Compound movements work multiple muscle groups at once. They are helpful not only for saving time but are also more effective for burning calories than a single muscle exercise. There are several exercises in which you can simultaneously work the muscles of your arms, back and chest. Incorporate these types of exercises into your workout on three nonconsecutive days a week and you'll be on your way to a developed upper body.
Barbell Front Press
The front press works the anterior shoulder, upper chest and back, and the triceps muscles. Sit or stand tall with your abdominal muscles contracted and your back straight. Hold a barbell across your upper chest with an overhand grip. Maintaining core stabilization, press the bar overhead by extending your arms. Slowly lower the bar back to your chest.
Upright Row
The upright row uses the shoulder, back and biceps muscles. Stand with your legs hip-width apart and hold a barbell with a wide overhand grip. Allow the bar to rest against the front of your thighs. Stabilize your abdomen and straighten your back. Maintain this position and pull the bar up along your body toward your chin keeping your elbows as high as possible. With control, lower the bar back to the starting position.
Parallel Bar Dips
Parallel bar dips target the pectoral muscles of the chest as well as the anterior shoulder, triceps, brachialis and anconeus muscles. This is a very difficult exercise and should not be attempted by beginners. If you are a beginner, use a dip machine to learn the proper movement. To begin a parallel bar dip, hang from parallel bars with your arms extended to support your upper body. Your legs should be bent and off the floor. Bend your elbows to slowly lower your body until your chest becomes level with the bars. Push yourself back up by extending your arms. Use a weight belt or hold a dumbbell between your legs to make this exercise more challenging.
Pull-Up
The pull-up develops the bulk of the back as well as the biceps and brachioradialis of the arm. Hang from a pull-up bar with a wide overhand grip. Your feet should be off the ground. Pull your chest up to the bar and then, with control, extend your arms to lower to the starting position. Use a weight belt or hold a weight between your legs to make this exercise more difficult. To work your arms more intensely, reverse your grip to underhand and perform a chin-up.
Cat-Camel
The cat-camel works to stretch and lengthen the muscles of the back, chest and abdomen while strengthening the stabilizer muscles of the arms. Begin on all fours with your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees aligned under your hips. Contract your abdominal muscles and stabilize your spine so that your back is straight. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, push through the heels of your hands to round your back allowing your head to tip toward the floor. You should feel a stretch along your spine; hold here for 15 seconds. Next allow your abdomen to sag toward the floor, squeeze your shoulder blades together and tip your head toward the ceiling. You should feel a stretch through the front of your body and have an exaggerated arch in your back. Hold this position for 15 seconds.
References
- "Strength Training Anatomy, Second Edition"; Frederic Delavier; 2006
- American Council on Exercise: Cat-Camel
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