No Equipment Exercise Series - Best Chest and Upper Body Workouts

No Equipment Exercise

Who said you had to spend thousands on gym memberships to be in shape? (probably a guy who owned a gym) More and more people just like you are going back to basics and discovering that no equipment exercise using body weight resistance is keeping them fit and in shape without a gym membership.


In the "No Equipment Exercise" series you'll discover my favorite body weight routines to tone each major muscle group. These routines are the perfect way to stay in shape and toned for all of your outside adventures. In this post, I review my favorite "Chest and Upper Body" exercises.

Best Chest and Upper Body Workouts

1) Push-Ups (shoulders, arms, chest)

You are probably familiar with the good ole' standard pushup but did you know there are numerous variations? Let's start with the standard push-up and then progress on to some of the variations available that provide additional chest benefits.

How To Push- Up:

• Start with your arms a little wider than shoulder width apart
• Keep your back flat (not slouching and keep that but in-line)
• Lower slowly until you are just of the floor (don't touch down)
• Then press up slowly and focus on using your pecs to power back to the starting position
• perform 8 -12 reps;
• Rest and complete 3-4 sets.

2) Inchworms (abs, shoulders, chest, back and arms)

The inchworm is a deceptively challenging workout with benefits for numerous parts of your body including your chest and upper body.

How to Inchworm

• Start standing with feet together and arms at your side
• Bend, as if you were going to touch your toes.
• Slowly walk your hands out until you're in a "push-up" position.
• Perform a slow push-up (as described above)
• Now, slowly walk your hands back toward your feet until you're back in the "touch your toes" position
• Straighten back up to the standing position and repeat.
• perform 8 -12 reps;
• Rest and complete 2-3 sets.

3) Snow Angel (shoulders, chest, hip flexors)

If you live in a snowy part of the country chances are good that you made snow angels as a child. This exercise replicates that movement to provide benefits to your shoulders and chest. It's a great way to clean your floors!

How to make a Snow Angel

• Lay on your back with your hands by your side
• Open your legs and at the same time sweep your arms away from your sides and up over your head (like doing a jumping jack on the floor)
• Return to the starting position and repeat
• Perform 8 -12 reps;
• Rest and complete 3-4 sets.

4) Spiderman (arms, shoulders, chest, abs)

This is a push-up variation that adds an additional challenge and ab benefits.

How to Spiderman:

• Start in a push-up position
• As you lower toward the floor rotate your right leg to the side and bring your right knee to your right elbow
• As you raise up move your right knee away from your elbow and back to the starting position
• Repeat on with the left knee on your next decent
• repeat 8 -12 reps
• Complete 2 -3 sets

5) Closed Kinetic Chain Parascapular Exercise (chest, delts, shoulders)

OK, try saying that three times fast! This is another deceptively challenging exercise with great benefits for your shoulders, chest and delts. For additional variations I've added a link to ACE in the resources page.

How to Squat / Knee Lift:

• Start in a plank position with hands directly under your shoulders
• Move the right hand forward aprox 1 hand length
• Turn right wrist left
• Turn left wrist right
• Lower shoulder toward your left hand
• push-up, point right hand forward, left hand forward
• return you right hand to the starting position and repeat on the left side.
• Repeat for 8- 10 reps
• Complete 2 sets

What are your favorite no equipment exercises? Share your tips below.

Steve Stearns provides practical advice, articles and information to keep you motivated to get outside and in-shape at http://www.outsidehealthandfitness.com

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