Most upper-body workouts focus on the good stuff like presses, rows, curls, and triceps extensions. But if that’s all you do, you may miss the finer details that make your upper-body training more effective.
Your upper back needs mobility to rotate, and the shoulders require mobility to get overhead. The elbows need balanced programming and endurance to withstand repeated work. Your wrists and hands need strength, mobility, and stability to grip and rip.
That is where my two-day program comes in. It grew out of my Joint-by-Joint Series and pulls exercises from my articles on the thoracic spine, shoulder, elbow, and wrist into one upper-body workout.
Both workouts train the entire upper body, but with different focuses, so you train all the qualities you need. These workouts will build a strong, mobile, stable, and capable upper body.
Let’s get to work.
What’s Special About This Program?
Workouts are everywhere, so what makes this one special?
We lift to get bigger, stronger, and sexier, but we often overlook the small details that make that happen. This 2-day upper-body program focuses on those details without losing sight of why you came here.
Here are a few other factors that make it tick.
Shows The Joints Some Love
The thoracic spine positions the shoulders and shoulder blades, and the rotator cuff controls the arms. The elbows transfer force between the upper arm, forearm, and hands. If one link falls short, the others usually have to pick up the slack. That’s why this program includes more than presses and rows.
Combines Mobility With Strength
Wall slides, T-spine rotations, Thread the Needle, and deep squat breathing improve movement where you need it. Then pressing, rowing, carrying, and direct arm work help you control and strengthen those positions.
Uses Different Grips and Joint Angles
Elbows and wrists benefit from exercise variety because both are susceptible to overuse injuries. This program uses different hand positions, pressing angles, pulling angles, and grip demands to keep those joints happy.
Who This Upper-Body Program Is For
It suits people who want more than stronger shoulders, arms, and back muscles. It works well for people who:
- Want a complete upper-body plan that addresses strength, mobility, stability, grip, and wrist function.
- Have some resistance-training experience and are comfortable with dumbbells, cables, TRX, landmine work, and kettlebells.
- Want more exercise variety and are bored with their current workouts.
How to Use the Two-Day Split
Perform the two upper-body workouts twice per week, with at least two days’ rest between them.
Here is one suggestion:
Monday: Training A
Thursday: Training B
Or, if you are combining this with the two-day lower-body program, you could spread the four sessions across the week so the upper and lower body each get adequate rest.
Both train the entire upper body, but with a different focus.
Training A leans more toward pressing strength, shoulder stability, upper-back, and triceps work.
Training B shifts more attention toward elbow flexion, wrist strength, grip, and forearm endurance.
The 2-Day Upper Body Program
Perform two rounds of the warm-up before getting to the workout. For each triset, rest 60-90 seconds between exercises and two minutes after each triset. Do 3 rounds of triset one and two to three rounds of triset two.
Perform for six weeks and record your progress. If you have any questions about this program, reach out to me here.
These workouts should take around 45 minutes.
Training A Warm-Up & Workout
Warm-Up
- Forearm Wall Slide 6-8 reps
- Wrist CARs 3 rotations in each direction
- T-Spine Rotation 6-8 reps per side
Tri-Set One
1A. Unilateral Dumbbell Shoulder Press 6-12 reps per side
1B. Plate Pinch 40 yards per side
1C. TRX YTW 15 reps (5 of each)
Tri-Set Two
2A. Half-Kneeling Landmine Press 6-8 reps per side
2B. T-Bar Chest-Supported Row 12-15 reps
2C. Unilateral Overhead Triceps Extension 12-15 reps per side
Training B Warm-Up & Workout
- TRX Deep Squat Breathing with Lat Stretch 6 breaths
- Thread the Needle 8 reps per side
- Wrist Extension 15 reps per side
Tri-Set One
1A. Face Pull 12-15 reps
1B. Knuckle Plank 20-60 seconds
1C. Zottman Curl 10-15 reps
Tri-Set Two
2A. Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Waiters Carry 20-40 yards per side
2B. Wrist Roller both directions 3 times
2C. T-Bar Row 6-8 reps (Go heavy)
A 6-Week Upper Body Progression
The exercises stay the same for six weeks, but the workout volume changes. Here’s how to progress week by week to get the most out of this program.
Week 1: Use conservative loads and stay toward the lower end of the rep ranges. Do not chase fatigue yet.
2: Keep the same weight as week one and add a rep or two where possible. For holds, carries, and timed exercises, add a little time or distance.
3: Once you are at the middle or top of the rep range, increase the resistance by 5-10 pounds on all loaded exercises you feel comfortable with. After increasing the weight, let the reps or distance drop back toward the lower end of the range.
4: For the Face Pull and the T-Bar Chest Supported Row, add a 3-second pause in the contracted position to add some spice to your upper back. Keep the progressions from week three.
5: Keep the weight the same as Week 3, but push to the end of the rep range on each given exercise. For timed and distance-based exercises, work toward the upper end of each. Keep pausing for both the T-Bar Row and Face Pull.
6: Keep doing all the progressions from week three to week five, but add extra load where you can while keeping good form.
When you’re finished, compare your progress to where you started. Are you:
- Using more weight?
- Doing more reps?
- Holding longer?
- Carrying farther?
- Better form?
- Feeling stronger in your shoulders, elbows, wrists, and grip?
These are all great signs of progress. After six weeks, rest for a week, then repeat the program with slightly higher starting loads, or rotate a few exercises while keeping the same movement categories.
Wrapping Up
A good upper-body workout should account for the small but important factors that make the upper body tick. Things like upper-back and shoulder mobility, wrist strength and mobility, and keeping your elbows in tip-top shape.
When your upper-body workout includes those things, everything works better together.
Just like the one here.
When you do so, flex time becomes more enjoyable.
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