The Best Upper Body Exercises With No Dumbbells

Upper body strength training is incredibly important for our health and injury prevention. Plus, there’s nothing more empowering than feeling strong. However, I always feel like upper body exercises can be a little intimidating. Maybe you can relate. At the gym, I find myself choosing between daunting-looking gym equipment or being one of the only (or the only) women lifting dumbbells. I shouldn’t let that self-consciousness get to me, but it totally does.

And I know I’m not alone. Especially if you’re just getting started, the gym can feel a little scary. But then strength training at home is tough too. Weights and machines are expensive! And they take up so much space! How do you get and stay strong while not dropping a fortune on equipment? 

In today’s post, I go over upper body strength training exercises that require no dumbbells (and no high cost equipment). That also means these are great exercise options for a home workout. Plus they’re lower impact than many weighted exercises! I also show you how to use items at home as alternatives to weights. I hope this inspires you to build your strength and gain confidence so you can take on any challenges that come your way.

Importance of Strength Training

Before we dive into specific exercises, why should you start a strength training routine? Sure, many of us would love to have more toned muscles, but that’s not even close to the biggest benefit of strength training. For one thing, strength training is a great way of managing weight. Indeed, strength training our muscles helps rev up our metabolism And those effects last for for up to 24 hours after exercise.

How does it work? A recent study found that muscle fibers sends genetic material to fat cells that basically spur them to move to a fat burning phase. On top of that, muscle weighs more than fat. When we weigh more, our entire body has to exert more energy and it burns more fat as a result. 

Additionally, strength training helps prevent injury. This isn’t just a big deal for athletes, it’s important for anyone. Stronger muscles give us more stability, leading to a lower risk of falls. Plus, strengthening our upper body muscle groups means we can go through our daily activities (pushing a stroller, pulling a door open, twisting a jar lid, etc.) with far less risk of injury. We’ve all heard of people (or been that person) who pulled a muscle getting out of bed or opening a car door. Strength training helps prevent those injuries and the injuries that come from working out.

This is why strength training is so important. And why many of us need to put a greater emphasis on things like leg and arm workouts that strengthen our muscles.

Alternatives to Weights

However, as mentioned above, strength training can feel like it has big barriers to entry. A set of dumbbells is expensive! As is a gym membership! If you’re just getting started, you might not want to take that financial plunge. Or you might want to build up your strength with smaller weights before buying heavier dumbbells that will last you awhile. What can you use as an alternative in the meantime?

Exercise with Items Around Your House

First, I’ll go over a variety of exercises below that just use your own body weight. You can also adapt many weighted exercises using items in your own home. For example, instead of a pair of dumbbells, you can use two cans or jars. A 16 oz jar or can equals one pound. These can be nice options to start adding a little weight to your exercises. 

You can also use empty gallon jugs with handles. A full gallon weighs 8.34 pounds. Consequently, you can fill up a gallon to reach 8.34 pounds, or fill it up partway for a lighter weight. Gallons can be unwieldy for any sort of exercise where you are lifting your arm above your head. However, you might find them useful for bent over rows, bicep curls (curling one at a time so the jugs don’t hit each other), lateral raises, and upright rows. Basically anything where you are not pressing the jug above your head.

Resistance Band Exercises

Another great alternative to weights is a resistance band. You can get a set of resistance bands for under $15 that offer a variety of resistances (or difficulty levels). Studies have found that resistance bands can yield equal outcomes to weights while putting less stress on joints. You merely stretch the band (sometimes standing on it or looping it around something for added resistance) and perform arm exercises similar to how you would if you had weights.

How to Use These Workouts

For best results, most personal trainers recommend that you strength train 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes, aiming to work multiple muscle groups. You may have a busy schedule and can’t fit in 20-30 minutes of dedicated strength training time. Or you may prefer to dedicate different days to different muscle groups (like have an arm day, a leg day, and a core day). If that’s the case, you could do 10 minute strength training routines 5-days a week, or fewer days if that’s not feasible.

However, you should give yourself 48 hours of recovery time before strength training those same muscle groups again. In other words, if you do a lower-body strength training workout routine on Wednesday, you should wait until Saturday to do another lower-body strength training routine. In the meantime, you could strength train your arm or core muscles.

For the exercises below, you can mix and match to create your own 10-minute workout routine focusing on just one or a few upper-body muscle groups. Or you could do more exercises and aim for a longer upper-body workout routine. The key is to only do as many where you can still maintain proper form. For good form, make sure you always engage your glutes and core. And if you ever experience pain, stop immediately. Discomfort is expected, pain is not.

Tricep Workouts Without Equipment

Your tricep muscles are on the back of the upper arm. They consist of what’s called the long head (the inner part of your triceps muscles that touches your side), and the short head (the outer part of the triceps muscle), and the medial head (basically a tiny bit of your triceps muscle right above the elbow joint). Luckily there are a number of bodyweight triceps exercises to get strong triceps with little to no equipment. 

Forearm Plank

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 30 second hold (or as much or little as you can/want to do)
• Instructions: Planks are one of the best triceps exercises. Plus they’re amazing for your shoulders and core, making them a great compound movement (i.e. an exercise that uses multiple muslce groups). To get into a forearm plank position, position your elbows on the ground, beneath your shoulders and lift your knees off the ground, engaging your glutes and core. Make sure your body is in a straight line. You don’t want any peaks or valleys. If this position is too difficult, you can try an inclined forearm plank with your forearms resting on a sturdy chair or coffee table.

Diamond push-ups

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: For a diamond push up, your starting position will be similar to a regular push-up position where you’ll start in a high plank position. However, you place your hands in a diamond shape (like shown below). Bend elbows, slowly lowering your chest towards the ground before pushing back up (the picture below shows how far down I can go before I need to push back up). As with the plank, try to keep your body straight and glutes and core engaged. To modify, place knees on the ground.

Close-Grip Push-Up

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: You can tell push-up variations are great for your triceps because here’s another pushup variation that great for the back of your arms. A close-grip push up is super similar to a regular push up. You just keep your hands in closer to your body than you would with a regular push up and try to keep your elbows close to your body as you lower towards the ground. Keep your glutes and core engaged (I’ll keep repeating because I need the reminder too!) And to modify, lower your knees.

Bench Dip

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: A bench dip or triceps dip is a great home exercise. Simply find a chair or table to place your hands on (fingers facing towards you). Slowly lower your body until your elbows are bent at roughly 90 degrees before pushing back up.

Triceps Kickback

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Here is the first of the resistance bands exercises! This is a great triceps workout. One of my favorites in fact. Step on the middle of the resistance band with both feet. Loop the ends of the band around your hands to get the desired resistance. For this starting position, you’ll have your elbows close to the body, arms at a 90 degree angle, a soft bend in the knees, and your torso bent forward at roughly a 45 degree angle. You’ll then kick your arms back in a straight line before returning to the starting position slowly.

Overhead Triceps Extensions

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: You can do this exercise kneeling or standing. With a resistance band, you might find you have too much resistance if you are standing. Kneel or stand in the middle of the band, holding the ends or looping them around your hands to the desired resistance. Keeping your elbows close to your head, slowly lower your hands so they reach the back of your head and pull your hands back up.

Lats Workouts Without Equipment

Your lats (or your latissimus dorsi if you want to get fancy) are the largest muscles in your back. They start under your shoulder blades, go to your spine, and extend down to your pelvis. If your lower back has ever pained you, there’s a good chance the lats were involved. Strengthening your lats can therefore be super helpful for preventing back pain and improving posture.

Pull Ups and Chin Ups

• Sets: 3
• Reps: If you can do multiple, try to do 1-2 less than you’re capable of so you have enough in the tank to do other exercises.
• Instructions: We all probably had to do these in gym. In case it’s been awhile, pull ups are where your palms face away from your body. Chin ups are where your palms face towards your body. Obviously you do need equipment for these. The good news is if you have a local park nearby, you can easily use monkey or gym bars to do these.

Wide Arm Pushups

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: I know, enough push-up variations already! This is the last one, I promise. With this one, you have your arms out slightly wider than shoulder width. Slowly lower your body to the ground, maintaining a straight body and engaged glutes and core. Push yourself up firmly. To modify, lower your knees.

Supermans

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Start in a prone position, arms and legs stretched out. Engaging your core and glutes, lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground. Hold for a breath and lower.

​Bent Over Rows

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Stand in the middle of your resistance band. Keep a slight bend in your knees and bend over at roughly a 45 degree angle. Loop the band around your hands to the desired resistance. Pull the band up, keeping your elbows close towards your body until your hands reach your waist. Lower your arms until there is just a slight bend in your elbows and repeat.

Chest Workouts Without Equipment

Did anybody else read Dear God, It’s Me Margaret? If so, do you remember the part where they did chest exercises while chanting, “we must, we must, we must increase our bust”? As a kid I was grossed out by that. “Why would I want to increase the size of my chest?!” 9-year-old me thought in horror. But actually chest exercises are super helpful.

We use our chest for a whole lot of stuff. Our pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, serratus anterior and subclavius (basically what we think of as our pecs and the muscles on the upper part of our rib cage) let our arms move in all directions. Plus, they’re especially helpful for pushing movements. So some pretty good reasons to prioritize those chest workouts (aside from increasing your bust).

Standard Push-Up

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Okay, I know I said no more push-up variations. But what if it’s the OG push-up? Push-ups of all kinds are incredible for your chest. So you can do any of the push-up variations above and they will be a great exercise for your chest muscles as well as your lats/triceps. Bonus! To modify, lower your knees to the ground.

Chest Press

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Lie on the middle of the resistance band. Loop your hands around the band to the desired resistance. Start with your arms in line with your chest, elbows and upper arms resting on the ground. Push your hands to the ceiling, keeping your lower back on the ground and chest engaged. Slowly lower your arms to the ground and repeat.

Standing Incline Chest Press

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Step on the middle of the resistance band with your left foot. Wrap the resistance band around both hands to the desired tightness. Step your right foot in front of you with your knee bent and your body inclined in a straight line from the back of your left foot to your head. Push up both arms so that they too form a straight line from the back of your feet to the palms of your hands. Return your hands to the starting position.

​Row

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Wrap the middle of the resistance band around both of your feet. Wrap the resistance band around your hands to the desired tightness. Start with your elbows beneath your shoulders, arms bent at a 90 degree angle. Pull your hands back so that they reach your rib cage as in the picture below. Slowly return to the starting position.

Bicep Workouts Without Equipment

Your biceps span the front of your upper arm from your shoulder to your elbow. Your biceps (or biceps brachii) lift your forearm to your upper arm. Consequently they are major players when you lift or pull anything. So kind of a big deal.

Chin Ups

These are great for your biceps and your lats! See the lats exercises above to learn how to do them.

Diamond Push-Ups

Have I mentioned how great push-ups are for your? If you’re keeping score, these are good for your triceps, chest, and biceps! So this is another great compound movement. See the triceps exercises to learn how to do these.

Side Plank

• Sets: 3 on each side
• Reps: Hold for 30 seconds (or as long or short as you prefer)
• Instructions: With your left elbow beneath your shoulder and your feet stacked, lift your hips into the air with your core and glutes engaged and reach your right hand towards the sky. Repeat on the right side. To modify, you can have your feet staggered or you can rest your bottom knee on the ground. You can also rest your top arm on your body if you prefer. To take this to the next level, lift your top leg so that it’s in line with your hips.

​Bicep Curl

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Step on the middle of the resistance band. Loop the resistance band around your hands to the desired tightness. Start with your arms at your sides. Then, with palms facing towards you, curl the resistance band up. Engage your glutes and core as you do so.

Hammer Curl

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: A hammer curl is really similar to a bicep curl. However, you will turn your palms towards each other instead of towards you.

Shoulder Workouts Without Equipment

If you sang the “head, shoulders, knees and toes” song then you’ve known where your shoulders are since you were about 2. I won’t go over that. Plus, haven’t we all learned how much it sucks to have shoulder pain? Your shoulders do a whole lot for you, from helping you push, pull, and maintain a good posture. So it’s key to strengthen those shoulders.

All the planks and pushups mentioned above!

Yep, those are great for shoulder muscles too!

Front Raise

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Step on the middle of the resistance band. Loop the resistance band around your hands to the desired tightness. Start with your arms at your sides. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lift your arms in front of you and then slowly lower to the starting position. Tip: do not push your pelvis out like I did in the picture below. You can slightly tuck your pelvis, but I pushed out too far.

Lateral Raise

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 10
• Instructions: Step on the middle of the resistance band. Loop the resistance band around your hands to the desired tightness. Start with your arms at your sides like with the frontal raise above. Then lift your to both sides of your body. You can keep a slight bend in your elbows. To modify, bend your elbows more.

Final Thoughts

There is little that feels more empowering than an upper body workout. And we could all use a little empowerment on our adulting journeys. I don’t know about you, but strong arms make me feel like kind of a badass. However, you don’t have to drop a fortune on equipment to do effective exercises. Indeed, many of the best workouts are bodyweight workouts or use very little equipment. Bodyweight and resistance band exercises are also one of the best ways to get toned and build up your strength with little impact. Perfect for people who are starting out.

I hope you enjoy these exercises and try them out. If you do, let me know in the comments! If you enjoyed this post, please consider liking, subscribing, or sharing with others. It’s always a big help! And if you’re interested in related content, check out my posts on 10 minute workouts for beginners, whole food electrolyte options, and healthy work-from-home lunches and snacks.

Remember, however, that I am not a personal trainer or medical professional. Before making any changes to your fitness or health plan, speak with a professional.