Upper Body Exercises For Bendy Strength

When choosing exercises for the upper body, my focus is to select exercises that emphasise developing not just strength, but length in the soft tissue.

Soft tissue that can generate strength from a prestretched position tends to be less susceptible to problems in the 'real world'. It is less likely to become injured from the things we do on a daily basis.

Some of the exercises may not look like 'functional' exercises - as in things we do everyday, but they will help you become more resilient throughout your life.

Most people don't walk down the street in a handstand, for example (perhaps we should!?!).

The handstand, is incredible for developing shoulder stability, strength and mobility(when trained correctly).

Lets take a look at a few of them.

Some of the Upper Body Exercises that I use:

1st Knuckle Pushups

In a kneeling position, place your hands on the ground palms down, fingers pointing away from you.

Keep the fingers on the ground as you lift and lower the wrist off the ground.

Only put as much pressure into the fingers as you can do pain free. Very light pressure is totally ok, this move is more about getting blood flow to the area.

Chin Up

Grab an overhead bar with your hands facing behind you, feet off the ground.

Pull your shoulders down and back and then pull yourself up to the bar.

The goal is to touch your chest to the bar.

Forearm Supination

In a standing position, hold a PVC pipe at one end with your elbow bent to 90 degrees and supported on your torso.

Lift the stick using a twisting motion of the forearm. Be sure to go through 180ish degress of motion and be sure to control the descent in both directions.

French Press

The french press (overhead triceps press) can be done with the EZ bar or on a cable machine.

Use a light weight to start with.

The starting position is with the bar behind your head, elbows bent and overhead. Lift and lower the weight under control, and keep your elbows pointing towards the ceiling throughout.

Incline DB Biceps Curl

Use an adjustable bench set somewhere between 45 degrees and flat (depending on your mobility).

Sit/ lay on the bench face up, with dumbells in each hand and curl the dumbells up to your shoulder. The elbows should remain pointing toward the ground throughout the movement.

At the bottom part of the movement, you will feel a stretching sensation. This is ok, but do not stretch to the point of pain. Also, stay engaged at this end range of motion, rather than relaxing in this position.

Radial Deviation

In a standing position, hold a PVC pipe at one end, so that the long end is in front of you and your arm propped up on your other fist.

Slowly and with control, lift and lower the PVC pipe.

Reverse Grip EZ Bar Curl

Using a light weight on an EZ bar, grip the bar with palms facing down.

From a standing position, lift and lower the bar under control.

Single Forearm Flexor Rocks

In a kneeling position, place the palm of one hand next to the same side knee, pointing backwards.

Peel the hand off the ground as you bend your elbow and lower your chest toward the ground.

Only put pain free pressure into your hand.

Table Rocks

Start sitting on the floor with your hands on the floor, fingers pointing behind you.

Squeeze your butt and back of the shoulders/tricep to lift your hips up into a table (top) position.

In the top position, keep your chest open and your belly button pulled into the spine.

Lower back toward the floor, but don't let your butt touch the ground.

Triceps Pressdown

Setup a flat bar at around shoulder height on the cable machine. The weight should be fairly light, so you don't experince pain throughout the movement.

Hold the bar with hands pointed away from you and raise and lower the bar under control.

Ulnar Deviation

In a standing position, hold a PVC pipe or stick of some sort at one end, so that your arm is by your side and the stick is behind you.

Using wrist movement only, slowly lift and lower the stick. You can adjust the resistance by changing how far from the end you hold the stick... or by getting a bigger stick!

Wrist Extensor Pushup

In a kneeling position, form a loose fist, knuckles on the ground with palms facing each other.

Lift and lower the back of the hand to the ground, ideally while maintaining the fist and locked elbow. Use as much pressure as you can handle without pain.

These exercises are by no means exhaustive.

Whilst there are certainly some more advanced in the list, that does not mean you must do them. Choose exercises that are appropriate for your level of strength and mobility.

Some days you will have strong days, others not so much. Listen to your body.

Many of these exercises can be done by everyone, they may need some modification though. Always exercises within or on the edge of your level of ability - not beyond it

The key is consistency.

One of the things I pride myself on, is the ability to make gains well into middle age, and to have a body that is more resilient than it has ever been.

For me longevity is key.

The more people I speak to, the more I hear that what they really want from their fitness program is this resilience - bendiness and strength... and that comes from the consistency. Regular training to overcome (arguably) the modern world's #1 problem - sedentary lifestyle.

For more information check out my book 'The Bendy Strength Bible'.

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