How to Build Upper-Body Strength in the New Year

One of the key features of the Quiet Punch is its unique punch tracker technology, which allows users to accurately monitor not only the speed and number of punches they throw in any given boxing session, but also the strength and power of those punches.

It’s not surprising, then, that so many members of the Quiet Punch community recently told us that, as part of their New Year’s Resolutions, they’re motivated to push their upper-body strength to a whole new level in 2022.

If you’re interested in learning how to build upper-body strength, here are some helpful tips that, with a little bit of dedication and hard work, are sure to turn your arms into cannons this year!

Why Building Upper-Body Strength is So Important

For anyone using the Quiet Punch doorway punching bag, the benefits of upper-body strength for boxing workouts almost go without saying: greater striking power, better stamina, improved speed and coordination, etc.

Those, however, are just some of the advantages of building upper-body strength. What about when you’re not boxing? What about just when you’re just going about your daily life.

Obviously, increased upper-body strength helps make lifting heavy objects easier, from moving boxes to furniture to packed garbage bags. But did you know that upper-body strength has also been linked to better heart health and metabolism? Or that it also contributes to better posture, which in turn reduces the likelihood of back pain? Or that it also helps prevent injuries, including strains, sprains, and other injuries caused by repetitive use?

3 Simple At-Home Exercises to Build Upper-Body Strength

Dumbbell Curls

When some people see dumbbells, they think they’re only good for building up biceps. The truth, however, is that dumbbells are an incredibly versatile piece of weight-training equipment that can be used to build strength all across the upper body, not just in the arms, but also the chest, shoulders, and back.

• Bicep Curls: holding the dumbbell horizontally in your hand and keeping your upper arm as straight as possible, bend your elbow to bring the dumbbell up towards your shoulder, so that your fingertips are pointing towards you

• Hammer Curls: holding one dumbbell vertically in your hand and keeping your upper arm as straight as possible, bend your elbow to bring the dumbbell up towards your shoulder, with your fingertips pointing to the side

• Shrugs: holding two dumbbells, one in each hand, keep your arms straight at your sides so that the weights are parallel with your upper thighs, then slowly lift your shoulders up and roll them to the back

• Seated Lateral Raise: sitting on a flat bench or chair with your back straight, hold one dumbbell in each hand, then, keeping your arms straight, raise each dumbbell out to either side of you, until they are parallel with your shoulders

• Rear Lateral Raise: sitting on a flat bench or chair, lean forward so that your chest is close to your knees, then while keeping your back straight, raise your arms out to either side of you, until they are parallel with your shoulders

• Single Arm Row: resting your knee on the close end of a flat bench and supporting yourself with one hand on its far end, extend your other leg straight bag while your other dumbbell-holding hand points straight to the floor, then pull the weight up while bending your elbow straight back

Uppercut Drills

When building upper-body strength specifically for boxing, another good use of free-weights is to use them for shadow boxing uppercut drills. Obviously, you’re going to want to use much lighter dumbbells for this; they should be heavy enough to give you a good workout, but not so heavy that it inhibits your movement or agility.

Standing in a basic upright boxing stance, with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands up in front of your face. Slowly, throw an uppercut. You’ll want to go at about half or even a quarter of as you normally would when punching, although you can build up your speed as you get into the rhythm.

Make sure to alternate between arms during your workout.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are one of the most commonly utilized and “classic” exercises in the home workout arsenal, and there’s a very good reason for that: they work. 

A fast and effective way of strengthening multiple upper-body muscle groups at once, push-ups can also be easily modified to accommodate different needs and fitness levels. For beginners, kneeling push-ups or push-ups performed on an incline can be a good way of starting out.

For a more advanced workout, meanwhile, you can use kettlebells for extra grip and stability. Or, place your feet and legs on a large medicine ball to increase the angle at which you’re lowering and raising yourself.

Last but not least, “explosive” push-ups offer an especially intense workout. As the name suggests, these involve you not simply pushing yourself back up, but rather “exploding” upward by shoving hard off the ground and taking your hands out of position entirely for a moment. 

Many who use explosive push-ups clap their hands after throwing themselves upward, then catch themselves before they hit the ground again.

When performing push-up exercises to build upper-body strength, it’s worth remembering the importance of proper form. Your back should be as straight and rigid as possible; don’t let your abs sag towards the floor, and don’t bend at the tips so that your backend sticks up in the air, either.

How to Build Upper-Body Strength with the Quiet Punch

Of course, one of the best ways of building upper-body strength is also the thing many of us want to build our upper-body strength for: boxing.

Quiet Punch smart punching bag is designed not only to be convenient for at-home use, but also to offer just the right amount of resistance to help boxers develop the muscles in their arms, shoulders, chest, and back. What’s more, not only does boxing with the Quiet Punch help strengthen muscles, it also helps increase endurance, hand-eye coordination, agility, speed, and mental focus.

You don’t need a personal trainer or a gym full of expensive equipment to get a high-intensity, low-impact upper-body workout. All you need is the Quiet Punch. If you haven’t already, try it today and see why everyone’s talking about it!