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Article Series: Exercise & Fitness
What Are The Most Effective Ways
To Exercise & Get Into Shape?
3
Easy Upper Body Muscle
Strengthening Exercises
Weight-lifting is one of the fastest ways
to see changes in your body but too many people are scared
away from it by horror stories of women turning into bulky
Schwarzenegger clones as well as torn ligaments and other afflictions.
The reality is nothing like that; women will firm up, not bulk
up, and when you lift weights properly there’s practically
zero risk that you will injure yourself. Don’t miss
out on the benefits of weight lifting any longer; start one of these
simple routines and be on your way to firmer muscles right
away! Follow the exercises described below and incorporate
them into your exercise plan at least three times per week,
and you will start to see results in as little as three weeks.
Pair you’re weight lifting up with daily cardio exercise and
watch your body truly reinvent itself!
Begin
by assessing your current strength level. If you are
a member of a gym, the staff can help you determine the best
weight for you, but if you’re a home exerciser, don’t worry.
Invest in a good set of dumbbells that range in weight from
three to ten pounds (more if you are an old pro at weight-lifting
and expect to increase your strength considerably). Hold the
5-lb. weight in your dominant hand and do as many bicep curls
as you can before tiring. If you can do more than 15 curls
without feeling your muscle tire, you need to use a higher
weight. On the other hand, if you were only able to do twelve
repetitions or less, you should probably use a lower weight
until you have built up more strength. Between twelve and fifteen
reps means the five-pound weight is appropriate for you right
now.
Once
you have identified the right weight for you, the next
step is to know the right form to use. Proper alignment is
crucial to avoiding injury and getting the most out of your
workout, so stand up straight as you move the weight and remember
to keep your shoulders back and lifted and your head high.
Imagine there is a string attached to the top of your head
that is pulling your body straight. If you feel yourself begin
to hunch over or slouch, stop and take a deep breath and then
resume your good posture. Staying in alignment earns you the
most results from your workout.
Build Upper Body Strength
This is a simple routine that you can easily incorporate to
your preexisting workout schedule. Simply add these exercises
three to four days per week and watch your muscles become shapely
and defined.
Bicep Curl (tones front of arms)
The classic move, bicep curls can be underestimated and overused
if you’re not careful. It’s not just about lifting a weight
up and down; when done correctly, this can be one of the most
powerful moves in your arsenal. Begin by holding one weight
in each hand with your palms facing inward. Rotate your arms
out so that your palms now face to the front and slowly lift
the weight almost one hundred and eighty degrees until your
palm and the weight face your shoulder. Slowly lower the weight
back to its original position and then repeat. By slowing down
the speed of the movement, you force the muscle to work harder
than it would with the momentum of a fast action. This develops
the bicep muscle faster and better. Repeat this move for three
sets of 25 repetitions for each arm.
Tricep Press (tones back of arms)
The tricep muscle can be one of the most difficult muscles
to develop primarily because most people do not use it very
often in daily life. Running along the back side of the arm
opposite to the bicep, the tricep muscle can turn flabby and
droopy without exercise. The best move to tone saggy arms is
to begin standing with feet shoulder-width apart with weights
in hand. Take a giant step forward with your right foot, lean
forward slightly and then raise the weights behind you with
your palms facing the ceiling. Raise the weights toward the
ceiling as far as possible and then slowly lower. Repeat this
move for three sets of 20 repetitions: on the final repetition
of each set, hold your arms up and gently pulse the weight
up no more than a few inches. Asking your tricep muscle to
squeeze every ounce of strength out of it will start to show
serious results in a short amount of time.
Overhead Raise (tones shoulders)
Shoulders can be neglected when you focus on improving the
arms, but having strong, healthy shoulders is vital to many
everyday movements. Strengthening the shoulders will allow
the arms to grow stronger as well and improve your overall
upper body muscle. Begin by standing with weights in hands
about shoulder height. Slowly lift the weights overhead and
then lower. Repeat the movement for three sets of 25 repetitions.
This move tones the muscles that run on top of your shoulder
and increase performance from the bicep. When these muscles
grow in strength, they complement each other and increase effectiveness
as well as turning your muscles into lean, beautiful powerhouses.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2005
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