Workouts to improve upper body strength?

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

So I wonder what @kempodisciple thought of the videos I shared to illustrate the pull-up replacement exercise.

There are a couple of exercises on there that I liked, been doing the table one mentioned in the second video since it has its own progression with it.

Meant to reply thanking you, but got distracted by all the bickering in this thread.

 

[wingchun100]

There are a couple of exercises on there that I liked, been doing the table one mentioned in the second video since it has its own progression with it.

Meant to reply thanking you, but got distracted by all the bickering in this thread.

No problem. Glad you found something useful in it.

 

[Zombocalypse]

To the OP.

I would tell you that a gym membership in a gym with adjustable free-weights (barbells and dumbbells), a squat rack, a place to bench press and do pull-ups is absolutely necessary for strength development, but you specifically said that you can't, so here's my advice...

Buy KETTLEBELLS. They are more ergonomic and versatile than dumbbells and you can work your entire body with them. Start light and then go heavy as you get stronger. Obviously, this involves buying more kettlebells as you progress in strength, but it must be done. It will at least be a semblance of a foundational strength training principle: Progressive Overload.

Even without a pull-up bar, you could still do bent-over rows with a pair of kettlebells, thereby working your upper-back muscles and biceps.

 

[JR 137]

To the OP.

I would tell you that a gym membership in a gym with adjustable free-weights (barbells and dumbbells), a squat rack, a place to bench press and do pull-ups is absolutely necessary for strength development, but you specifically said that you can't, so here's my advice...

Buy KETTLEBELLS. They are more ergonomic and versatile than dumbbells and you can work your entire body with them. Start light and then go heavy as you get stronger. Obviously, this involves buying more kettlebells as you progress in strength, but it must be done. It will at least be a semblance of a foundational strength training principle: Progressive Overload.

Even without a pull-up bar, you could still do bent-over rows with a pair of kettlebells, thereby working your upper-back muscles and biceps.

Bent over rows with kettlebells feel so much better/effective to me than with dumbells and barbells. I think it's the center of mass being lower.

 

[jobo]

Bent over rows with kettlebells feel so much better/effective to me than with dumbells and barbells. I think it's the center of mass being lower.

kettle bells are ace, and a large part of the reason the Russian's won at Stalingrad . Well that and the snow

they didn't take any to Afghanistan and we know how that turned out

 

[Zombocalypse]

Bent over rows with kettlebells feel so much better/effective to me than with dumbells and barbells. I think it's the center of mass being lower.

If you really mean that, please "like" my post.

You too, Jobo.

 

[Zombocalypse]

kettle bells are ace, and a large part of the reason the Russian's won at Stalingrad . Well that and the snow

they didn't take any to Afghanistan and we know how that turned out

You too, Jobo.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Bent over rows with kettlebells feel so much better/effective to me than with dumbells and barbells. I think it's the center of mass being lower.

If we compare

1. dumb bell - develop arm,
2. kettle bell - develop arm. wrist,
3. throwing bag - develop arm, wrist, fingers,

I'll say 3 > 2 > 1.

A 20 lb (maximum 23 lb) bag filled with 50% BB and 50% sand will give you good work out for the rest of your life.

 

[JR 137]

If you really mean that, please "like" my post.

You too, Jobo.

What if I don't agree with the rest of your post? Are you trying to collect "likes" ? I don't agree that the OP has to go out and buy kettlebells. I was just saying I like doing bent over rows with kettlebells better than with dumbbells. I prefer to do some exercises with barbells and dumbells over kettlebells, and vice versa.

If someone is looking for a single piece of equipment, buy a large and sturdy/well made duffle bag. Fill it with rocks, dirt, or whatever else and use that. If they're creative enough, they can do a ton of stuff with it. A bit of a hassle to fill and empty as needed, but dirt cheap. Around here, kettlebells are a little over $2 a pound. So a pair of 20 lb kettlebells will cost over $80.

And they're not too common on my local Craigslist. I've been waiting for some to come up so I can do Turkish get-ups with them (by far my favorite kettlebell exercise and one of my favorites overall). Still waiting.

I don't own very much equipment. I used to work at a college and had free access to their gym. The only equipment I have is a Century BOB XL, and my favorite piece of home gym equipment - the Total Gym XLS. What can I say, I'm trying to be Chuck Norris up in here. I've got to get a pipe and some 1" plates to add weight for a few exercises.

 

[jobo]

What if I don't agree with the rest of your post? Are you trying to collect "likes" ? I don't agree that the OP has to go out and buy kettlebells. I was just saying I like doing bent over rows with kettlebells better than with dumbbells. I prefer to do some exercises with barbells and dumbells over kettlebells, and vice versa.

If someone is looking for a single piece of equipment, buy a large and sturdy/well made duffle bag. Fill it with rocks, dirt, or whatever else and use that. If they're creative enough, they can do a ton of stuff with it. A bit of a hassle to fill and empty as needed, but dirt cheap. Around here, kettlebells are a little over $2 a pound. So a pair of 20 lb kettlebells will cost over $80.

And they're not too common on my local Craigslist. I've been waiting for some to come up so I can do Turkish get-ups with them (by far my favorite kettlebell exercise and one of my favorites overall). Still waiting.

I don't own very much equipment. I used to work at a college and had free access to their gym. The only equipment I have is a Century BOB XL, and my favorite piece of home gym equipment - the Total Gym XLS. What can I say, I'm trying to be Chuck Norris up in here. I've got to get a pipe and some 1" plates to add weight for a few exercises.

plastic ones full of concrete are a lot cheaper and do the job just as well and they look bigger to passersby

 

[jobo]

To the OP.

I would tell you that a gym membership in a gym with adjustable free-weights (barbells and dumbbells), a squat rack, a place to bench press and do pull-ups is absolutely necessary for strength development, but you specifically said that you can't, so here's my advice...

Buy KETTLEBELLS. They are more ergonomic and versatile than dumbbells and you can work your entire body with them. Start light and then go heavy as you get stronger. Obviously, this involves buying more kettlebells as you progress in strength, but it must be done. It will at least be a semblance of a foundational strength training principle: Progressive Overload.

Even without a pull-up bar, you could still do bent-over rows with a pair of kettlebells, thereby working your upper-back muscles and biceps.

nothing is an absolute necessity, they may make it easier or be more convenient, but serious strengh gains can be achieved using nothing but body weight and random heavy object.
nb I accept that serious body building needs weights, but that's not what we tm are taking about here

 

[JR 137]

plastic ones full of concrete are a lot cheaper and do the job just as well and they look bigger to passersby

They're negligibly cheaper at my local stores.

I'm a cheap bastard by nature. The only ones I've truly contemplated are the adjustable ones where you can add and remove small plates so I don't need a rack full of them nor have unused ones once I surpass the weight. But they typically don't weigh enough and seem like they'd fall apart too easily.

And all this for one exercise I'd genuinely do a lot of with them - Turkish get-ups. And honestly, it's been a few years since I've done them, so I don't know how much to start with. And once I get back into the groove of doing them, I'll probably outgrow the weight within a few weeks and need the next size up. The old ones will collect dust.

I can effectively get my Chuck Norris on with my Total Gym.

 

[jobo]

They're negligibly cheaper at my local stores.

I'm a cheap bastard by nature. The only ones I've truly contemplated are the adjustable ones where you can add and remove small plates so I don't need a rack full of them nor have unused ones once I surpass the weight. But they typically don't weigh enough and seem like they'd fall apart too easily.

And all this for one exercise I'd genuinely do a lot of with them - Turkish get-ups. And honestly, it's been a few years since I've done them, so I don't know how much to start with. And once I get back into the groove of doing them, I'll probably outgrow the weight within a few weeks and need the next size up. The old ones will collect dust.

I can effectively get my Chuck Norris on with my Total Gym.

if that's all you want it for and being cheap( like myself) then i think a bucket of gravel will do the job.

I find that three kettle bells of different weights is good for most things, then you can mess about with the,angle you hold them at , the duration and the tempo, to get the most use out of them, before you buy a new heavier one . You can always find a training use for the now unused lighter one,hook them on your foot for letting raises or tie them to your belt for pull up or just put them in a rucksack for push ups and or run/ jump about with them or shot put them. if not they make an excellent door stop or paper weight

 

[JR 137]

if that's all you want it for and being cheap( like myself) then i think a bucket of gravel will do the job.

I find that three kettle bells of different weights is good for most things, then you can mess about with the,angle you hold them at , the duration and the tempo, to get the most use out of them, before you buy a new heavier one . You can always find a training use for the now unused lighter one,hook them on your foot for letting raises or tie them to your belt for pull up or just put them in a rucksack for push ups and or run/ jump about with them or shot put them. if not they make an excellent door stop or paper weight

A bucket of gravel's not a bad idea at all. I've got a bunch of buckets in different sizes, and some pretty heavy rocks in my yard. I've got to see how much weight the bucket would hold. The last thing I need is for the handle to fall off and a bunch of rocks hit me in the face. Not that I'm pretty by any means.

Thanks for the idea.