Strong upper body without bench press?

[johnjohn320]

Hey all,

I'm 17, I'm kind of a small person just by genetics (my mom is 4'8", so I'm only about 5'5"). Though nothing can change that, I also just have really skinny arms, like, embarassingly small bicep and all that. I'd like to get some tone through there and my chest (not looking to get built or anything, just increase some strength).

That said, I hate bench press. I absolutely loathe it. I might just be doing it wrong, but everytime I do it my wrists hurt afterward for hours and hours. Plus, I don't own a bench press and can't afford membership to a gym.

Any suggestions? I've been running for awhile now just to be in shape and for cardiovascular health, but haven't been doing any strength training or muscle building.

 

[rh71]

PUSH UPS.

Also try free weights / dumbbells.

 

[yobarman]

the cheapest way to do it? Pushups are free and you can buy a pull up bar for like $20 bucks.

There are a huge variety of push ups you can do, which work all the different parts of the front upper body. Elevate your feet on some steps or something, which also adds variety.

The pull up is the absolute best way to build your upper back. No doubt about it. There's also a huge variety of pullups you can do to work your upper back.

Lemme try to do some research for you to find some different exercises you can do ....

 

[911paramedic]

push ups, flys (just lay on the floor with some cans of soup or something, put your arms out to the side like you want to hug somebody, and they bring them up to the center), chin-ups actually work the upper chest a bit, and many others.

 

[RaiderJ]

Go swimming. This is probably the best activity you could do for an even build in strength and tone.

 

[Quad]

i agree with the previous two posts, but the fact that you mentioned your wrists hurt after you attempt the benchpress suggests that you're executing the exercise with improper form

if you ever try it again, put on some ridiculously low weight, grab the bar in a wide grip, make sure your knuckles point up. lower the bar, squeeze your shoulder blades slightly inwards, and *slowly* push the bar up. your goal is to feel a stretch in your pecs as you push the bar up. you don't want to do all the lifting with your arms.....easier said than done i know. but the trick is to do it slow, drive your shoulder blades into the bench, don't arch your back. right now, while u sit in your chair, place a hand over one of your pecs, and flex it. note the motion you made to flex your pec. make the same motion as you do the bench press

 

[Rudee]

close grip pushups will work the triceps hard.

 

[yobarman]

some info of a variety of pullups

 

[grillmasterP]

Chin Ups & Push ups all the way.

 

[StageLeft]

I have had wrist problems in the past from bench press so if that's the case don't do them. I've found pushups to be even worse though. Unfortunately swimming isn't gonna get you any real muscle unless you do it a freaking lot. For significant muscle size you need weight/strength exercises - not cardio. Pushups are an ok start but in time the reps will be so high they'll be mostly useless to continue growing size. Really weights/machines are the only thing for a big difference in muscle size because they allow a progressive increase in resistance. <- this all in regards to chest BTW. Also you can build chest definitely without bench press doing dumbells and cable crossovers and what not. But like you said you have no gym access!

Things like chinups will let you grow for quite a while because they're so freaking hard. Even a trained individual can benefit from chinups (not even with a dumbell hanging from their legs).

 

[RyanM]

Push ups are good.

Also, make sure you do some stuff to work the triceps as well. Arms look much bigger when your triceps are as strong as your biceps.

When I actually work out, I usually do pushups, forearm curls with free weights, butterflies with free weights, and then I throw on 1-lb hand weights and go through my kibons.

 

[Jzero]

swimming, rowing, kayaking, climbing

 

[jurzdevil]

landscaping.

moving 150 lb rocks around on the ground and lifting lighter rocks to build walls is better than any other weight training.


plus i get paid to do it

 

[Elbryn]

well you can intensify the amount of work push ups do by raising where your feet rest.
could start with the pushups on the knees, then move to pushups on your toes, then putting your feet on a step or table and doing pushups there. you can get gallon plastic jugs and do stuff like flys, dumbbell press, curls, shoulder lifts.

 

[SportSC4]

Invest in a couple pairs of dumbells. 1 set relatively light and 1 set relatively heavy. I'm only saying 2 sets total because it's cheap and minimal for what you need (for now anyways).

You can work out biceps, triceps, shoulders, lats, upper back, forearms, and chest with only dumbells.
Pull ups and chin ups are also very excellent.

 

[StageLeft]

... is better than any other weight training.

I seriously doubt that Professional athletes train with weights, not rocks.