Upper Body Excersizes

Initial Level:

1. Push-ups:

   - Begin in a plank stance with your hands shoulder-width apart.

   - Execution: Bend your elbows until your chest almost touches the ground, then push back up.

   - Advantages: Push-ups engage the chest, shoulders, and triceps, making it a good first-time workout for general upper-body strength.

2. Rows with bodyweight (Incline Rows):

Start with a horizontal bar or a solid surface, such as a Smith machine. Lie beneath it, overhand gripping the bar, with your back straight and your heels on the ground.

Execution: Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull your chest towards the bar, then drop yourself back down.

Bodyweight rows serve to improve posture by targeting the upper back, biceps, and rear deltoids.

Plank:

Start in a push-up posture, but with your forearms on the ground.

Execution: Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels, activating your core and shoulder muscles.

Planks help to strengthen your core, shoulders, and upper back while also improving your stability and posture.

Intermediate Level

1. Dips:

Start with parallel bars or a solid, raised surface. With your arms fully extended, grip the bars.

Execution: Bend your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground, then push yourself back up.

Dips provide a hard upper body workout by targeting the triceps, chest, and shoulders.

2. Chin-Ups/Pull-Ups:

Start by hanging from a horizontal bar, palms facing you (chin-up) or away from you (pull-up).

Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar, then lower yourself back down.

Chin-ups strengthen the biceps, but pull-ups strengthen the upper back, lats, and shoulders, improving total upper body strength.

3. Variations on the Push-Up (Diamond Push-Up, Wide Push-Up, etc.):

Execution: To focus different muscle groups, modify the conventional push-up by adjusting hand location (e.g., diamond shape, wide apart).

Benefits: Push-up variants work different parts of the chest, shoulders, and triceps, adding variety to your workout.

Advanced Level

1. Push-ups in a handstand:

Begin in a handstand against a wall, or freestanding if you have the balance.

Execution: Bend your elbows until your head almost touches the ground, then push back up.

Benefits: Handstand push-ups are a full-body workout that focuses on the shoulders and triceps while requiring great strength and balance.

2. Muscle-Ups:

Starting Position: Hang from a bar with a false grip (wrist on top of the bar), then explode up and into a dip position.

Execution: After lifting up, perform a dip and then lower yourself back down.

Muscle-ups combine the strength of pull-ups and dips while exercising the whole upper body and core.

3. Push-Ups on the Planche:

Begin in a push-up posture, but with your feet elevated off the ground and your upper body parallel to the floor.

Execution: Lower your body parallel to the ground and then push back up.

Planche push-ups put the chest, shoulders, and core to the test, requiring outstanding upper body strength and stability.

These upper body calisthenics routines may be included into a well-rounded schedule to help you move from a beginner to an experienced level while developing an exceptional upper body strength and physique. Maintain perfect form at all times, and progressively increase the difficulty level as you gain skill in each exercise.