Crank it up: 5 overhead exercises to build your upper body strength

Here are five creative overhead moves, which essentially involve pushing the weight up, but also make sure there is a balanced load on the larger muscles like the chest, back, and even the core.

Overhead dumbbell snatch: The move is a ground to up exercise which also hits the leg muscles, making it an overall full body move unlike a basic dumbbell overhead press. Bringing the legs into the equation means that more calories are burnt and more muscles used. It is a favourite exercise in an athlete’s arsenal because of the speed and coordination that can be built through this.

Serratus wall slides: Now, this one's a warm-up exercise that should be made an absolute must everyday irrespective of your routine for the day. It’s simple, just needs a wall, can be done sitting or standing, and is a rehabilitative move that has long-term health benefits for the upper back and shoulders. To do this, find a wall and face it with both your hands bent upwards at 90 degrees, push forward into the sides of the forearm while the thumbs face the body, and do raises while sliding the arms up and down the wall. Now one might wonder what such a simple move can do. It activates the serratus anterior, which is wedged in the shoulder blade and is tough to develop but is vital for the blades to stabilise during movement. It is also an excellent posture-corrector, strengthening your shoulder blades to support the weight of your head and the load during compound lifts.

Overhead pass and squat: The overhead pass can be done with a single dumbbell held together by both the hands. The exercise is named so because you pass the weight from one shoulder to another with an overhead move. Think of touching the bottom of the dumbbell to the top of the right shoulder, lift it over your head and to the side to touch the top of the left shoulder, and repeat. This passing movement from one side to the other activates the upper chest and is a solid preparatory lift before an incline press. Adding the squat is an option, but doing so makes an otherwise too-easy move more challenging.

Single-arm half kneeling dumbbell press: It almost upsets me, given how much I like shoulder presses, that I don’t do this exercise more often. Get into a lunge position with one of your knees touching the floor like a half kneel. Now take the weight in the same hand as the knee which is down and then press up. The exercise is really easy but the benefit is immense because in this position the load from the lower back vanishes. This press is unilateral, works on the body’s balance – since you are holding the weight on one side and not fully on your feet – and builds the shoulders. This exercise should be a staple.

Pike pushups: A simple progression move you do before learning the handstand pushup; it's way simpler and can be done without the fear of falling during any handstand move. That’s because it mimics the same movement but with the support of the feet. Walk as close to your legs as possible from a downward dog position until you are as close to what might be an inverted press position. And then do the pushups. This takes the load off the chest and the rotator cuff and brings it firmly on the deltoids. You don’t need to always be in such a position for it to qualify as a “pike pushup". The benefit of the motion is such that it also hits the upper chest more than a conventional pushup.

Pulasta Dhar is a football commentator and writer.