The major muscles of the upper body include the chest, shoulders, back, triceps and biceps. If you have a set a personal goal to build these muscles in 16 weeks, you need to be disciplined and follow the right game plan. To recruit a maximal amount of muscle fibers, you should resort to compound exercises for the bulk of your training. These types of exercises include more than one muscle group and more than one joint.
Step 1
Lie face up on a flat bench to do dumbbell chest presses. Hold the dumbbells straight above you with your palms facing your knees. Lower the weights down to your sides by bending your elbows. Stop when your upper arms parallel the floor and you feel a strong contraction in your chest. Push the weights back up and toward each other until they are an inch apart. Repeat for a set of reps.
Step 2
Sit in a workout chair to do Arnold presses. Hold dumbbells in front of your body with your elbows bent and your palms facing your chest. Push the weights above your head in an arcing motion and toward each other. Twist your wrists as you do this and stop the weights an inch apart. Your palms should now be facing forward. Slowly reverse the motion to get the dumbbells back to the starting point and repeat.
Step 3
Kneel on a bench to do one-arm rows. Place a dumbbell on the right side of the bench on the floor. Place your left knee on the bench and plant your right foot behind you on the ground. Position your left hand on the front of the bench to brace your body and bend forward until your back is just above parallel to the ground. Reach down and grab the dumbbell with your right hand. Pull it up toward your right hip and squeeze for a second. Lower it back down and repeat. Do a set of reps and switch sides. Keep your arm in tight to your side when you perform this exercise.
Step 4
Find an assistant to do bench dips for your triceps. Place two benches slightly wider apart than the length of your legs. Grab the edge of one bench and place your heels up on the other bench. Have your assistant place a weight plate across your thighs and lower your body toward the floor by bending your elbows. Stop when your upper arms parallel the floor, push yourself back up and repeat. Do not lock out your elbows when you come to the high point of the movement.
Step 5
Jump up and grab a pull-up bar to do chin-ups for your biceps. Grasp the bar with an underhand grip that is slightly less than shoulder-width. Bend your knees and cross your legs behind your body. Pull yourself up until your chest reaches the bar. Slowly lower yourself all the way down and repeat.
Tips and Warnings
- Do 10 to 12 reps and four to five sets of each exercise. Take two days off in between each workout. Follow this routine for eight weeks, then change your exercises. For example do bench presses, shoulder presses, bent over rows, close grip push-ups and twist curls. This will prevent adaptation and plateaus. Always use the heaviest weights you can lift.
- Eat healthy foods and get enough sleep every night.
Things You'll Need
- 2 benches
- Workout chair
- Dumbbells
- Pull-up bar
- Weight plates
- Assistant
Member Comments