If you want to build serious upper body strength, it’s time to go beyond basic workouts. Whether you’re just getting started or already lifting heavy, the right strategy makes all the difference. At 24/7 Fitness, we’re cutting through the noise to give you real fitness advice that gets results.

Why Building Upper Body Strength Matters

Strong arms, shoulders, and back aren’t just for show. Developing your upper body improves posture, joint stability, and everyday movement, this is important for tasks such as carrying shopping bags and even opening doors. It’s also key for injury prevention and unlocking your body’s full athletic potential.

Where to start? Focus on compound push and pull exercises that work multiple muscles at once, while mixing in isolation moves to refine and define your physique.

Upper Body Push Exercises

Push exercises are the backbone of a powerful upper body. They target your chest, shoulders, and triceps, helping you build strength, definition, and control.

Start simple — think push-ups, shoulder presses, and dumbbell bench presses. Start with a dumbbell upper body workout to build control and strength, then bring in machines to take your training to the next level. If you’re ready, add barbell presses or incline/decline push-ups to target the lower chest muscles. These variations create tension where it counts and help shape a fuller, stronger chest.

Check out CEO Gary Lockwood in our last blog on “How to build a chiselled chest”.

Upper Body Pull Exercises

Balance your push with powerful upper body pull exercises that target your back and biceps. A strong back supports everything you do and it’s crucial for posture and balance. Incorporate pull-ups, dumbbell back exercises, and barbell rows to strengthen your back, lats, and arms. These are some of the best back and biceps workout exercises for building real-world strength.

What Upper Body Exercises Can I Do with Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow isn’t just for tennis players, it’s a common overuse injury caused by repetitive strain on the tendons around your elbow joint. When the muscles that help you grip, lift, or twist become irritated and inflamed, you’ll usually start to feel a sharp or nagging pain on the outside of your elbow that can make everyday movements difficult. 

The good news? You can still train safely with smart modifications, stick to light resistance, focus on form over load, and avoid painful angles. Try using resistance bands or light dumbbells for curls, rows, or gentle presses. But remember, if you’re in pain, stop immediately and consult a trainer or physio before resuming your workout.

Upper vs. Lower Split Workouts

One common question we get asked is how to split your workouts. This will depend on your goals and ability, but below we’ve put a good routine to get you started.

Alternate between upper-body days and lower-body days. For example:

• Upper Body Day: Focus on push exercises (bench press, shoulder press) and pull exercises (rows, pull-ups).
  
  

• Lower Body Day: Switch to squats, lunges, and deadlifts.
  
  

This system prevents burnout, improves recovery, and ensures every muscle group gets the attention it deserves. 

Tips for Building Strength for the Upper Body

To give you the best head start, we’ve put some tips below for you to help you smash every workout!

• Prioritise form over ego. Good technique beats heavy weight every time.
  
  

• Use progressive overload — increase weight or reps slowly to challenge your muscles.
  
  

• Allow rest and recovery. Strength grows when you recover, not when you overtrain.
  
  

• Keep your workouts balanced with both push and pull exercises for symmetry.
  
  

Remember upper body strength isn’t just about lifting the heaviest weights, it’s about good form and control. Each person will have different goals, but following our tips you won’t go wrong. We will see you at the gym