What is the Single Best Upper Body Exercise?

[Loathing]

It's definitely the dumbbell bench press.
Nothing engages as much of your upper body, and you'll see upper-body mass gains quicker than with any other exercise.

But, as others have said, you have to work every part of your body to get maximal results. You simply can't look 'big' with one exercise.

 

[Liquidus]

So if I wanted to build some muscle on my arms and chest without going to the gym, doing pushups and pullups would be best?

 

[munchausen]

I've gotten some pretty good results doing pushups, chin ups and pull ups, dips and a combo of jump squats and wall squats.

 

[Liquidus]

I think I've been inspired to start working out for the first time ever (I'm 21). I never realized that it could be as easy as just doing pullups and pushups.

This Pullup Bar from Amazon seems like exactly what I need, any thoughts?

 

[bryce126]

this is an impossible question to answer...

Upper body is split into at least three distinct muscle groups, if not more. and to name one single exercise that covers them all is impossible. The closest I can think of is something gymnastics-related. But here's my top exercises for their related upper-body muscle groups. I'm a world record holder in the deadlift for the WPA organization, so at least hear me out.

Back: Deadlift or Pullups
Chest: Dumbbell Press
Shoulders: Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Triceps: Dips, weighted
Biceps: Dumbbell Curls/Hammer Curls

 

[Eason]

Originally Posted by bryce126

this is an impossible question to answer...

Upper body is split into at least three distinct muscle groups, if not more. and to name one single exercise that covers them all is impossible. The closest I can think of is something gymnastics-related. But here's my top exercises for their related upper-body muscle groups. I'm a world record holder in the deadlift for the WPA organization, so at least hear me out.

Back: Deadlift or Pullups
Chest: Dumbbell Press
Shoulders: Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Triceps: Dips, weighted
Biceps: Dumbbell Curls/Hammer Curls

Muscle-ups, if you can do them. What's your record/weight class?

 

[Liquidus]

For anyone interested, I found a great blog post on what the author calls the "Holy Trinity of Fitness" It's comprised of pullups, pushups, and situps. http://www.schaefersblog.com/the-hol...ty-of-fitness/ This is great for someone like me just starting out and looking for simple but effective exercises to do.

 

[embowafa]

Originally Posted by Liquidus

This is great for someone like me who has convinced themselves that they need to "start out" with pushups and pullups and not lift weights to gain size.

Don't get me wrong, I love pushups and pullups, but you should lift weights if you want to "build some muscle on my arms and chest".

 

[Liquidus]

Originally Posted by embowafa

Don't get me wrong, I love pushups and pullups, but you should lift weights if you want to "build some muscle on my arms and chest".

Are you saying that pushups and pullups are ineffective? I'm not trying to get huge muscles, just looking like I have muscles would be good.

 

[sonick]

Originally Posted by Liquidus

Are you saying that pushups and pullups are ineffective? I'm not trying to get huge muscles, just looking like I have muscles would be good.
I wouldn't say they are ineffective, rather they are inefficient compared to actually lifting weights. You'd probably have to spend 2-5 times as much time doing pushups and pullups to get the same results you'd get from weight training.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

That's most likely pretty accurate, but wide-grip push-ups and pulls-ups will get you well on your way. I like them because I can do them at the end of the day without any equipment other than a pull-up bar.

 

[fuji]

You won't really get that far just doing pull ups and push ups. I did it for a while, I got a bit stronger and had a little more muscle, but its no substitute for the gym. You aren't hitting your shoulders that much and your not doing your lower back and legs at all. Theres no reason to "start out" with that when you can just join the gym, its not like there is some minimum required level of fitness to go to the gym. You can bench, over head press and deadlift at any level of fitness unless you can't lift a 45lb bar, but I can't imagine anyone cant do that.

 

[embowafa]

Originally Posted by fuji

You won't really get that far just doing pull ups and push ups. I did it for a while, I got a bit stronger and had a little more muscle, but its no substitute for the gym. You aren't hitting your shoulders that much and your not doing your lower back and legs at all. Theres no reason to "start out" with that when you can just join the gym, its not like there is some minimum required level of fitness to go to the gym. You can bench, over head press and deadlift at any level of fitness unless you can't lift a 45lb bar, but I can't imagine anyone cant do that.
Especially when their body weight is >45lbs. Ever since getting serious about my health and exercise I can't help but to

when I read people looking for an easy way out. "I don't want to go to the gym and lift heavy things...I just want to magically put on muscle"

 

[embowafa]

Originally Posted by Liquidus

Are you saying that pushups and pullups are ineffective? I'm not trying to get huge muscles, just looking like I have muscles would be good.

 

[fuji]

I suppose if you did weighted push ups and did like 5-10 reps it would be alright, but its not like you see people doing 100 reps on the bench press, why would you do such high reps on push ups or even pull ups. You're right theres no easy way out, doing 5 sets of 30 push ups, some pull ups, tonnes of **** ab work and eating clean isn't gonna make you put on any visible muscle. Going to the gym 3-6 times a week, training hard and eating tonnes will make you put on visible muscle. You can't look like you have muscle without having muscle unless you get plastic surgery, thats marsupialed.