This is a quick upper body workout for women, who, very much like myself, want to tone arms, chest, shoulders, and back and fix bad posture. You only need dumbbells, and you can do all of these upper body exercises at home or at the gym.
Train Upper Body As A Woman, Why?
Why in the world would you want to look like The Hulk? That was my belief when I was a teenager and in my early twenties.
Then I got a desk job.
And that desk job turned me into a Quasimodo.
And there I was left with a dilemma, we all face at some point in life:
Quasimodo or The Hulk?
Which one do you want to be? Or be with?
If you’re not someone who has a strong back and upper body and are sitting for a loooooong time, chances are, you’ll start getting pains when you’re working a desk job. And it sucks. The neck hurts, the lower back aches, and you’re just blaaah.
Training upper body will help build strength in your back, neck and shoulder muscles so that maintaining correct posture, even when sitting becomes much easier.
Another reason to work upper body? Toned arms. Waving without the wobble. Getting older, but defying gravity as if it’s nothing. Natural laws, you can’t touch this. Tarararam. Hammer (curl) time.
You Won’t Become The Hulk
Even if you answered The Hulk to the famous question above, let me disappoint you real quick. An upper body workout here and there will not make you look like The Hulk. Trust me.
There are a lot of people out there eating more protein powder than the pharma companies can produce in a day, who also lift weights heavier than themselves. I’m not talking about ants. We all know they’re talented and miraculous creatures. I’m talking about real people whose goal is to actually look like The Hulk. With all that effort, they still don’t reach that goal. Go figure. So, we’re safe, mkay?
Upper Body Workout Instructions
To perform this quick workout, do each of the exercises shown below 12 times and then repeat the whole thing for 3 rounds total.
Make sure to warm up and do some shoulders rolls to get your body warm and ready for these moves.
You can use dumbbells, but if you’re a beginner, you can also skip the dumbbells. If you do: make sure to squeeze the muscle as you do the movement – that ‘s the important part in any workout.
Upper Body Exercises For Women
1. Bicep Curl To Overhead Press
via eHowFitness
This is a compound movement, which means we combine two moves that train different muscle groups in one exercise. You’re doing a bicep curl, which strengthens your biceps and you’re doing an overhead press which works your shoulders, upper back, triceps and your core. Do this exercise 12 times.
2. One Arm Dumbbell Row
via eHowFitness
This exercise works mainly your back, but also shoulders and biceps. Make sure to really squeeze at the top, especially if you’re not using dumbbells. Do 12 on each side.
3. Overhead Triceps Extension
via LIVESTRONG.COM
The overhead tricep extension, the name says it all: it is great for your triceps. Use an appropriate weight or no weight at all and repeat this move 12 times.
4. Triceps Kick Backs
via LIVESTRONG.COM
Another one for the triceps, and my personal favorite. If you want to reduce arm flab, this is a great exercise to do. Do 12 repetitions on each side.
5. Reverse Fly
via eHowFitness
This is my favorite exercise to do as someone who has chronic shoulder and neck pain. The reverse fly strengthens your rhomboid muscle in the upper back. A strong back can help prevent shoulder and neck injury. Do 12 reps and move on.
6. Push Ups
via Howcast
A push up is a classic for a reason: it works your chest, your core, your arms and shoulders. And you don’t need any equipment to perform a push-up. You just drop to the floor and give me 12. You can do them from your knees or from a plank position.
That is all the exercises. Do three rounds for a quick upper body toning session at home or at the gym or anywhere you are. Do it a few times a week to see results. I hope you enjoy the workout!
