Upper Body Strength Training Exercises

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To create a balanced physique you must do Upper Body Strength Training Exercises. Your upper body is a complex group of muscles that work together to keep you upright and give you the ability to lift and carry things.

Take a moment to think exactly what your upper body is made of.

Back, Abs, Chest, Shoulders, Biceps, and Triceps. There are a lot of muscles that work together to allow your hands, elbows, shoulders, and spine to move and stabilize. In order to maintain and improve your physical abilities it is imperative that you include Upper Body Strength Training Exercises in your workout routine.

Training For Strength and Endurance

As you begin your Upper Body Strength Training Exercises be aware of why you are training. Obviously you want to get stronger but you also need to have a level of endurance. You can achieve both goals with the same exercises- the difference is how much weight you lift and how many repetitions you do.

Training For Strength

To get stronger you lift heavier weights. One rule of thumb is to choose a weight that you can lift with good form for about 8-10 repetitions. By the time you get to the 8th rep it should feel quite challenging.

Rest for about 60 seconds between sets to let your muscles recover. If you can easily do more than 10 reps with good form, you are ready to lift a heavier weight. If you cannot do 8 reps with good form, you likely need to choose a lighter weight.

Training For Endurance

Having muscular endurance means you will are able to hold and lift items for longer periods- an important ability for everyday life. To train for greater endurance you lift weights that are a little bit lighter and you do more reps than if you were training mainly for strength.

Pick a weight that you can lift for 12-15 reps. By the time you reach the 15th rep, your muscles should be fatigued to the point that you cannot do another.

Combining Strength and Endurance for Maximum Benefits

If you want to get the most from your Upper Body Strength Training Exercises try mixing up the reps and weights that you are lifting for each set.

Alternate your workout goals. One week focus on strength, the next week work on your endurance.

Mix up strength and endurance in the same workout. Do one exercise for strength and the next for endurance. Or even try doing one set for strength and the next for endurance.

Test your strength to keep progressing. Once you can lift a weight with good form for a solid 10 reps, begin to challenge your endurance with the same weight. Try to do more reps. If you can do 12-15 reps with that weight for consecutive sets and workouts, you are ready to move on to the next heavier weight.

Avoiding Common Upper Body Strength Training Exercises Mistakes

Not lifting enough weight - Many people make the mistake of picking a weight that is too light. These people are missing out on the benefits of lifting weights.

The reality is that you want to lift a challenging weight to not only tone your muscles but also build your bone density. Depending on your goals, if you can lift a weight more than 15 times in a row, you are not lifting enough weight.

Lifting too much weight - The problem with lifting weights that are too heavy is that your form will often be compromised and this will lead to unnecessary injuries. Depending on your goals, if you cannot lift a weight for more than 8 reps with perfect form, it is too heavy.

Poor Form - This is a common mistake made by people who don’t understand how they should be holding their body when they lift weights. When you have poor form with your Upper Body Strength Training Exercises, you end up making other body parts work harder to move the weight rather than doing their job as stabilizers. You will not get the results you are looking for and you may end up injuring yourself.

Poor Control - This refers to the speed that you are lifting weights. If you speed through your reps you end up using momentum to assist you and are setting yourself up for injury. Slow down by counting- 4 counts to lift and 4 counts to lower.

Not Resting Long Enough - Get enough rest between sets and enough rest between workouts. You want to aim for 30-60 seconds of rest between sets and at least 48 hours between working out the same muscle group.

Emphasize Stable Posture

Maximize Your Strength Results

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