10+ Upper Body Workouts For Women To You Build Strength Without Bulk

Anatomy Of The Upper Body

The Shoulders

Anterior Deltoid

Muscles located at the front of your shoulder region

Lateral Deltoid

Muscles located at the side of your shoulder which gives your shoulders a rounded appearance.

Posterior Deltoid

Muscles located at the back of your shoulder. Helps with posture.

The primary muscles of the shoulders are the rotator cuff muscles and the deltoids. These enable stability and movement, such as lifting, bending, straightening, and rotating the arm. They connect to the shoulder bones via strong, fibrous structures known as tendons.

The clavicle, scapula, and humerus are the bones of the shoulders. These provide structure and support. They connect at three major joints – most notably, the glenohumeral joint. It is the most flexible in the body, allowing for movement across a wide range of motion. This explains why our shoulders are highly flexible but also prone to injuries.

The Arms

Biceps Long Head

Most outside part of your bicep.The front of your upper arm.

Biceps Short Head

Most inside portion of the biceps. Located at the front of your upper arm closest to your chest.

Triceps Lateral Heads

Muscles located on the back of your arm between your shoulder and elbow.

Triceps Medial Heads

Small muscles located at the back of your arms. Deep to the triceps long heads between the shoulder and elbow.

Triceps Long Heads

Large muscles located at the back of your arms between your shoulder and elbow. Most outside portion of the tricep.

Brachialis

Muscle which starts at the middle of your upper arm and connects just below the elbow.

Brachioradialis

Muscle located between outside portion of your forearm from the elbow to the wrist.

Wrist Flexors

Muscles that span the inside of your lower arm, between your elbow and wrist palm side up.

Wrist Extensors

Muscles that make up the back portion of your lower arm, between your elbow and wrist.

The arms play a crucial role in everyday tasks and precise movements. The arm has three main parts — the upper arm, the forearm, and the hand. 

The upper arm muscles include the bicep, tricep, brachialis, and coracobrachialis muscles. They allow for arm movement at the elbow joint, such as flexion (bending) and extension (straightening).

The forearm muscles are the wrist flexors, wrist extensors, and brachioradialis. These control movements at the wrist joint, such as gripping and releasing.

The Back

Upper Trapezius

Triangular shaped muscles located between your neck and shoulder blades.

Middle Trapezius

Muscles located in the middle of your back between your upper and lower traps.

Lower Trapezius

Small, triangular shaped muscles located below your middle traps and between your lats.

Latissimus Dorsi

Large, triangular shaped muscles located just below your shoulder blades. They extend along your spine down to your pelvis.

Erector Spinae

Muscles that span the entire length of your spine on either side.

The back is on the posterior (backside) region of the body. It starts at the base of the skull and terminates at the pelvis.

The back muscles are divided into three subgroups based on their proximity to the skin: superficial, intermediate, or deep. 

Superficial muscles are closest to the skin, including the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, and levator scapulae. They provide mobility to the upper limbs through lifting, rotating, and pulling.

The intermediate muscles include the serratus anterior and serratus posterior. They mobilize the ribs, allowing for respiratory functions such as inhaling and exhaling.

The deep muscles of the back include the erector spinae and other deep muscles such as the multifidus. They stabilize the spine, which allows one to maintain good posture, bend, twist, and extend the back.

The Chest

Clavicular Head of Pectoralis Major

Muscles located at the top of your chest, running from your armpit to collar bone. Smaller portion of your chest muscle.

Sternal Head of Pectoralis Major

Large muscles located underneath your clavicle head. Makes up most of your chest area

Abdominal Head of Pectoralis Major

Muscles located at the bottom of your pectoral region, just above your abdominal muscles.

The chest is located on the anterior (front side) of the body. This body region begins below the neck and terminates at the bottom of the ribcage.

There are three primary chest muscles — the pectoralis major, the pectoralis minor, and the intercostal muscles. The pectoralis major allows for movement of the upper arms, while the pectoralis minor helps move the shoulder blades. The intercostals are muscles located in between the ribs. They aid in breathing.

Benefits Of Upper Body Workout Female

Strength training has been gaining popularity in recent years and for many good reasons. Studies have shown that resistance training helps promote positive body image. It eases physique anxiety and improves body composition satisfaction.

Lifting weights has also been shown to improve bone density which reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones become weaker, thus more susceptible to fractures, and is more common in women.

Building strength can help improve posture by making your postural muscles more resilient and giving them more endurance. This can then decrease the chance of developing low back pain.

With your strong upper body, you’ll start to notice that everyday tasks become easier. You’ll be able to more easily move heavy objects like furniture, carry heavier bags, and reach things on high shelves with less risk of injury. The last benefit we’ll list here (knowing there are more out there!) is that strength training has positive effects on people with certain heart conditions.

Tips For Upper Body Workout Women

An essential component of an effective workout routine is nutrition. Whether your goal is to lose weight, get toned arms and a flat stomach, or improve self-esteem, being insistent on getting enough protein will help you see results faster. Here are some ideas for a healthy breakfast to get you started!

You’ll need to stay motivated to go to the gym to see results. Try finding a workout buddy to keep you accountable, and safe, and to push you during your upper body workouts. Another way to stay motivated is to track your workouts in a notebook or note on your phone. If you stick to the same routine, write down how much weight and how many sets and reps you do for each exercise so you can see progress over time. 

Lastly, give yourself grace! Typically, it will take at least six weeks to notice changes in your body, such as muscle definition or loss of body fat. Stay consistent and try to do your upper body workout at least twice per week. 

Conclusion

It’s time to embrace an upper-body strength workout. Add these exercises to your fitness routine to make your upper body strong, get toned arms, and create a more positive body image. Take a deep breath, you’ve got this!

Frequently Asked Questions