12 reps with each arm and be sure to keep your form the entire time. Don't be hesitant to drop weight if needed. You should always focus on technique, not the amount of weight you can throw around.
   
5. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of chest exercises in between each one.
6. Be sure to re-rack your dumbbells after you're done with your sets.

EZ bar preacher curls focus on working yet another separate section of your biceps. They lengthen and thicken your bicep muscle, which will give it a much better peak and definition in the long run. The EZ bar is the standard bar that is used for two arm curling with free weights and a standard one weighs 15lbs, although I've used bigger versions that have weighed more like 25-35lbs. Due to the technique of this exercise you're going to need to drop some significant weight from your normal curling weight, so please keep this in mind as you're starting out. Also, be sure to extend your arms out all the way and bring them all the way up to a complete bicep flex after each rep.

1. Find an EZ curl bar that isn't being used and a preacher curl bench. Set the preacher curl bench so that you can comfortably extend your arms out all the way down.
   
2. Add enough weight so that you can do between 8-12 reps without stopping. You should also grab some weight clips if your gym provides them so that your weights don't slip off.
   
3. Do your 8-12 reps nice and slow and be sure to go all the way down and all the way up with a nice bicep flex at the top of each rep. If you're doing these right they should burn a little bit. Also, be sure to keep your butt on the seat and elbows straight (see video for more info on the proper technique).
4. Repeat this for 3 sets while alternating a set of chest exercises in between each one.
5. Be sure to re-rack your weights and bar after you're done with your sets.

I hope that this upper body workout plan has helped you get a better idea of how to get in a really good workout in a relatively short amount of time. Just be sure to warm-up and stretch before and after each workout and always be courteous to the other people who are working out around you.

If you have any questions about this workout, please leave them in the comments section below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I have used this workout for many, many years and as long as I followed everything that I wrote above, it has always given me great results and I hope that it can do the same for you, too. 

Thanks for reading and here's to having a great upper body!