Garage Gym Chronicles: How to Design Upper Body Workouts

Garage Gym Chronicles: 01/11/2025 Training Log. Upper Body

Warmup: floor leg raises-2x15

A1: single arm kettlebell military press-6/6, 7/7

A2: pullups-7,7

B1: feet elevated deficit pushups-2x15 (emphasizing tempo and a deep stretch)

B2: single arm kettlebell row-8/8, 7/7

C1: incline dumbbell curls-10,8

C2: overhead cable extensions-11,9

Total Time = 35 minutes 

Post-lift walk to the grocery store and back.

I did alternate sets (slow supersets), pairing antagonist movement patterns and muscle groups. I took plenty of rest between sets and exercises. I didn't time my rest periods (I usually don't), but I took enough time between exercises to ensure quality effort and execution were granted for each set of each exercise.

I enjoy pairing antagonist exercises together. It makes the session seem to go by more quickly and allows me to be productive while giving plenty of rest for each muscle group between sets.

In my last "Garage Gym Chronicles" update, I laid out how simple it should be to create productive leg sessions. Today's upper body session is an example of how simple it is to create upper body workouts.

To quickly summarize:

1. Vertical push

2. Vertical pull

3. Horizontal push

4. Horizontal pull

5. Bicep isolation 

6. Tricep isolation 

You can swap the order of horizontal and vertical pushes and pulls. Meaning, 3 and 4 could be done first, followed by 1 and 2.

You can also do your pulls before pushes. 

Don't overthink the exercise order. Just do all sets of your compound exercises (the pushes and pulls) before beginning your isolation exercises (the biceps and triceps).

You can use straight sets, where you do 1 exercise for all sets before moving on to the next exercise. Or you can alternate between 2 antagonist exercises (vertical push and vertical pull, for example) doing a set of each before moving on to the second set of each. I decided to superset/alternate between antagonist exercises, and I typically do take that route during my upper body sessions.

Simplify your program structure to progress your gains.