Everyday activity that can strengthen your top half

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After several weeks of no core sessions, I did some circuit training tonight. By my first set, about 20 tricep dips in, I was struggling and realised I'd lost the strength in my upper half, and by the fibres that were twanging I was already in a position where I'd be aching the next day. I completed the whole hour's session, but not without stopping for a few breaths before half the 90 second reps were over.

I'm a runner whose average outing is 7?8 miles, that's my pleasure, and as much as it keeps you slim all round it doesn't really tone you anywhere above the glutes. Things beyond my control ended the circuits I'd been doing until July, and having not used my upper body for strenuous activity since, it's obviously defaulted into feebleness. (I also have little motivation to do this in a room on my own, jailbird style. The longest I've kept up core work on my floor has been about two months before getting exasperated and bored.)

In winter for example I chop firewood from already fallen trees, which can take a few hours, and the day after my forearms especially will be sore. Other than that I'm not doing any regular activity that will build my core and arms. Does anyone here get up to anything that tones their upper half which has other productive ends? It doesn't have to be anything I can apply myself, I'm just fascinated.

We have a push mower. It really can be a good upper body work out, at least when the grass is growing.

I mow too. Both electric and petrol mowers are too light though. You only sweat on hot days and I've never ached after doing our grass! It takes about 70 minutes to do all of ours too.

you cant beat simple press ups for decent upper body strength. just do about 3 sets every other day and build up the reps by an extra 5 or 10 every 2 or 3 weeks or when you feel you can do more. Just 5 or 10 minutes every other day and you will notice the difference in a month or so.