Upper Body Exercises

Upper body exercises are important because we have so many different muscles in that area. The upper body can be divided into 6 parts. The lower back, upper back, chest, shoulders, neck, and arms.

Each body part has a few different exercises that build the muscles in that area. Here are the names and locations of the muscles we will be exercising.

Erectors of the back-columns of muscles on either side of the spine

Lats- latissimus dorsi muscles on the back(under the arms)

Upper back- small muscles around the shoulder blades,and the large kite-shaped trapezius which covers much of the upper back and slopes into the neck

Shoulders-deltoids (or delts)

Neck

Chest-pectorals, or pecs

Triceps-rear of the upper arm

Biceps and Brachialis- front of the upper arm

Your abdominals, although they appear on the upper portion of your body, are discusses in their own section, under abdominal exercises

Erector exercises include back extensions, deadlifts (bent-legged, partial, and stiff-legged), side bends, and Squats.

Latissimus dorsi exercises include cable row, deadlift (bent-legged, partial, and stiff-legged), dumbbell rows, parallel bar dip, prone rows, pulldowns, pullovers, and pullups.

To work the muscles of the upper back do cable rows, deadlifts (bent-legged, partial, and stiff-legged), dumbbell rows, prone rows, pulldowns, pullups, and shrugs.

For your deltoids do bench press (close-grip, incline and decline) cable row, dumbell row, L-fly, overhead lockout, overhead press, parallel bar dip, and prone row.

Exercises for your Traps include the deadlift, overhead lockout, overhead press, shrugs, and stiff-legged deadlifts.

Neck exercises include using a four way neck machine, and resistance strap, balls or partners.

To work your chest do bench press (close-grip, incline and decline),parallel bar dips, pulldowns, and pullovers.

To strengthen your biceps you will want to do curls, cable rows, dumbbell rows, prone rows, pulldowns, and pullups.

To strengthen your triceps you can do tricep extensions, bench press (close- grips, declines, and inclines), overhead lockouts, overhead press, parallel bar dips, and pullovers.

Exercises for your Traps include the deadlift, overhead lockout, overhead press, shrugs, and stiff-legged deadlifts.

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