The upper body has a number of major muscles present such as the pectorals, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, triceps and biceps. If you do not like the idea of using free weights and machines, or you are bored and looking for a variation, use body weight exercises. These still require equipment, but it is minimal.
Push-Ups
Push-ups work the pecs, anterior deltoids, which are on the front of the shoulders, and triceps. While lying on your stomach, place your hands slightly wider than shoulders-width apart, place your feet together and tighten your core to straighten your back. Steadily push yourself off the floor until your arms are extended, lower yourself back down and repeat. For a variation, place your hands or feet on a bench or chair. By doing push-ups at different angles, you will shift the emphasis on your chest muscles. Any way you do them, they are still body weight exercises.
Pike Press
The pike press is a more challenging variation of the push-up. It places more emphasis on the lats, delts, traps and arms. To do this exercise, you either need a bench or sturdy chair. After placing your hands on the floor about shoulders-width apart, place your feet together on the bench and raise your hips in the air. When you do this, keep your arms, back and legs straight and form an angle with your body. While maintaining this angle, lower your forehead toward the floor by bending your elbows and push yourself back up. To increase the challenge even more with the pike press, place your feet on a stability ball.
Pull-Ups
Pull-ups work your lats, biceps, lower traps and rhomboids. The rhomboids major and minor are found between the shoulders. By doing these with a shoulders-width overhand grip, you will place most of the emphasis on your upper back muscles. By doing these with an underhand grip, you will shift the emphasis to your biceps. Choose your variation, grip the bar and pull yourself up as high has you can. Your ultimate goal with pull-ups is to get your chest to the height of the bar. With either variation, keep your core tight, back straight and do not swing your legs for momentum.
Dips
Dips works the triceps and upper chest. At the gym, you can do them with dipping bars. After placing your feet on the foot holds, grasp the bars with your hands and lift your body in the air. Bend your knees cross your lower legs behind your body and lower yourself down by bending your elbows. Once your upper arms parallel the floor, push back up and repeat. If you are at home, perform this same exercise with two sturdy chairs. Place them back to back and about shoulders-width apart. Carefully grab the top of the backrests with your hands and perform dips.
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