Upper body workout plan, 3 days a week

An upper body workout for three days a week: chest, back, shoulders and arms each time.

Who it is for

Day A starts with a press, day B with a pull and day C balances the two, from 31 to 46 minutes at the gym. Two more tabs hold a dumbbell version and one for home with a resistance band.

• You are a beginner and want your upper body trained three times a week
• Your legs get their work elsewhere: running, cycling, a sport or a separate leg day
• You have two dumbbells at home, or just a band and a door: pick that tab
• You want one plan that covers pressing, pulling and arms without a split to manage

How to lay out the week

Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with a rest day between each. Day A is the longest, about 46 minutes and seven exercises: the machine chest press first, then the machine row, the lat pulldown and the shoulder press, finishing with lateral raises, pushdowns and curls. Day B starts with the close-grip pulldown and puts the dumbbell bench press second. Day C is the even day, a cable row next to an incline press, and the shortest at about 31 minutes. In the first two weeks you still train three times, but only days A and B, so you repeat each one before C is added in week three.

How to add weight

The big presses and rows run 10-12 or 8-12 reps. When all sets hit the top, add the smallest step and start again at the bottom. On the dumbbell tab, if your heaviest pair is already easy for 12, lower each rep over 3 seconds instead. With a band you move to a stronger band or a harder version through the Replace button, for example from push-ups on a table to push-ups on a low step. Arms and shoulder raises get 2 sets each, so add reps there first and weight later.

If you use Claude or ChatGPT, you can connect it to AIm later: it reads the same log.

Warm-up

1. Two minutes of easy rowing, or marching on the spot with big arm swings at home.
2. Ten band pull-aparts and ten slow arm circles each way.
3. One light set of the first press of the day at half your working weight.

Mistakes to avoid

• Giving the presses all your effort and rushing the rows. The pulls are half of the plan.
• Shrugging on the lat pulldown and the rows: shoulders stay down, chest stays up.
• Flaring the elbows wide on the chest press and on push-ups.
• Swinging the curls at the end of day A because you are tired. Lighter and clean beats heavy and loose.

Upper body dumbbell workout

The dumbbell tab needs a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bench or sturdy chair for the one-arm row. Day A presses on the floor, rows one arm at a time and then both arms bent over, and adds a standing shoulder press. Day B starts with 4 sets of bent-over rows and uses incline push-ups as the press. Day C repeats the floor press with an overhead triceps extension at the end. Prone Y-T-W raises on the floor stand in for the cable rear shoulder work.

Upper body workout at home with a band

The band tab is built for a long resistance band and a door anchor or a sturdy hook above head height. Rows are done seated with the band around your feet, the pulldown from the anchor, and the press is an incline push-up. Curls, overhead triceps extensions, lateral raises and band pull-aparts fill the rest. Each day takes about 30 minutes, and a stronger band is the next step when the top reps come easily.