Forget push-ups — according to a scientist, these are the only two upper-body exercises you'll ever need
As a reminder, if you're new to exercise or you're returning to exercise following an injury or pregnancy, it's always a good idea to seek advice from a professional before taking on a new workout routine.
'These two exercises are like the squat and deadlift for your upper body,' says Dr. Pak but unlike squats and deadlifts, you don't need tons of equipment — you can do both efficiently using just your body weight.
The exercises in question? Chin-ups and dips. Here's how to do both exercises:
To do a chin-up, you'll need a pull-up bar of some sort. These can be found in most gyms, but also in local parks for free. Dr. Pak says chin-ups are one of the simplest ways to get a bigger back and biceps — in fact, they target your chest, front delts, triceps, biceps and lats. He recommends going into a full stretch on the way down from your chin-up, keeping your muscles under tension for longer. Work until failure, and if you can do 15 reps easily, think about adding weight to the exercise, using a weighted belt or weighted vest.
Here's how to do a chin-up with good form:
If you want to build up to an unaided chin-up, you can use resistance bands for support. Loop the band around the bar and place your knees into the band before starting the chin-up.
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As you develop strength, you can reduce the band's thickness to increase the intensity. Check out the best resistance bands for your workouts here.
The next exercise to try is dips, which work the chest, triceps, and front delts. You'll need a set of dip bars for this exercise, but again, these are super common and you'll find them in most gyms. Dr. Pak recommends going as low as you can comfortably go at the bottom of the movement, keeping your elbows close to your body, and your torso leaning slightly forward. Again, if these are too easy, you can always add weight with a best or vest, but for most people, you'll get a serious upper body workout using just your bodyweight.
Here's how to do dips using a dip bar:
Dr. Pak recommends doing these two exercises, plus a few sets of lateral raises, using a set of the best adjustable dumbbells, to work your entire upper body. Alternatively, use the two exercises above for an equipment-free workout, and do them as a superset.
A superset in strength training means doing two exercises back-to-back with minimal or no rest in between. You'll often target opposing muscle groups, for example, your chest, followed by your back. Supersets are great if you're short on time.
Here's Dr. Pak's upper body superset:
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