Pack On Upper Body Muscle With This Home Workout

This session uses simple kit to generate big, muscle-building results. If you don’t have a pull-up bar at home, swap in some dumbbell renegade rows or reverse flyes.

Reps: 8
Sets: 3
Rest: Straight into 1b

Grasp a bar with an overhand grip so your palms are facing away from you and your hands are twice shoulder-width apart.
Contract your upper back muscles to pull your sternum towards the bar, then lower under control.

Reps: 8 each side
Rest: 45 secs, then repeat 1a
Sets: 3

Start in the top press-up position, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Keeping your core braced to control rotation and your arm straight, lift one dumbbell out to the side until it’s level with your shoulder, then lower under control.
Repeat on the other side.

Reps: 12
Rest: Straight into 2b

Start in the top press-up position with a dumbbell in each hand.
Slowly lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor, then press back up.

Reps: 12
Rest: 45 secs
Sets: 3

Lie with your upper back on a gym ball, holding a dumbbell in each hand directly above your chest with palms facing.
Make sure your head and upper back are supported and your feet are flat on the floor.
Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the weights out to the sides as far as is comfortable.
Use your chest to reverse the move and lift the weights back to the top.

Reps: 12
Rest: 30 secs
Sets: 3

Stand holding dumbbells with your palms facing you and your upper arms vertical to work your deltoids.
Press the weights overhead, rotating your hands so your palms end up face forwards.
Slowly reverse back to the start.

Reps: 12
Rest: 30 secs
Sets: 3

Lie on your back with your arms fully extended behind your head, keeping them and your legs slightly off the ground by tensing your core.
Bring your arms directly above your face and your legs up with a 90-degree bend in your knees, making sure your shoulders don’t leave the ground, then return to the start.

Photography: Tom Miles