This upper body workout tones triceps, back muscles and strengthens the core
Upper body strength is important because the upper half controls the ability to perform everyday activities such as reaching, pulling, pushing and lifting. Having a strong upper body improves flexibility, mobility and a range of motions. If your strength deteriorates as you age, you are more prone to injuries. Working out on the upper body is more about looking good. It is essential to keeping the body toned and strong as it carries a lot of health benefits. These strength training exercises target the large muscle groups located in the upper part of the body. The exercises aim at strengthening the chest, biceps, back, triceps and shoulder muscles.
Seated overhead press The seated overhead press is an overall body, compound exercise. Your shoulders and arms press the weight while the lower back and abs balance you. The Overhead Press is one of the best exercises to build strong, muscular and healthy shoulders with toned arms.
Hold a set of dumbbells and create 90-degree angles with each arm, so that the upper arms are parallel to the ground and the dumbbells are at about head height.
As you exhale, press the weights overhead. Do not clank the weight. Keep the arms parallel from each other.
Return to the starting position, not letting the elbows droop below shoulder height to keep some resistance.
Do three sets of eight repetitions.
Elevated push up The push-up is an exercise that strengthens the entire body. In an elevated push-up, either the upper or lower body is elevated above the rest of the body at a certain angle to the floor. These push-ups are a useful addition to regular push-ups and they can enhance the exercise routine. The strength building exercise mainly targets the chest in addition to the shoulder and triceps.
Lie on the floor face down and place your hands apart, holding your torso up at arms length.
Place your toes on top of a flat bench. This will allow your body to be elevated. The higher the elevation of the flat bench, the higher the resistance.
Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
Using your pectoral muscles, press the upper body to starting position and squeeze the chest. Breathe out as you perform this step.
After a second, pause at the contracted position, do as many repetitions as desired.
Chair dip Chair dips are isolation exercises that are insanely effective while developing powerful and defined triceps. The exercise is performed on an elevated surface. In this method, you will use your body weight as resistance.
Position yourself in front of a chair in a dip position with arms locked. Intertwine your legs and bend at the knees.
Try to avoid leaning forward with your upper body.
Begin by slowly lowering yourself while inhaling, until the arms form a 90-degree angle.
Squeeze your triceps and shoulders to propel yourself upward and back to the starting position while exhaling.
At the top of the movement, contract your arm, shoulder and chest muscles hard, hold for one count.
Continue for 45 seconds.
Single arm dumbbell row The single arm row is a compound exercise which targets the back and arms using a dumbbell. One of the benefits of the single arm row is that it is an isolation exercise effectively targeting the whole back area.
Kneel over to the side of a bench by placing the knee and hand of the supporting arm on a bench.
Position the foot of the opposite leg slightly back to the side. Grasp dumbbell from the floor.
Pull dumbbell up to the side until it makes contact with the ribs or until the upper arm is just beyond horizontal.
Return until the arm is extended and the shoulder is stretched downward. Repeat and continue with the opposite arm.
Do two sets of eight to 10 on each side.
The writer Manish Jaswal is the director of Spa. The exercises have been performed by Shalini MS, a fitness instructor.
