Movements to make you stronger in the gym and for the physical demands of daily life.
Master Coach Gabe Snow
January 14, 2025
Building upper body strength isn’t just about biceps and chest—it's about creating a body that moves efficiently and stabilizes properly. As someone who has worked through injuries, played competitive sports, and spent years coaching, I can tell you that functional upper body training is crucial for improving posture, strength, and mobility.
This workout isn’t about hitting isolated muscle groups—it’s about mimicking the patterns and movements we use every day, strengthening the muscles that help you push, pull, stabilize, and carry with power and efficiency. Whether you’re lifting a box off the ground, carrying groceries, or moving in a sport, these functional upper body exercises can help you build the strength to support how you move.
Let’s get started.
Warm-Up (5 min)
Before you dive into the workout, take a few minutes to get your body moving. A good warm-up will increase blood flow, improve joint mobility, and activate the muscles you’re going to use in the workout.
1. Scapular Push-Ups (1 min)
In a push-up position, without bending your elbows, lower your chest towards the floor by squeezing your shoulder blades together, then push back up by protracting your shoulders. This will activate the scapula and upper back muscles.
2. Thoracic Spine Rotations (1 min)
On all fours, place one hand behind your head and rotate your torso open, bringing the elbow towards the ceiling. This opens up the chest and works on thoracic spine mobility, essential for shoulder health.
Strength Block A
1. Push-Ups (Variety: Standard or Elevated)
Sets: 4
Reps: 12-15
Why it’s functional:
Push-ups are a fundamental pushing movement that engages your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. When done correctly, push-ups also help build body control and strengthen your upper body in a way that transfers directly to life’s daily pushing motions—whether you’re pushing a door, a car, or lifting a heavy object.
How to perform it:
- Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body towards the floor, keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle. Push through your palms to return to the starting position, keeping your core tight and your body in a straight line.
Modification / variation:
If a standard push-up feels too challenging, elevate your hands on a bench or box to reduce the load.
2. Pull-Ups (or Assisted Pull-Ups)
Sets: 4
Reps: 6-10
Why it’s functional:
Pull-ups are a powerful pulling exercise that targets your back, biceps, and shoulders. They mimic the real-world action of pulling yourself up (think climbing or lifting yourself into a high spot). Strong pulling muscles are essential for maintaining proper posture and stability.
How to perform it:
- Grab the pull-up bar with palms facing away from you and your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Hang with your arms fully extended.
- Engage your back and pull your chin above the bar.
- Lower yourself slowly back down, maintaining control of the movement.
Modification / variation:
If pull-ups are too challenging, use an assisted pull-up machine or a resistance band for support.
3. Kettlebell Overhead Press
Sets: 4
Reps: 10-12
Why it’s functional:
This overhead press variation strengthens the shoulders, upper chest, and triceps while incorporating a full-body engagement for stability. Overhead pressing mimics actions like reaching up to grab something from a shelf or lifting something overhead. It also works on stability in the core and lower body.
How to perform it:
- Hold a kettlebell in one hand at shoulder height.
- Press the kettlebell overhead by fully extending your arm, keeping your elbow locked and your core engaged.
- Lower the kettlebell back down to shoulder height with control.
- Repeat for reps, then switch arms.
Coach’s Tip:
Ensure your body remains tight and avoid arching your back excessively. Engage your core to prevent lower back strain.
4. Single-Arm Dumbbell row
Sets: 4
Reps: 8-10 each arm
Why it’s functional:
This unilateral pulling exercise works your back, biceps, and core, while also improving your posture. It mimics actions like reaching forward to pull something or lifting something to your side. By working one arm at a time, you can address any imbalances in strength and stability between sides.
How to perform it:
- Place one knee and hand on a bench, with your opposite leg on the floor for stability.
- Hold a dumbbell in the free hand and row the dumbbell toward your torso, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blade at the top of the movement before slowly lowering the dumbbell back down.
- Repeat on the other side.
5. Plank to Push-Up
Sets: 3
Reps: 8-10
Why it’s functional:
This movement combines both push and core stability, requiring you to push from the forearms to the hands while maintaining a strong, stable core throughout. This simulates a real-life scenario where you need to transition between positions while maintaining control, like getting up from the floor or bracing yourself while doing an overhead lift.
How to perform it:
- Start in a forearm plank position.
- Push up to a standard push-up position, one arm at a time.
- Lower yourself back down onto your forearms, one arm at a time.
- Keep your core tight and your body in a straight line throughout the movement.
Final Thoughts
This upper body functional training workout is designed to develop strength, stability, and mobility in movements that mimic real-life tasks. It’s all about improving how you push, pull, stabilize, and move. The key is to build control, avoid rushing through the exercises, and focus on technique.
Incorporating these functional movements will not only make you stronger in the gym but also more resilient and prepared for the physical demands of everyday life. Whether you're lifting, carrying, or simply holding a position, functional strength pays off in ways machines just can’t replicate.
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