Upper Body Strength Balance: The Testing Block You’re Not Doing (But Should Be)
We assess lower body strength balance all the time. But most people don’t apply that same intentional approach to their upper body—and it shows.
Nagging shoulder pain. Elbow discomfort. Grip issues. One side dominating every press or pull. All signs of imbalance.
At One Life, we’ve created a simple but powerful Upper Body Strength Balance Block. It helps you identify weaknesses, imbalances, and potential injury risks before they slow you down.
And just like our lower body block, this one is all about objective feedback—not guessing.
The Upper Body Strength Balance Block
Here’s how we break it down:
1. Max Strict Pull-Ups
No momentum. No swinging. Just full range, controlled pull-ups.
Do as many as you can with clean form.
2. Max Strict Dips
Same deal. Full depth, no bounce, no half reps.
Get as many as you can.
Goal: Your strict pull-ups and strict dips should match in reps. If you hit 8 pull-ups, you should be able to hit 8 dips. That shows a good balance between your pulling and pressing muscles.
3. One-Arm Dumbbell Strict Press
Pick a dumbbell and find your 7-10 rep max with your non-dominant (weaker) arm.
Then, do the same number of reps on your dominant arm using the exact same weight.
Bonus Tip: If you can do at least 5+ strict pull-ups and dips, you should ideally be using around 1/3 of your bodyweight for this test. That gives us a solid benchmark for pressing strength and muscular endurance.
4. One-Arm Dumbbell High Pull (Upright Row)
Using that same dumbbell, test your max reps per arm with a one-arm high pull.
Again—same number of reps on both sides.
Goal: Equal reps per side. And ideally, your upright row reps match your strict press reps on that same arm.
5. Single Arm Farmer’s Carry (from the Lower Body Block)
Yep, we’re using this here too. Why?
Because carries don’t just test your legs. They reveal grip strength, shoulder stability, core integrity, and side-to-side imbalances in real time.
Use 50% of your deadlift 7–10RM (as you would in the lower body test). Grab a farmer’s handle, load it up, and walk for max distance.
Every 10 meters = 1 rep.
Goal: Shoulders level, no drifting to one side, and grip gives out evenly. If one arm or shoulder fades early, it’s a red flag.
Why This Block Matters
Injuries don’t happen when you’re balanced.
They happen when one side is overcompensating—rep after rep, week after week.
This upper body block uncovers those imbalances and gives you clear targets to improve:
- Are your lats and triceps equally developed?
- Is one shoulder handling more than its share?
- Is your pressing outpacing your pulling?
- Are you stable and strong when you carry heavy loads?
Fix the weak links and everything gets better:
More strength. Fewer tweaks. Better movement. More consistent gains.
This Is the Kind of Data That Keeps You in the Game
We run this assessment to help keep your bodies strong, resilient, and injury-free. It’s not about testing for testing’s sake—it’s about better training decisions and smarter programming.
And if you’ve never done this type of assessment before?
You’re leaving performance—and longevity—on the table.
Want to know where your weak links are—and how to fix them?
Book a free no sweat intro here.
We’ll help you build a stronger, more balanced upper body that actually holds up under pressure.
