Maybe you’re on the smaller side and want to increase your muscle size and build additional muscle mass. You might have tried out a few exercises already, but you want to try some new ones. If the above statements are true, check out the list of workouts below that will improve your upper-body strength and improve your overall physique.

1. Chainsaws

When most people think of chainsaws, they think about the large tools used to cut lumber, not exercises. It gets even stranger when you learn why chainsaws were invented in the first place (but that’s a story for another day). The chainsaw exercise is pretty simple and named because its movements resemble starting up a chainsaw. The back and forth movements are great for your back and bicep muscles.

You will need a bench (or something you can firmly put your hand and knee on) and dumbbells to do this exercise.

The steps are as follows:

1. Place your left knee/lower leg firmly on the bench and plant your right leg firmly on the ground to support yourself.
2. Take your left hand and plant it firmly on the bench so that you’re putting your body weight on the bench (keep a slight bend in your elbow and avoid locking it so that you won’t cramp up).
3. Take your right hand and grab the weight while making sure that your shoulders stay squared throughout the exercise.
4. You are going to take the weight with your right hand and slightly bring it up to your bellybutton (avoid jerking it too quickly or dropping the weight on the ground).
5. Keep repeating the motion in a calm, controlled manner while keeping your shoulders squared and your elbow slightly bent.

2. Swiss Ball Preacher Curl

This is a lesser-known exercise, but it’s great if you’re sick of your same old workout routine and want to try something different. This exercise is essentially a curl using a ball as support and is great for the biceps! You will need a dumbbell, a bench, and a Swiss ball.

Here are the steps:

1. Take the ball and place it between your leg and your body on the bench.
2. Grasp the dumbbell firmly and place your elbow firmly on the ball.
3. Take the dumbbell and begin doing curls while remaining slow and controlled.
4. Lift the dumbbell slowly up, hold, then slowly bring your arm back down (your arm should be back in an “L” position).
5. Repeat the up and down motions repeatedly, remaining slow and steady (You might notice that it takes extra effort to keep your arm steady on the Swiss ball. This adds to the difficulty for this workout.)

3. Spider Curls

This workout is also exemplary for the biceps and permits you to have an excellent span of motion. You will need a barbell and a bench set at a forty-five-degree angle.

Follow the below steps carefully to do this exercise properly:

1. Place your chest and stomach on the backrest of the bench.
2. Grip the bar beneath you (palms facing upwards and hands shoulder-width apart).
3. Slowly bring the bar upward and linger briefly at the peak of the movement.
4. Squeeze your biceps, then lower the bar gradually and in a controlled manner.
5. Repeat steps.

Conclusion

Use the above exercises to achieve better upper body strength and increase your muscle mass. If you own all the necessary equipment, you can easily do these in the comfort of your own home. Remember that each of the workouts above needs to be done correctly to achieve the best results, and you’ll be closer to your ideal body and strength in no time!