Push - ups may be a keen branch practice , and two - hour arm workouts are fun if you encounter to be a meathead bro ( um , like me ) , but the truth is that zigzag out push - ups over and over does n’t invoke to most the great unwashed .

In fact , for a lot of mass , push button - ups are just patently boring , and the thinking of spending two hours in the gymnasium is something many people abhor . So what should you do ?

Well , despite what the internet tell you , there are a turn of super - effective upper - trunk exercises that are n’t push - ups , and typically call for minimal equipment . Here are four of the best .

Upper body exercises

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

Pull-ups

puff - ups are n’t just one of the best upper - body use you’re able to do – they’reone of the good exercises you’re able to doperiod . They’re excellent at progress back , berm , and arm strength . They also dispute the essence a short ton , because you ’re being pull to keep your body stable as you move through place .

Not strong enough to do a bodyweight pull - up ? Do n’t worry ; I ’ve got your back with the very next suggestion .

Inverted rows

One of the first exercises I like to give new clients is the invert run-in . It ’s a scaled - down version of the drag - up that does a great job in working the back , shoulders , and subdivision . But unlike the puff - up , it can be adapted to any strength level .

A square means to do this apparent movement is with a TRX suspension trainer , but if you do n’t have one of those available , do n’t care . Setting up a barbell at your gymnasium on the lowest context , or even using a chair , work well .

Chair dips

Push - ups are outstanding at build thorax , shoulder , and arm metier , but if you ’re not at the point where you could knock out push - ups unceasingly , give chair dips a try . professorship dips are also ideal if you ’re look to target your triceps more directly . All you need is a chair ( duh ) or a stout get up platform that can support your weighting . They’re scalable to all strength degree , solve similar sinew chemical group to the get-up-and-go - up without being quite so unmanageable , and offer a corking modification of pace when the push - up just gets apparently deadening .

Resistance-band overhead press

The overhead imperativeness targets the shoulder joint , but is also an excellent overall exercise . Because not everyone has the necessary equipment to do a hard overhead press , using a electric resistance band is a good way to make this move portable . The immunity dance band will help you build raft of berm and branch strength , plus you could scale the level of underground you ’re getting from the band to match your strong suit level .

These exercises work similar brawn groups to the push - up , but they all educate your muscles at various angles , which mean a more symmetric and well - rounded upper consistency overall . And while the pushing - up truly is a fantastical upper - body exercise that works the chest , shoulders , and coat of arms , it ’s by no means your only selection .

So if you ’re tired of think you have to do push - ups all day long to get that upper body you ’ve woolgather of , give some fresh exercise a try .

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