upper

The single-arm row is often thought of as the poor cousin of bilateral rows. Then the Meadows row came along. This row variation allows you to go hard and heavy without being inhibited by big and bulky dumbbells. The late John Meadows, a former IFBB bodybuilder and head coach of Mountain Dog...

The musculature of the back, when developed correctly, can give off the look of real, true strength. Wide, flaring lats, coiled and detailed rhomboids and teres muscles send the message of a true warrior in the gym. To get this wide look is a no-brainer – you have to perform some sort of pull...

Here is a ranking of the best exercises for building a better chest based on personal experience and the training articles of top IFBB pro bodybuilders. This is not necessarily a determination of exercise order, but the exercises that are most effective for muscle fiber recruitment and targeting...

Long before Dan John invented the Goblet squat, there was another anterior-loaded squat being performed called the Zercher squat. Zercher squats were the brainchild of 1930s St. Louis strongman Ed Zercher, who according to training lore, didn’t have a squat rack where he trained. Instead, he...

There are some iconic photos that stand the test of time. One of them is of Arnold Schwarzenegger hitting his classic side chest pose. His pecs in that pic are full and large. They look like you could set a shaker cup on them and not worry about it falling off. While many people who aren’t...

Most lifters know the importance upper-back strength plays when it comes to the “Big 3” lifts — bench press, squat, and deadlift — and for keeping the shoulders healthy. But those who just train chest and biceps don’t fully grasp the importance of the upper back until their shoulders hurt. It’s...

Chinups and pullups remain some of the the best performance indicators of your relative body strength, plus they build serious upper body strength and muscle. They also build the upper back strength necessary for keeping a neutral spine while squatting and deadlifting. And let’s not forget...

Outside of the barbell, med balls are one of the best tools to improve power. And one of the most popular med ball exercises to improve power is the med ball rotational throw. Rotational power is key for sports like baseball, golf, and tennis as you must hit or throw a ball powerfully. Plus...

Here is a ranking of the best exercises for building a better chest based on personal experience and the training articles of top IFBB pro bodybuilders. This is not necessarily a determination of exercise order, but the exercises that are most effective for muscle fiber recruitment and targeting...

The age-old debate of whether lat pulldowns or pull ups are superior for maximum back development has been going on for quite a while. With the new invasion of the functional philosophy quickly gaining its proverbial ground over the last few years, it would seem it is an easy choice. Of course...

Having a shoulder injury can affect the whole upper body workout of a bodybuilder. Shoulders of a human being have a rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. How does a person acquire a shoulder injury? The answer lies in the fact that...

There is a reason Erik Bartell is a trainer who is in such high demand. He knows how to push his clients to achieve their best. The military veteran and fitness expert commits two mornings a week to share his expertise and effort on the Muscle & Fitness Instagram page. But he’s not one of those...

The members of our Armed Forces train to be functional and athletic above all else. But hey, these men and women also like to look good on the beach and at the pool. That’s exactly why Army National Guard specialist Chris Kellum designed this upper-body beach workout for – to pump and sculpt the...

Everyone who focuses on fitness, whether it be the upper body or lower body, has one common goal: self-improvement. The intention of your next workout session should always be bettering your previous workout. With that simple strategy you’ll be stronger than you were the last workout. This is...

Have your upper body workouts become a bit mundane? Have you been doing the same, tired chest and arms workout routine day in and day out only to experience stagnating results after a matter of a few months or even weeks? If so, we’ve got something special for you. In the following workout...

Per Bernal Based off my popular LIIFT4 program on Beachbody OnDemand, this efficient and effective upper-body circuit workout combines old-school lifting 101 with the science of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that...

eclipse_images / Getty Army bases, city parks, church gyms, and state prisons are full of guys with wide shoulders, thick backs, and big chests and arms. And if you asked them what they do to achieve this look, you’d always hear the same answer: pullups and pushups. These simple, timeless...

Mike Harrington / Getty Trying to tighten and firm up all over? With the help of trainer and nutritionist Kim Oddo—who has worked with some of the world’s top figure and bikini competitors—we’ll show you how to get your buff bod back in only four weeks with this comprehensive crash-course...