Are you looking for the best upper body workout possible? BOXROX has looked through dozens of CrossFit workouts available online and have come up with what could possible be the ultimate workout for athletes looking to strengthen their bodies. If you cannot make it to a gym, do not worry, as we have also included the best upper body workout with minimum equipment (dumbbells needed) and one workout that requires no equipment.
CrossFit workouts usually rely heavily on some form of lower body workout or at least some form of cardio workout that fires up your leg muscles. It wasn’t easy, but we found what we believe to be the best upper body workout possible that will give your legs a bit of a rest.
Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.Now why would you want to skip leg day and focus only on strengthening your upper body? Perhaps your legs are dead and gone from your last WOD. Or maybe you believe to have already great lower body muscle and would like to counter balance that. Or even, you are preparing to go hiking for a weekend and cannot afford to workout your legs prior to the trip, but still want to work out. We are not here to judge you, and you don’t need to justify anything. You do what you want.
Note: CrossFit is about functional fitness and neglecting to work your lower body is not advisable on the long run. Always maintain a healthy balance between workouts, never neglecting one or another particular part of your body.
With that in mind, let’s dig deep into why you should work on your upper body and the benefits, and finally discuss and reveal the best upper body workout available.
Why Focus On Your Upper Body
If your friends try to talk you out of doing a workout that focuses solely on your upper body strength, here are some arguments you can throw back at them.
Working out your shoulders, arms, back and chest will help you become a better athlete in any possible area, even if you are an avid runner. Swinging your arms back and forth while running allows your lower body to do less work, hence you can run further. A strong upper body also keeps you upright, counterbalancing your legs and helping your body to transfer power from one side to the other while on the run. A strong back also protects your spine, which is essential for minimizing injury from the impact of running.
Trying out the best upper body workout here will also help you achieve the aesthetics you want, which can also turn into a psychological benefit. For men, achieving the triangle shape, consider by many a desirable look, is a sign of a healthy body and also affects positively how you feel. For women, a strong upper body results in a thinner waistline, which in turns creates the hourglass look.
A strong upper body also helps you achieve your PRs (personal record) in many lifting exercises. A strong chest is needed to bench press, and a strong back is invaluable for that desired deadlift PR, for example.
The Ultimate Workout
As mentioned earlier, we have divided the best upper body workout in CrossFit according to three categories:
- With full gym equipment available
- With minimum equipment (dumbbell, jump rope, or kettlebell available)
- Equipment free
Best Upper Body Workout RX’d
If you look into the CrossFit forums and on Reddit threads, many athletes agree that the hero WOD JT is the best workout that focuses on your upper body. Hell, we even put it on third in our list of top 10 hardest CrossFit bodyweight workouts.
But we wanted to bring something different to the mix and look beyond one of the obvious choices. So we present you the “Who’s Calling” workout.
“Who’s Calling”
5 rounds for form:
- 12 ring push-ups at tempo 30×1
- 12 ring rows (feet elevated) at tempo 30×1
The order of the tempo number is read from top to bottom. In this exercise, you should take 3 seconds to lower your body during the push-up, hold your position for 0 seconds (do not pause at the bottom), the X means you need to explode back to your starting position as quickly as you can, and the last number 1 means you start the next rep one second after reaching the starting position.
The same applies for the ring rows with elevated feet (which are harder then normal ring rows). Three seconds to pull your body up, do not pause at the top, explode quickly to starting position, wait one second and continue with the next rep.
This workout is a killer because it focuses on form instead of making the movements in a fast manner. A normal push-up is one of the best exercises for the chest and it also targets your arms and shoulder. Adding the unstable factor of the ring activates your core more than a normal push up. The ring row flares up all your back muscles with that extra instability factor. You will feel your arms, back and shoulders fired up after five rounds.
Workout by David Scharff
Best Upper Body Workout (Minimum Equipment)
“Climbing The Everest”
18 minutes AMRAP:
0-6 minute
- 1 push-up
- 2 renegade rows (45/25 lb)
- Mountain climbers*
6-12 minute
- 2 push-ups
- 4 renegade rows
- Mountain climbers*
12-18 minute
- 3 push ups
- 6 renegade rows
- Mountain climbers*
* add 2 mountain climbers each round
Score is the number of mountain climbers you do in 18 minutes.
On the first set, between minute 0 and 6, you do one push-up and two renegade rows (one with the left arm and one with the right arm) and add two mountain climbers every time you finish a round of push-up and renegade rows.
At the start of minute 6 you double your amount of push-ups and renegade rows, but continue to add two mountain climbers at the end of each round. For example, if you managed to finish round 1 with 12 mountain climbers, then at the first set of round 2 (between minute 6 and 12) you do two push-ups, four renegade rows (two on each side) and 14 mountain climbers. The same applies when you pass on to the third part of the AMRAP workout.
Source: Li Sun on PexelsDon’t be fooled by the name. “Climbing the Everest” might sound like a leg workout, but you will focus mainly on your upper body. The renegade row is a powerful variation of the dumbbell row that actives your core by putting you in the plank position the entire time.
Workout by Lucas B Ferreira
Best Upper Body Workout (No Equipment)
For this workout you need only a place in which to perform pull-ups.
“Weaver”
4 rounds for time:
- 10 L-pull-ups
- 15 push-ups
- 15 chest-to-bar pull-ups
- 15 push-ups
- 20 pull-ups
- 15 push-ups
Your shoulders will be asking for help and some good resting time after completing this workout. A push-pull workout that gets you up on the bar and down on the ground doing different variations of a pull-up and finishing with 15 push-ups.
Weaver is a hero WOD in honor of U.S. Army Lieutenant Todd W. Weaver who died on September 9, 2020 in Afghanistan. This workout was first posted on CrossFit.com as the workout of the day for March 18, 2011.
Best Upper Body Exercises for Muscle Mass
Bonus Workout Equipment Free
Since it is almost consensus in the CrossFit community, we could not let workout JT out of this list. Although we have found an equipment-free version of the workout that can be performed nearly anywhere.
“JT”
For time:
21-15-9 reps of:
- Handstand push-ups
- Dips*
- Push-ups
The original JT asks for ring dips, but you can perform the movement scaled. Instead of ring dips, you may perform a normal dip utilizing two chairs, or tables, next to you to elevate and dip your body.
The triple threat of handstand, dips and push-ups leaves no room for upper body weaknesses. For a true test of gymnastic strength, do the movements strict.
JT is another Hero WOD that honors Petty Officer 1st Class Jeff Taylor who died in June 2005.
Do you want more? Check out these other 8 CrossFit workouts to build upper body strength.
Benefits of Having a Strong Upper Body
Having a strong upper body confers numerous benefits that are integral to both overall health and daily functionality. Here’s a closer examination of these advantages:
1. Enhanced Daily Functionality: A strong upper body is pivotal for performing a plethora of daily activities with ease and efficiency. From carrying groceries to rearranging furniture and even performing tasks that require lifting, pushing, or pulling, upper body strength plays a fundamental role. It enhances your ability to engage in these activities without undue fatigue or risk of injury, thereby improving your quality of life and independence.
2. Improved Athletic Performance: For those engaged in sports or recreational activities, upper body strength is often a critical component of athletic performance. It enhances prowess in a variety of sports, from swimming and climbing to racquet sports and athletics. A strong upper body contributes to better endurance, power, and performance, regardless of the sport or activity involved.
3. Enhanced Posture and Reduced Back Pain: Strong muscles in the upper body, especially in the back and shoulders, are crucial for maintaining good posture. Improved posture not only enhances your appearance but also contributes to reducing strain and discomfort in the back and neck. This is particularly relevant in a world where many spend extensive time sitting at desks, often leading to postural issues.
4. Injury Prevention: Strengthening the muscles in your upper body helps stabilize the shoulder joints and reduces the risk of injuries, particularly those related to overuse and repetitive motion. It’s not just athletes who benefit; anyone can reduce their risk of everyday injuries by improving their upper body strength.
5. Bone Health: Resistance training that targets the upper body is known to improve bone density, which is crucial for preventing osteoporosis, especially as you age. This benefit is particularly significant for postmenopausal women, who are at a higher risk of bone density loss.
6. Metabolic Boost: Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning it burns calories even when at rest. By increasing your muscle mass through upper body strength training, you can boost your basal metabolic rate, aiding in weight management and overall metabolic health.
7. Psychological Benefits: Engaging in strength training and observing improvements in strength and physical capability can have profound effects on mental health. It can boost self-esteem, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improve overall mental resilience.
8. Aesthetic and Symmetrical Physique: While aesthetics should not be the sole focus of fitness, many find that having a strong and well-proportioned upper body contributes to their overall body image and confidence. This can be a motivating factor for maintaining a consistent fitness regimen.
In summary, a strong upper body is not just about aesthetics or athletic performance; it’s about enhancing your quality of life, preventing injuries, improving your health, and boosting your mental well-being.