Build Upper Body Strength

The upper body is often the first place that benefits can be seen after a few weeks of a fitness program.

There are plenty of exercises to work on the arms, chest and back ranging from the easy to the very difficult.

Routines using weights and dumbbells

Picking the right weight: Start these exercises only after you have warmed up and stretched your muscles. Start with light weights of 1.5 to 2kgs for men and 1kg for women if you are a beginner. You can increase the intensity of exercise and weights as you progress. As a guideline, use 10 to 20% of the maximum weight you can lift in each exercise configuration.

Build up weight method: All building exercise routines should be done in a pyramid method. Start with a low weight of 10 to 20% your maximum lifting weight. Medium level is between 25 and 40% of maximum lifting weigh and High is 45 to 75% of maximum lifting weight. As you get used to the routines you will find the right weight mix for you.

Using weights: The lower weights tone your muscles and pushing towards the high weight mark will build and grow the muscles your are targeting. Both go hand in hand you should never go to high weight directly when strength training for body building.

Body Muscles

In order to build upper body strength, there are some muscles involves:

BACK

Trapezius

This is a large triangular shaped muscle that runs from the centre of your back up to the neck, running across your shoulder blade. Working the trapezius will help to sculpt the back of your shoulders.

Rhomboids

These are small muscles in the centre of your back, running up to just below the base of your neck. Working the rhomboids will help to hold your shoulders back and maintain good posture.

SHOULDER

Deltoids

These muscles wrap right around the top of your shoulders. They are split into three areas - the front/anterior deltoid, the side/lateral deltoid, and the rear/posterior deltoid. It is these that give your shoulders their versatility and great range of movement. Toning these will help to give a more defined silhouette

Rotator Cuff (Rotators)

Four small muscles beneath your shoulder that help to hold your arm in place. Firming and strengthening here helps to pull in your underarm.

CHEST

Pectorals

These are two large, flat muscles that run across the surface of your chest. The benefit of working the pectorals is somewhat different for men and women. For men, exercising these muscles will increase chest size and definition. For women, these are the muscles underlying and providing support for the bust, so toning them will help to lift the bust.

ARM

Biceps

The muscles at the front of your upper arm. You use these when you bend your arm or pick things up. These are the ones you flex when showing someone how big (or small) the muscles in your arms are. Toning these will give shape and definition to your upper arm.

Triceps

These are situated at the back of your upper arms. They oppose the biceps, and come into play when you straighten your arm or push something. Toning your triceps will help to get rid of the flabby bit that hangs down when you hold your arm out.

Forearm Muscles

These are the muscles that run from your wrist to your elbow, and there are quite a lot of them lurking under there! Working and building these will help that overall toned look on your arms.

The Movements

In the most simple and basic sense, your body can really only do some movements. It can push and pull horizontally, push and pull vertically, flex at the elbow, and extend at the elbow.

To build upper body strength you need a proper workout routine that target 6 different movement patterns and/or muscle groups. Here they are:

•Horizontal Push: It is any weight training exercise that involves moving a weight out in front of you so that it's traveling away from your torso horizontally. For example, most chest exercises (like the bench press) fit into this category.

•Horizontal Pull: It is any weight training exercise that involves moving a weight in towards your torso horizontally from straight out in front of you. For example, most back rowing exercises (like bent over barbell/dumbbell rows) fit into this category.

•Vertical Push:It is any weight training exercise that involves moving a weight up vertically in relation to your torso so that it goes straight over head (or at least in that direction). For example, most shoulder exercises (like the overhead press) fit into this category.

•Vertical Pull: It is any weight training exercise that involves moving a weight down vertically in relation to your torso so that you're pulling down from overhead. For example, most back pulling exercises (like pull-ups/lat pull-downs) fit into this category.

•Elbow Flexion:It is any weight training exercise that involves moving a weight towards you by flexing at the elbow. For example, most biceps curling exercises (like barbell/dumbbell curls) fit into this category.

•Elbow Extension: It is any weight training exercise that involves moving a weight away from you by extending at the elbow. For example, most triceps extension exercises (like cable press downs/laying barbell extensions) fit into this category.

Sample Workout Routine

1.Bench Press

2.Seated Cable Rows

3.Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

4.Lat Pull-Downs

5.Laying Barbell Extensions

6.Barbell Curls