{"id":149872,"date":"2025-11-23T16:48:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T16:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/149872\/"},"modified":"2025-11-23T16:48:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T16:48:09","slug":"the-8-best-exercises-for-upper-body-strength-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/149872\/","title":{"rendered":"The 8 Best Exercises for Upper Body Strength"},"content":{"rendered":"

For fitness purposes we can roughly divide the body into three sections: the lower body (legs), the core (abs), and upper body (everything from the chest up including arms, shoulders, and back\u2014but not your head, you don\u2019t need to exercise your head<\/a> in the gym). Bench press, shoulder press, flys, shrugs, etc. all constitute upper body exercises.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we talk about upper body exercises, we\u2019re commonly talking about exercises which impact the pectorals, deltoids, triceps, biceps, lats, and traps,\u201d says Kosta Telegadas, head coach and founder of Telegadas Performance Training<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Telegadas is quick to point out that we often forget our forearms and rotator cuffs when training upper body. They are vital for grip strength<\/a> and encouraging a full range of motion, respectively.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese areas are sometimes overlooked as they aren\u2019t massive \u2018show muscles\u2019, even though they play an important role in the function of other moves like the bench press, pull-ups, bent-over row, and overhead press.\u201d<\/p>\n

How they help in daily life<\/p>\n

Working on your upper body has a plethora of practical applications.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe invention of smartphones, and the prevalence of desk-bound work culture have contributed to a trend of poor posture<\/a>, which often displays itself with a forward neck position, and generally slouched upper back and rounded shoulders,\u201d says Wes Santos, coach and owner of Instate Fitness<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Turns out, Santos says, that working on your upper body can significantly help improve negative posture, with knock-on effects for your performance<\/a>, longevity<\/a> and even your mood<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWeight training<\/a> as a whole helps keep your bones and joints strong, which can protect you against injury and joint disease,\u201d says Lee Brown<\/a>, senior lecturer in Strength & Conditioning at the University of East London. \u201cUpper body exercises have the specific benefits of improving mobility and range of motion applicable in everyday activity such as lifting, carrying shopping [bags] and more.\u201d<\/p>\n

How training upper body helps fitness