Upper Body Workout Without Weights

When it comes to bodybuilding, people mostly opt for gym membership. The expensive equipment and various sizes of dumbbells do help a person to put on muscle faster and effectively. However, if you don't wish to spend hours upon hours in the gym to build muscles, and pay the expensive gym memberships then you can form a home workout regime that includes exercises of upper body workout without any weights. Given below, are the various exercises that you should include in your workout to build the muscles in the upper body region.

How to Build Your Upper Body Without Weights

Before you start following an exercise program for building muscles, it is important that you understand the major upper body muscles and their structure. This will help you to understand which exercise focuses on which muscle group, and thus, you can increase or decrease the number of sets. For example, if you have more fat in the abdominal region then you can increase the number of sets for abdominal and waist exercises. Given below are 8 major muscles and their exercises, which include shoulder, back, chest, abs and arms muscles.

Deltoids Muscles & Exercises: Deltoids muscle are located at the point of each shoulders and look heart shaped. For deltoid workout use decline push-ups and one arm push ups.

Triceps Muscles & Exercises: These are the muscles which give the back of the upper arm the shape. Use exercises like triceps dips, hip raiser and wide decline push ups to work on these muscles.

Biceps Muscles & Exercises: Biceps are located at the front of the upper arm, and when the arm is flexed, it gives the bulge. To build biceps use bicep exercises like Indian push-ups.

Pectoral Muscles & Exercises: The pectoral muscles are the chest muscles which are two small square shaped muscle, that are located in the upper front of the rib cage. Exercises for building these muscles are wide decline push-ups and Indian push-ups.

Abdominal Muscles & Exercises: Everybody knows about the ab muscles, which when worked on properly can give the 6 pack shape. Crunches and twists abdominal exercises help to build these muscles.

Oblique Muscles & Exercises: Obliques are the sides of the waist, more commonly known as love handles. To build these muscles the best waist exercises are twists and side bends.

Trapezius Muscles & Exercises: These muscles comprise the upper back muscles, and these two muscles together resemble a trapezoid, or a diamond shape. To build these muscles use hip raiser and inverse push-up exercises.

Latissimus Dorsi Muscles & Exercises: These are the back muscles that give a person the V-shaped appearance. Use inverse push-up back exercises, to build these muscles.

Upper Body Exercises Without Weights

Listed below are the various exercises, that you should include in your exercise program. Try to perform as many repetitions of the mentioned below exercises, as you can. Make sure you do a little warm up of 7-10 minute, you can also go on a mild jogging session before starting with the following workouts...

Decline Push Ups: To perform these push ups, keep your feet on a height (a steady stool will do), and your hands on the floor at shoulder width apart. Keep your legs and back straight, and lower your body till your chin is close to the floor. Tuck your ab muscles and tighten your lower back and thighs, while performing this exercise. Return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise.

Indian Push Ups: To perform these push ups, keep your feet flat on the floor and your butt pointed to the ceiling, with your palms on the floor at shoulder width apart. Your head should be looking at your feet, now gradually bend elbows as you lower your body in a circular arc, till your head points upwards and your arms are straight, at this point your hips will be almost touching the floor. Inhale, and then push back towards your heels once again to return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise.

Tricep Dips: For tricep dips place your palms on the seat of a chair with your legs stretched forward. Now lower your body till the edge of the chair is near your upper back. Return slowly to the starting position and repeat.

Hip Raiser: For this exercise, the starting position is sitting on the floor with legs straight, and the palms of the hand near the sides of the hip, and back straight. Now slowly raise your body upwards so that the soles of the feet are flat on the floor and the body, hips and upper thighs are in a straight line, let your head fall backwards so that you are looking at the ceiling, and tighten your butt. Hold this position for a reverse count of 5. Then repeat to the starting position and repeat.

Ab Crunches: To perform abdominal crunches lie down on the floor, with your knees slightly bend, and your hands behind your head. Then slowly raise your body, by bringing your head closer to your knees, return to the starting position and repeat.

Twists: To perform this exercise, stand with your feet apart and hands behind your head. Hold the abs in and slowly twist your upper body to the left, so that the right elbow is pointing straight. Repeat with the other side.

Side Bends: To perform this workout, stand with your feet apart and hands behind your head. Hold the abs in and slowly tilt your upper body to the left, while keeping your back straight. Repeat for the other side.

Make sure you also follow a lower body workout as well, or just muscles on upper body and no muscles on the lower body will give a disproportionate appearance. Apart from exercising, following a proper diet and taking adequate rest is also important. Include a lot of proteins in your diet, add all kinds of vegetables and fruits, and replenish your body by drinking at least 2-3 liters of water daily.