I’ve been working out recently, trying to add at least a little definition to my upper body. My primary issue is that I’m just sort of going at the various exercises haphazardly, doing 3 sets of whatever strikes my fancy and stresses something different each time. I don’t know a huge range of exercises, so I’m sure I’m missing muscle groups I should be working on, or I’m doing exercises in the wrong order, or something.
I would be the first to admit I’m not terribly knowledgeable about weight lifting, so if anyone can suggest a good well-rounded exercise routine that would hit all of the muscle groups for the upper body, that would be great.
Throw in some pull-ups, dumbbell or barbell curls for biceps work, toss in a few ab crunches to boot, and you’ll have a pretty comprehensive workout for the upper body.
If you are trying for “definition”, in other words, if you are looking for a “Six-Pack”, or other types of muscle definition that will stand out, then diet is just as important, if not more so, than pumping iron.
You can work out and develop great musculature, but if it is hidden under layers of fat because you can’t lay off the Big Macs and litres of Cokes, then it is pretty much wasted effort.
(Not really, you WILL have the muscle, only no one will know it.)
Yeah, I’m aware of this. I’m a few pounds overweight, enough to mask a “six-pack” but not enough to cover the fact that I have little to no muscle on my arms or chest
How many times a week, and for how long, can you dedicate to working out? If you only have an hour 3x a week, you will need to concentrate on exercises which work multiple muscle groups at the same time.
There is a great article in (I believe) Men’s Health either last month, or this month, about the scientist who developed a machine for NASA to use in 0 gravity, and what he learned developing it. Your muscles are at their peak ability to rebuild at 48 hours after working them, so if you can hit that group every other day, you should see the best growth that way. The recent thinking that targetting one muscle group each day, and once a week is giving yourself too long to rest.
I really would recommend you talk to a trainer at your gym to help you develop a program based on what your strengths and weaknesses are now, and not to take a program set up by someone blindly on the internet.
I personally spend 2-3 hours a night in the gym, so I can do much more specific exercises to each muscle group than someone who could spend 1 hour every other night.
Yeah, unfortunately the gym I’m at right now is 3/4 rock climbing gym and 1/4 standard gym, so they don’t have any personal trainers. Thanks for the tips though guys.
My primary issue is that I’m just sort of going at the various exercises haphazardly, doing 3 sets of whatever strikes my fancy and stresses something different each time. I don’t know a huge range of exercises, so I’m sure I’m missing muscle groups I should be working on, or I’m doing exercises in the wrong order, or something.
