5 Upper Body Training Mistakes That Stall Your Progress
You’re putting in the work – pressing, pulling, grinding through the reps – but the progress just isn’t showing up. Your numbers are stuck, your shoulders feel off, and every session starts to look (and feel) the same.
It’s not that you’re not trying hard enough. It’s that a few key details are getting missed.
This article breaks down five of the most common upper body training mistakes that hold lifters back. Mistakes that don’t always show up right away, but over time, stall your progress, drain your energy, or leave you nursing nagging pain.
Clean these up, and your training will start moving again.
Mistake 1: Rushing Through the Warm-Up
If your warm-up looks like a couple of quick arm circles and then straight to the bar (I know I’m guilty of this), you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Upper body lifts (especially pressing) demand mobility, stability, and activation. If you’re not priming those areas, your first few sets become your warm-up and that’s a fast way to reinforce bad reps.
Why this matters:
- Cold shoulders = limited range and tight movement
- No upper back activation = poor control during pressing and pulling
- Skipping prep = higher risk of nagging pain or poor performance later in the session
Fix it:
- Spend 5–10 minutes opening up your thoracic spine, activating your scapular muscles, and waking up your triceps and shoulders
- Think: banded pull-aparts, scap push-ups, wall slides, light face pulls, arm sweeps, PVC 360s
- Treat your warm-up like part of the workout instead of something to speed through
A good warm-up is NOT a waste of time. It sets the tone for stronger, cleaner reps from set one.
Mistake 2: Pressing Heavy Without Pulling Enough
Everyone loves a good bench day. But if your training is built around pressing, without balancing it with enough pulling, you’re setting yourself up for stalled progress, nagging shoulder issues, and a weak foundation.
Pulling builds structure. It balances the shoulders, supports posture, and protects the joints that pressing puts under load.
What this looks like:
- Overemphasis on bench, dips, push-ups, and overhead pressing
- Minimal direct rowing, rear delt, or scapular stability work
- Shoulders that feel tight or unstable under load
Fix it:
- Program a 1:1 or 2:1 pull-to-push ratio
- Prioritize horizontal pulls (like rows) and vertical pulls (like pull-ups or lat pulldowns)
- Add face pulls, banded rows, and rear delt raises consistently
- Pull with intent (don’t just go through the motions)
Your pushing strength is only as good as what’s behind it. Build the back, and the front gets stronger too.
Mistake 3: Treating Setup Like an Afterthought
You can’t fake your way through a heavy press. If your setup is lazy, inconsistent, or rushed, your performance will suffer and so will your shoulders.
Setup isn’t just something you do before the rep. It’s part of the lift.
What this looks like:
- Loose shoulders, feet shifting, inconsistent bar path
- Elbows flaring, lack of control off the chest or overhead
- Starting each set slightly different and wondering why every rep feels off
Fix it:
- Lock in your setup before the bar moves:
- Scapula retracted and pinned
- Feet planted and driving into the floor
- Grip set, bar path visualized
- Reset between reps if needed (don’t rush into the next one if the last felt off)
- Treat every set, even warm-ups, like they count
Consistency in setup = consistency in reps = progress you can build on.
RELATED: Chasing Bench PRs? Here’s What to Focus on Between Sets
Mistake 4: Ignoring Tension and Tempo
Moving weight is one thing, controlling it is another. If you’re rushing reps, bouncing the bar, or letting momentum do the work, you’re not actually getting stronger.
Training with control builds strength. It increases time under tension, sharpens mechanics, and protects your joints from unnecessary stress.
What this looks like:
- Fast, sloppy reps with no pause or control
- Bar flying off the chest, no awareness during the lowering phase
- No tempo strategy, just up and down as fast as possible
Fix it:
- Control the eccentric: lower the weight with purpose
- Use tempo protocols (e.g. 3-1-X) on assistance lifts to reinforce tension
- Pause at weak points (bottom of a press, midpoint of a row) to build stability
Slower will not make things easier (quite the opposite), but it will make your training smarter. When you learn to control the weight, you start owning your strength.
Mistake 5: Chasing Volume Over Execution
Doing more isn’t the same as doing better. I’m going to repeat this one – doing more isn’t the same as doing better.
If your sets are adding up but your reps are sloppy, your recovery’s poor, and your performance is flatlining, you’re just logging junk volume.
Upper body progress doesn’t just come from hammering more sets. It comes from quality reps, smart progression, and focused effort.
What this looks like:
- Adding more sets without tracking form or intent
- Piling on accessory work just to feel “worked”
- Mistaking fatigue for progress
Fix it:
- Cut the noise. Focus on execution over exhaustion
- Stick to a plan, track key lifts and progress them weekly
- End your session with purpose, not leftovers
Fewer high-quality sets will take you further than endless mediocre ones.
Final Thoughts
Upper body lifts stall when the details get ignored. You can train hard every week, but if your warm-up is rushed, your pulling is lacking, your setup is inconsistent, and your reps are loose, progress will hit a ceiling.
Fix the small stuff and everything moves better.
Get your prep right. Balance your volume. Respect your setup. And train each rep like it matters… because it does.
