How can I increase my uppper body strength at home?

[BoBoo]

Have some hand weights, but don't really want to spend money on anything else at the moment. Can only do half push ups. Any advice?

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

Can you not just spend a few more pounds (and it will only be a few) and get a chin up bar for your door frame. Pull up/ chin ups are great to work on for strength.

Carry on with press ups and progress into a full press up. Planks are good, extend with the arms to help strength and keep up with the arm weights but make sure you aren't just using those silly 1 kg weights as thats more for endurance than building strength.

You tube/face book always have loads of good exercises so have a look there too :)

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

If you can afford a few quid buy " body by you" by Mark Lauren. Bodyweight exercises with lots of progressions working towards pull ups/push ups etc

If you are totally skint just google bodyweight exercises and go from there.

Some folks like bodyrock.TV but there are loads out there.

[BoBoo]

Hmmmm. I find the idea of a chin up bar quite daunting - I feel far away from being able to do anything like that at the moment so maybe will use that as something to aim for. Will check out teh book and you tube. Thanks both.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

I have a chin up bar and use it for press ups (put bar at knee height or higher) or kind of reclined pull ups - feet vertically below bar, bar at about waist height.

I'm nowhere near doing pull ups!

[MintCar]

To improve push ups try doing 'hands away'
Start as normal but go all the way to the floor, raise palms off the ground, then back up as normal.
This has really helped me improve and I can have a little lie on the floor for a second or two when I am flagging!

If pull ups scare you at first then try hanging from the bar, full weight, arms extended. Jump up, pulling as much as possible with your arms. Then tense and lower yourself as slowly as you can. Try to land softly on your feet, not like a jump.

Also youtube tricep dips which can be done with a chair.

With hand weights you can do dumbell flyes, row, barbell press, clean and press.
Youtube will help =]

[ThursdayLast]

Fitness blender upper body workouts

[EarSlaps]

I'd love a pull up bar but I worry about wrecking our door frames. How do they not pull the door frame down? I guess I'm only 59kgs so I shouldn't do too much damage!