AKHADA

Upper Body Workout at Home

  • Beginner
  • 2 or 3 days a week
  • 15 to 20 min
  • One long band

Updated

A man doing a band pull apart in his living room

About this routine

Two home workouts for chest, back, shoulders and arms. The upper day mixes push ups and chair dips with band rows, presses and pull aparts. The chest day adds a band chest press and fly.

For beginners and anyone training upper body at home with one long flat band and a sturdy chair. If you have no band yet, start with the 10 minute version at the bottom, which needs only a chair.

The week

2 days a week

One upper day and one chest day. Pair it with a leg workout on two other days for a full week.

  1. MUpper
  2. TRest
  3. WRest
  4. TChest
  5. FRest
  6. SRest
  7. SRest

3 days a week

Upper twice, chest once. A day off between sessions lets your arms and shoulders recover.

  1. MUpper
  2. TRest
  3. WChest
  4. TRest
  5. FUpper
  6. SRest
  7. SRest

The workouts

Before you start

If you have a medical condition or an injury, check with a doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

Stop any exercise that causes pain, dizziness, or strain somewhere you don't expect it.

5 exercisesAbout 20 minBeginner

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Push up1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Push up

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders, legs straight behind you.
    2. Tighten your stomach so your body stays in a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled slightly back rather than straight out.
    4. Push the floor away to come back up.
    5. Too hard? Do them with your knees on the floor, or your hands on a chair.
  2. 2

    Resistance Band Seated Row

    3 × 12 to 15 repsMiddle back

    How to do it
    1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight and a long flat band looped around the soles of your feet.
    2. Hold one end of the band in each hand, arms straight, back tall.
    3. Pull your hands toward your lower ribs, elbows close to your sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    4. Let your arms straighten slowly.
    5. Sit tall. Do not lean back to pull. Hold the band nearer your feet to make it harder.
  3. 3

    Resistance Band Overhead Shoulder Press

    3 × 12 to 15 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Stand on the middle of a long flat band, feet shoulder-width apart, holding the band at shoulder height.
    2. Tighten your stomach and squeeze your bottom.
    3. Press your hands straight up until your arms are almost straight.
    4. Lower slowly back to your shoulders.
    5. Do not lean back to push higher.
  4. 4

    Dip Bent Knees with Chair

    3 × 8 to 12 repsTriceps

    How to do it
    1. Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair pushed against a wall, hands gripping the seat beside your hips.
    2. Keep your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and slide your bottom just off the seat.
    3. Bend your elbows to lower yourself a little, keeping them pointing back, not out.
    4. Push through your palms to straighten your arms.
    5. Only go as low as feels comfortable. Stop if you feel a pinch at the front of your shoulders.
  5. 5

    Resistance Band Pull Apart

    3 × 12 to 15 repsShoulders

    How to do it
    1. Hold a flat band in front of you at shoulder height, hands about shoulder-width apart, arms straight.
    2. Keep a slight bend in your elbows.
    3. Pull the band apart by moving your hands out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    4. Let it come back slowly. Hold the band with your hands closer together to make it harder.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

4 exercisesAbout 15 minBeginner

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Push up1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Push up

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders, legs straight behind you.
    2. Tighten your stomach so your body stays in a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled slightly back rather than straight out.
    4. Push the floor away to come back up.
    5. Too hard? Do them with your knees on the floor, or your hands on a chair.
  2. 2

    Resistance Band Standing Chest Press

    3 × 12 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Anchor band at chest height behind you, hold both ends with arms bent at 90 degrees.
    2. Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, slight forward lean from ankles.
    3. Press both arms forward until elbows extend fully, hands finish at shoulder height.
    4. Control the band back to chest level without letting tension drop.
    5. Keep torso stable, avoid rotating or arching the lower back.
  3. 3

    Band Chest Fly

    3 × 12 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Attach band to fixed point at chest height, stand perpendicular with slight forward lean.
    2. Grip band handles with arms extended to sides, elbows slightly bent.
    3. Pull handles across body in a hugging motion, leading with elbows.
    4. Bring hands together in front of chest, squeeze at end range.
    5. Control the return, resisting band tension as arms open back to start.
  4. 4

    Dip Bent Knees with Chair

    3 × 8 to 12 repsTriceps

    How to do it
    1. Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair pushed against a wall, hands gripping the seat beside your hips.
    2. Keep your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and slide your bottom just off the seat.
    3. Bend your elbows to lower yourself a little, keeping them pointing back, not out.
    4. Push through your palms to straighten your arms.
    5. Only go as low as feels comfortable. Stop if you feel a pinch at the front of your shoulders.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

Rest and progress

Rest between sets

  • Rest 60 to 90 seconds after each set of push ups and chair dips. These are the hardest moves of the day.
  • Rest about 60 seconds between band sets.

How to progress

  1. Pick a push up version and a band tension you can do for the bottom of the rep range with two reps left.
  2. Add a rep each session. When every set reaches the top of the range, make it harder: hold the band shorter so it pulls harder, and move from hands-raised push ups to the floor.
  3. If a set falls below the bottom of the range two sessions in a row, go back to the easier version and build up again.

Swaps

Push up too hard
Incline push up with your hands on a table, kitchen counter or the seat of a sturdy chair.
Chair dips hurt your shoulders
Close grip push ups with your hands on a counter, or skip dips for now.
No band yet
Do the 10 minute version below. It trains the same muscles with a chair and the floor.
Band too easy
Hold the band shorter, or fold it to double it.

Short on time: the 10 minute version

Two rounds of five moves, no band needed. Incline push ups, chair dips and floor work for the back.

5 exercisesAbout 10 minBeginner

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Incline Push up1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Incline Push up

    2 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Put your hands on a sturdy chair, bench or table edge, slightly wider than your shoulders.
    2. Walk your feet back until your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Lower your chest toward the edge, elbows angled slightly back.
    4. Push away to come back up.
    5. Too hard? Do it standing, with your hands on a wall. The higher your hands, the easier it gets.
  2. 2

    Lying Prone Y Raise

    2 × 12 to 15 repsMiddle back, Lats

    How to do it
    1. Lie face down on the floor with your arms stretched out past your head in a Y shape, thumbs up.
    2. Rest your forehead on the floor or a folded towel.
    3. Lift both arms a few centimetres, squeezing your shoulder blades together and down.
    4. Pause, then lower slowly.
    5. Keep your legs on the floor. Stop if you feel it in your neck.
  3. 3

    Dip Bent Knees with Chair

    2 × 8 to 12 repsTriceps

    How to do it
    1. Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair pushed against a wall, hands gripping the seat beside your hips.
    2. Keep your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and slide your bottom just off the seat.
    3. Bend your elbows to lower yourself a little, keeping them pointing back, not out.
    4. Push through your palms to straighten your arms.
    5. Only go as low as feels comfortable. Stop if you feel a pinch at the front of your shoulders.
  4. 4

    Superman

    2 × 12 to 15 repsLower back

    How to do it
    1. Lie face down with your arms stretched past your head and your legs straight.
    2. Squeeze your bottom and tighten your stomach.
    3. Lift your arms, chest and legs a few centimetres off the floor. A small lift is enough.
    4. Hold for a second, then lower slowly.
    5. Look at the floor to keep your neck long. Stop if you feel a pinch in your lower back.
  5. 5

    Kneeling plank

    2 × 20 secAbdominals

    How to do it
    1. Kneel on the floor and rest on your forearms, elbows under your shoulders.
    2. Walk your knees back until your body is in a straight line from knees to head.
    3. Brace: tighten your stomach as if someone is about to poke it, and keep breathing.
    4. Hold without letting your hips drop or rise.
    5. Stop if you feel it in your lower back.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

Questions

Can I build upper body muscle at home?

Yes. Muscles grow from hard sets, and research finds push ups build as much muscle as a bench press with the same load. Keep the last reps of each set hard and make the move harder as you get stronger.

How long does each workout take?

About 15 to 20 minutes, plus a 5 minute warm-up. The 10 minute version fits a lunch break.

What band do I need?

One long flat band, the kind without handles. Every band move on this page uses the same band, so you only need one.

How many days a week should I train upper body?

Two or three. Training a muscle twice a week builds more muscle than once, so the 3 day schedule above trains your chest, back and shoulders at least twice.

Do I need a pull up bar to train my back?

Not to start. The band row and band pull apart train the back here. A bar helps later, once the band gets easy.

More routines

See all 24 routines

Sources

The Akhada team picked these exercises from our catalog of 7,000+ demonstrated movements. A strength coach reviewed the step-by-step cues for every exercise in our starter routines. The schedule and the case for bodyweight and band training follow the research below.

  1. Push-ups built as much muscle and strength as a load-matched bench press over 8 weeks.

    Kikuchi and Nakazato. Low-load bench press and push-up induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, 2017.

  2. Muscle growth was similar with light and heavy loads when sets were taken to failure. That is why a band works, as long as the last reps are hard.

    Schoenfeld, Grgic, Ogborn and Krieger. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2017.

  3. Training each muscle twice a week builds more muscle than once a week. That is why the 3 day schedule trains upper body twice.

    Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 2016.