Best Beginner Upper Body Workouts With Garage Gym

The Dumbbell Bench Press is a great exercise for beginners that targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Using dumbbells helps improve stability and ensures both sides of the body work equally without compensating for weaknesses.

How to do it

1. Lie back on a bench, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
2. Place your feet flat on the ground, under your knees.
3. Hold the dumbbells outside shoulder-width apart, above your chest.
4. Keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle and engage your core.
5. Extend your arms fully and then lower the dumbbells back to starting position.

The Dumbbell Fly is an effective exercise for strengthening and building the chest muscles. It also engages the shoulders for support. This exercise helps to develop muscle balance by working each side of the body independently.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your feet flat on the ground.
2. Ensure the bench supports your head, shoulders, and buttocks.
3. Hold the dumbbells above your shoulders with palms facing inward and elbows slightly bent.
4. Engage your core and slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
5. When the dumbbells are level with your chest, exhale and lift them back to the starting position.

The Dumbbell Row is a great exercise that strengthens your back, shoulders, and biceps while also engaging your core for stability. You can do this exercise using a flat bench and dumbbells, making it accessible even with limited equipment.

How to do it

1. Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.
2. Kneel on the bench with your right knee and place your right hand on the bench's edge.
3. Keep your torso parallel to the ground and grab the dumbbell with your left hand, palm facing your torso.
4. Pull the dumbbell up to your side, engaging your back; exhale as you lift.
5. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.

The Barbell Curl is a great exercise that targets your biceps by isolating the muscle. Using a barbell helps keep your movements stable so you can focus on building strength without losing balance.

How to do it

1. Stand up straight and grasp a barbell with both hands, shoulder-width apart, palms facing away.
2. Tighten your core by taking a deep breath and flexing your stomach muscles.
3. Bend your elbows to lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
4. Exhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.

Dips are a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the triceps. You lift and lower your body using your arms while keeping your core engaged.

How to do it

1. Hold onto the dip bars with straight arms and slightly bent elbows.
2. Suspended above the ground, brace your core and keep your back straight.
3. Lean your body forward slightly and pull your elbows down to lower yourself.
4. Keep your elbows close to your sides until they reach a 90-degree angle.
5. Push back up to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.

The Dumbbell Bicep Curl is a popular exercise that targets the biceps, helping to build strength and muscle. Using dumbbells allows for better control and range of motion, making it an effective choice for workouts.

How to do it

1. Stand upright and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing you.
2. Engage your core by breathing deeply and tightening your abdominal muscles.
3. Flex your elbows to lift one dumbbell up towards your shoulder while keeping your elbow close to your side.
4. As you lift, rotate your wrist so your palm faces your shoulder at the top of the curl.
5. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position by rotating your wrist back to palms-facing position.
6. Once the first dumbbell is down, repeat the process with the other arm.

The Dumbbell Skullcrusher is a great exercise for strengthening your triceps. Using dumbbells helps ensure both arms work equally and adds a challenge to your stability.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench with your shoulder blades squeezed together and feet flat on the floor.
2. Ensure the bench supports your head, shoulders, and hips.
3. Hold dumbbells above your shoulders with palms facing each other and elbows slightly bent.
4. Engage your core and lower the dumbbells behind your head by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stable.
5. When the dumbbells are just above your forehead, exhale and lift them back to the starting position.

The EZ-Bar Curl is an exercise that focuses on strengthening your biceps. Using an EZ-Bar offers better stability and comfort for your wrists, making it easier to concentrate on lifting weights.

How to do it

1. Stand up straight and hold the EZ-Bar with both hands, palms facing away from you, at waist height.
2. Engage your core by tightening your stomach muscles.
3. Curl the bar by bending your elbows, raising it to shoulder height while keeping your elbows close to your body.
4. Lower the bar back to the starting position and exhale.

Hammer Curls are a bicep exercise that involve turning your wrists for a more natural grip. This helps target the long head of the bicep while building muscle and strength.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward and arms at your sides.
3. Engage your core by tightening your stomach muscles.
4. Curl one dumbbell up to shoulder height while keeping your elbow close to your side.
5. Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
6. Switch arms and repeat the movement.

Skullcrushers are a triceps exercise performed while lying on a bench. This movement focuses on isolating the triceps and can be done with an EZ-Bar for better grip and stability.

How to do it

1. Lie back on a bench, keeping your shoulder blades squeezed and your heels flat on the ground.
2. Ensure the bench supports your head, shoulders, and buttocks at all times.
3. Hold the EZ-Bar above your shoulders with hands shoulder-width apart.
4. Keep your upper arms still and bend your elbows to lower the bar just above your forehead.
5. Exhale as you extend your arms to lift the bar back to the starting position.

The Exercise Ball Crunch is a challenging version of the standard Crunch that includes a medicine ball for added weight. It's perfect for beginners who want to strengthen their core muscles while using a stability ball.

How to do it

1. Sit on the Exercise Ball with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Lean back onto the ball, keeping your back straight.
3. Cross your arms over your chest or place your hands behind your head.
4. Engage your core and curl your upper body towards your knees.
5. Lower back down slowly, keeping your core tight throughout the movement.

The Dumbbell Back Fly targets the back of your shoulders while providing stability from an incline bench. This exercise helps strengthen your posterior deltoid by isolating the muscle effectively.

How to do it

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells.
2. Lie chest-down on an incline bench with your knees slightly bent.
3. Hold the dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing forward.
4. Keep your elbows slightly bent and back straight.
5. Lift the dumbbells out to the sides until shoulder height, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
6. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position slowly.

The Bent Over Barbell Row is an effective exercise for strengthening your back, shoulders, and arms. It uses a barbell for stability, helping you focus on building strength, making it a good introduction to more advanced lifting techniques.

How to do it

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell on the ground near your shins.
2. Bend your hips back and slightly bend your knees to reach for the barbell while bracing your core.
3. Grab the barbell with your palms facing you and lift it to knee height by extending your hips.
4. Pull the barbell towards your belly button by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Lower the barbell back to knee height and repeat.

The Dumbbell Front Raise is an exercise that strengthens the front part of your shoulders. It helps build muscle and balance strength between both sides of your body using dumbbells.

How to do it

1. Stand upright holding a dumbbell in each hand at waist height, palms facing inward.
2. Keep your arms slightly bent and lift the dumbbells in front of you to just above shoulder height.
3. Lower the dumbbells back to waist height, maintaining a neutral back.

The Dumbbell Shoulder Press is an exercise that focuses on strengthening the shoulders. Using dumbbells helps engage stabilizing muscles and can improve balance between both sides of the body.

How to do it

1. Sit on a bench with your back straight.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, just outside shoulder-width, palms facing forward.
3. Bend your elbows and keep them close to your sides.
4. Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended, keeping your wrists straight.
5. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.