This article goes over an upper body workout you can do at home with just dumbbells and a weight bench.

The upper body refers to your arms, forearms, shoulders, chest and hands. These muscles create a bridge from the chest, limbs and torso to your spinal column.

Strengthening your upper body improves posture, athletic performance, confidence with everyday tasks and decreases age-related atrophy.

A strong upper body has a ripple effect through the rest of your workout and physical activities by developing stronger arms, strengthening your arms and core, helping your body burn calories at a faster rate, improving your balance and agility, and building endurance.

In this article, we’ll show you how to do a quick upper-body workout with a pair of Bells of Steel Rubber Hex Dumbbells and our Flat / Incline / Decline Weight Bench. 

The Rubber Hex Dumbbells are sold in sets of 5-50lbs and 55-80lbs in 5lb increment pairs with a +/-3% tolerance. These are also sold as individual dumbbell pairs, in Canada, if you don’t want a full set.

The handles on the lighter Rubber Hex Dumbbells are slightly skinnier and as you go up in weight, the handles get a bit thicker. These rubber hex dumbbells have an ergonomic handle which makes them easy and super comfortable to hold.

With a medium knurling, you’ll have a solid grip without your hands getting chewed up.

A big advantage of dumbbells is that they allow the user to focus on one arm or leg at a time, which is an effective way to initiate strength gains by using a heavy overload.

This is why dumbbells are so useful for home workouts: they are relatively inexpensive and suitable for a wide variety of exercises in a small space.

Also, when you workout, it’s best to have a nice rack for your Rubber Hex Dumbbells to organize them and save space. Our Residential Dumbbell Rack can handle up to 800lbs of dumbbells and is perfect for your home gym. 

The FID Weight Bench is a high-quality, heavy-duty, and versatile weight bench. Effectively 3 weight benches in 1 – flat, incline, and decline options allow you to more specifically target muscle groups.

The solid steel ladder can be adjusted to 7 different positions ranging from 85 to -20 degrees and it has a 1000lb capacity on weight, but it is lightweight enough and easy to move around.

Your upper body dumbbell workout at home needs a well-structured warm up. This is just enough to get your shoulder muscles warm.

• Lateral Raises – 10 reps for 3 sets
• Front Raises – 10 reps for 3 sets
• Rear Delt Flyes – 10 reps for 3 sets

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press is a great way to build hypertrophy and increase muscular activation, as the dumbbells work to recruit new muscle fibers and increase movement coordination.

Start a little bit lighter and then move into a more working weight that works for you. If you are unable to reach your goal set, don’t be reluctant to drop your weight. What’s important is that you keep your form accurate and get those gainz. 

1. Sit down on your Flat /Incline / Decline (FID) Weight Bench with a raised backrest.
2. Grab a pair of Rubber Hex Dumbbells, and lift them up to the starting position at your shoulders.
3. Inhale and lightly brace your core.
4. Press the dumbbells up to straight arms, while exhaling.
5. Inhale at the top, or while lowering the dumbbells with control back to your shoulders.
6. Repeat for reps.

Dumbbell Rows are great for your upper body since they work different muscle groups. They are effectively performed if you can get a good grip on your handles. 

Having good knurling like the Rubber Hex Dumbbells can give you the right balance of grip and comfort rather than a straight handle.

1. Lean against your Flat /Incline / Decline (FID) Weight Bench with one knee and hand, and hold a dumbbell in your other, straight hanging arm.
2. Inhale pull the dumbbell as high as you can in a rowing movement.
3. With control, lower the dumbbell back to the starting position while exhaling.
4. Repeat for reps.

The classic dumbbell pullover is a widely used resistance exercise that primarily strengthens the muscles in the chest and lats. It improves stability and mobility in the shoulders (when done properly), and they’re incredibly effective for working the entire core. 

1. Sit at the end of your Flat /Incline / Decline (FID) Weight Bench.
2. Tilt your body backward until you’re lying flat on the bench.
3. With a dumbbell in each hand and your palms facing each other, extend the Rubber Hex Dumbbells overhead until your arms are almost straight but your elbows are not locked.
4. Slowly extend the weights back and over your head until the dumbbells are level with your head and your arms are extended. Inhale as you extend.
5. Exhale as you raise the weights back up toward your chest until they reach the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.

The floor press is a fantastic pressing variation for lifters of all levels to improve muscle mass, lockout strength, and bench press technique. Floor press variations build your chest, triceps, and shoulders.

1. Lie face up on the floor holding two Rubber Hex Dumbbells at chest height. 
2. Press up as if you were on a normal bench until your arms are fully extended. 
3. Then slowly lower back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for reps.

Lateral raises are simple to perform. It requires little space and can be done at home. These are effective shoulder-strengthening exercises that help tone your shoulder muscles, making them look more defined and broader. 

Coach’s hack on Lateral Raises: Make sure you keep a slight bend in your elbow and use your delts and not your traps.

1. Begin in standing position, feet a few inches apart and arms alongside body holding dumbbells.
2. Keeping a slight bend in the elbow, lift your arms to the side until they are parallel to the floor. 
3. Return back to the starting position with control. 
4. Repeat for reps.

There are many variations of upper body training exercises out there. Working out with basic equipment like our Rubber Hex Dumbbells and Flat /Incline / Decline (FID) Weight Bench in the comfort of your own home will get you great results. 

Upper body dumbbell workouts have a long list of benefits:

• Boost muscle strength and endurance in your arms, back, chest, and shoulders 
• Burn calories
• Reduce your risk of injury
• Build stronger bones

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