The role of sports training in modern life
Currently, a woman strives not so much for equality with a man, but for her own self-sufficiency. By developing and pumping up all areas of her personality, she gains independence and self-confidence. This provides a colossal resource for moving in the rapid flow of life. But self-confidence is largely related to the feeling of external attractiveness. Nowadays, a woman strives to be slim, healthy, fit. And this is impossible without the use of physical exercise. The key to excellent shape is regular physical activity.
How to build a workout
- Start your session with a warm-up, like this one.
- Do the exercises consistently. “Optimal mode of operation: 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions in each exercise. But if you wish, you can combine these movements into a circuit training, dividing the complex into two parts,” says Lada Zadonskaya.
- Do this regimen 3 times a week.
- Finish your workout with stretching. For example, this one.
To complete the complex, you will need dumbbells, a mat, a fitball, and exercise machines with horizontal and vertical pulleys.
The importance of upper body training for women
Physical activity in itself brings tangible results to improve the appearance of any person. Upper body training for girls is very important. Physiologically, this is how it is arranged; usually the problem areas in a woman’s figure are the hips and buttocks, but a woman cannot do without a proportional upper belt. Upper body training for women is important primarily because it develops beautiful posture, which greatly influences the clarity of the oval of the face. In addition, such training allows you to develop and strengthen your back muscles. And this contributes to a more defined waistline. It has long been known: if you don’t have a waist, lose weight, work on your lower body and upper body. Upper body workouts for women can also strengthen your arms and armpits.
What's next?
Now all that's left to do is do it all! Choose one of the given test workouts and go to the gym. Once you feel comfortable with the types of data complexes that you like, you can start making your own. Just follow these templates and don't be afraid to experiment!
And when you feel more confident, you can add other training methods to these upper body workouts, such as drop sets, where you take the muscle to failure, then reduce the weight of the apparatus by 20-25% and work it to failure again.
You can also do a one-minute cadio between exercises, or do one set of exercises for the abs or buttocks, also between exercises in the program, to further work on lagging muscles.
Fuck you. Take it and use it. Just customize it for yourself.
I believe that boobs are the only thing that can be massive in a woman's upper body. A woman's voluminous biceps are ugly. The V-shape is disgusting. Shoulders that make you want to hoist a yoke with two full buckets on them are terrible.
If you are of the same opinion, you are screwed. The rest have nothing to do there.
Let me make a reservation right away: the antipode of a masculine torso is not plump or cockroach-dry.
The main goal of my training is a young body. Not emphasized muscular, not dried out like Baba Yaga, but young, that is, elastic, healthy, bulky. Like a girl in good shape. Even if you were a girl 15 years ago.
My upper body training is circular. I do all the exercises one after another without a break, rest for a minute or two, and do it again. I have three such circles. The lack of rest between exercises makes this workout not just strength, but also aerobic. You not only work out muscles, but also intensively burn fat.
Because I have breast implants, I don't do targeted chest exercises. In some exercises they are included additionally, this is enough for me. Women who do not have implants definitely need to work out their pectoral muscles.
I took this into account when writing the post.
1) T-pull in the simulator - latissimus dorsi + biceps, shoulders, forearms, lower back muscles and leg muscles.
For women who do not have breast implants, I recommend replacing this exercise with push-ups. A great compound exercise to start your workout. Works the pectoral muscles perfectly.
2) Press dumbbell(s) - shoulders.
You can perform it standing or sitting, with one hand or two. The main thing is to do it smoothly, without jerks or jolts.
3) French press - triceps.
It can be performed standing and sitting, lying on an inclined bench with your head up and head down, on exercise machines, with dumbbells, with a barbell with a bent bar.
I prefer the standing version with a dumbbell. When I didn’t have implants, I did it lying down, but now I feel like my chest is turning on. If there are no implants, I would recommend the option of using a dumbbell lying on a bench.
4) Vertical thrust - lats, but the pecs are also included. With chest thrusts, the pecs are more involved.
With any option, do not deviate the body from the vertical more than a few degrees, pull straight down without moving your elbows back. The grip is such that the thumb is not at the bottom of the handle, but at the top along with the rest.
5) Bends with a lower block - lower back, thigh biceps.
6) Curls with a lower block - biceps. Replacement options: dumbbell curls for biceps with a hammer grip or from an extended position (the back of the bench is at an angle of 45 degrees).
7) Extensions with the upper block - triceps.
8) Lifting dumbbells through the sides - shoulders.
The pace of the exercise is moderate.
All exercises, except push-ups, are for 12-15 repetitions. Push-ups - for the maximum number of repetitions.
If you feel that there is not enough load on the pecs, add a hammer press on them or crunches in the simulator between exercises 3 and 4.
Upper body program
is a comprehensive system for improving the proportions between the legs and the top, which is necessary when the athlete’s genetic muscle composition is represented by a large number of muscle motors units in feet. The key points here are the words system and st-uch-she-nie, since, firstly, the athlete must take a comprehensive approach to the issue of organizing training th process, and, secondly, to be aware of the fact that for the study of proportions, their presence is not necessary. There is no need to do bone carving somehow! It happens that beginners weighing 70 kg begin to bother with the volume of individual parts of the body, which is extremely irrational, so we don’t recommend it to you so without a gift -but waste time. First, gain total muscle mass and, perhaps, proportions of the street yourself, and if not, then proceed to the training program to the top -la!
The upper body training system consists of several stages, thanks to which it is possible to maximize your own potential. The first phase of the system is a strength one, working on general muscle volumes, so it is aimed at training large muscle masses with basic exercises. The second phase allows you to re-a-li-zo-vat the strength of ten-tsi-al developed in the first phase, so the number of approaches and repetitions changes -Xia, the athlete includes split and formative exercises. The third phase of the program is pumping, which allows you to build up the capillary network, restore large muscle masses and work out small muscle groups. Accordingly, during the first phase of carbohydrates, you need to eat a lot of carbohydrates, in the second phase, gradually reduce their amount, and in the third phase, pay more attention to ma-niya bel-kam, og-ra-ni-chi-vaya coals are exceptionally complex and fibrous.
Phase I upper body training
Deadlift – 6 sets of 6 reps Bench press – 6 sets of 6 reps Bent-over rows – 6 sets of 6 reps Military press – 6 sets of 6 reps Leg press – 6 sets of 6 reps
Notes*
the “pyramid” principle is used, and the “failure” repetition is only the last one in the last approach;
rest between sets for 1-2 minutes; at the end of the training, re-ko-men-du-et-sya, spin the exercise bike for 30-40 minutes to train the heart
; The duration of the phase is 12-16 training sessions, 3 workouts per week; if the athlete does not have time to recover, then it is necessary to add microperiodization, alternating training with 100% of the working weight and 75% of the working weight.
Phase II of the upper body program
Workout #1
Deadlift – 8 sets of 8 reps Bench press – 6 sets of 6 reps Leg press – 8 sets of 8 reps
Workout #2
Bent-over barbell rows – 6 sets of 6 reps Lat rows – 6 sets of 8 reps Bent-over barbell rows – 6 sets of 8 reps Dumbbell swings – 3 sets of 8 reps Barbell curls – 4 sets of 6 reps
Workout #3
Bench press – 4 sets of 6 reps and 2 sets of 2 reps Incline press – 6 sets of 6 reps Military press – 4 sets of 8 reps Barbell rows – 4 sets of 8 reps Hanging leg raises – 4 sets of maximum reps
Notes*
the pyramid principle is also used;
rest between approaches in basic exercises for 2-3 minutes, and in formative exercises for a minute; It is recommended to use cardio training
on rest days, and at the end of strength training, spin the bike for 10-15 minutes; duration of phase 24 of training; mi-kro-pe-ri-o-di-za-tion is not pre-us-mo-tre-na.
III phase of the upper body system
Workout #1
Barbell squats – 3 sets of 20 reps Bench press – 4 sets of 8 reps
To speed up recovery, improve protein metabolism and maximize muscle growth, each major muscle group (for example, chest, back, legs) should be trained no more than once every 2-3 days, but no less than once every 4-5 days - in other words, about twice a week.
Based on this principle, most training programs recommend dividing the body's musculature into upper and lower musculature—a so-called “double split”—and training each of these groups twice a week. At the same time, the exercises themselves in the program can be performed both with a barbell (a basic chest exercise) and on machines.
The principle of alternating training
Double split and division of the exercise program into the upper and lower parts of the body allows you to optimize the mechanisms of muscle recovery and the production of hormones important for its growth. While the muscles of the upper half of the body are recovering, you are actively training the lower half, and vice versa.
The optimal is 4 workouts per week and alternating exercises top-bottom-top-bottom. If you don't have the opportunity to train on the weekends, you can do 3 workouts a week, alternating the weeks themselves. In this case, in the first week you train the upper body twice, in the second - the lower body twice.
Home workouts
If a woman has never exercised before, she can start with home exercises. It is better to start upper body workouts for women with light weights. To do this, you will need a mat and small dumbbells weighing 0.5 and 1 kg. Any workout should always begin with a warm-up. Upper body exercises for girls are very diverse. One day it is better to do exercises for the arms and back, and another day for the chest. It is better to combine the development of the pectoral muscles with abdominal training. At the end of classes, it is necessary to stretch those muscle groups that were actively involved.
Various push-ups
Upper body training for men is impossible without including push-ups in the program. There are a huge number of types of push-ups. Below is just a list of the most effective of them for developing strength qualities:
- push-ups on a horizontal surface with cotton;
- push-ups with hands resting on an object, for example, a chair or fitball;
- push-ups in which your legs are higher than your upper body.
By performing these exercises, the athlete works the muscles of the upper back, chest, forearms and triceps.
Basic complex
A set of upper body workouts for girls must include push-ups. This is necessary to strengthen your arms and back. Women's push-ups are best performed from the knees. You should pay attention to the technique: the wrists should be strictly under the shoulder joints, there should be no arching in the lower back, the elbows should not look to the sides, but pressed to the body. To begin with, you can perform the exercise three times with 10-15 repetitions. A good exercise for strengthening the back muscles is hyperextension. At home, you can simplify this exercise and perform it lying on your stomach and lifting only the upper part of your body. This should be performed at least three times, 10-15 repetitions each. Flexion and extension are the best exercises for the arms. When bending, the biceps of the shoulder actively works, and when extending, the triceps. Should be performed three times for 10-15 repetitions
Some tips
Exercises for losing weight in the upper body and for developing muscle mass, which are given above, must be performed taking into account the following recommendations:
- before starting any activity, you should thoroughly warm up all the muscles of the body, setting aside 10-15 minutes for this;
- Exercises should be performed using the correct technique;
- special attention should be paid to rest between series of exercises, it should be about 2-3 minutes;
- If you have any questions regarding training, it is recommended to contact your instructor or coach;
- the training program should be planned taking into account the increase in additional weights, while the number of repetitions of a particular exercise should be reduced;
- any exercises should be performed quickly during the first phase, and smoothly during the final phase.
Exercises in the gym
Gym training for beginners is best done with an individual instructor. If this is not possible, then it is also worth dividing the load on the muscles of the back and arms and training for the chest muscles. As an exercise for girls on the upper body, to strengthen the back muscles, rows of the upper block and horizontal block are well suited. It is worth noting that when performing, the effort must be made using the back muscles, not the arms. Both of these exercises should be performed, if possible, in three sets, each of 10-15 repetitions. The weight should not be very heavy, the goal of the exercise is to strengthen. For arm muscles in the gym, you can also perform exercises with dumbbells for biceps and triceps. Swinging arms with dumbbells to the sides is very good at drawing the lines of the shoulders. In this case, the arms should be slightly bent at the elbows, and the shoulder line should rise to parallel with the floor. Elbows should be at the level of the shoulder joint.
Ab exercises with dumbbells
Let's complete the list of effective exercises for training the upper body with abdominal exercises. There are many different options for working out the abdominal muscles. A traditional abdominal exercise with additional weight is as follows: the athlete lies on the floor with his back, bends his legs at the knees, and places his feet on the floor. A dumbbell is placed on the chest, which must be supported with your hands. Then, the athlete lifts and lowers the upper body with a dumbbell on the chest.
Below is a photo of another way to use dumbbells to train your abdominals.
Exercises for chest muscles
For upper body training for women in the gym, to strengthen the pectoral muscles, an exercise on the butterfly machine is perfect. When performing, you need to make sure that your arms do not sag and that the effort is not made with your hands. You can also perform the barbell press while lying on a bench. To begin with, you can perform bench presses with an empty bar. Home exercises can also be done in the gym. Perform all exercises in three sets of 10-15 times.
In addition to the described upper body training exercises for girls, there are many others. Also, do not be afraid that huge muscle mass will immediately grow and the woman will begin to resemble a man. The peculiarity of female physiology is that the upper part of the body contains fewer muscles than the lower part. In addition, it should be remembered that muscle growth is determined by a certain level of the hormone testosterone. In women, its level is very low.
As mentioned earlier, you should do a warm-up routine before training. After training, stretch. Upper body exercises can be incorporated into a full body circuit workout. Such workouts are very effective for strengthening the muscle corset, promoting weight loss and shaping a slender silhouette.
Beauty and muscles
It is a common misconception that upper body strength training causes women to develop Arnold-style muscles. It is unlikely! Female hormones and physiological characteristics determine our strength and muscle development, as well as the volume and contours of body parts. You're not a professional bodybuilder, and you don't have to worry about looking like one.
In fact, the female body contains approximately ten times less testosterone than the male body. Girls with higher testosterone levels gain muscle mass faster than average women, but all women can train their back, arms and chest without fear of turning into the Hulk.
To improve your physique and create the athletic figure that most women dream of, you need to develop your back muscles, triceps, biceps and deltoids! Even if you forget about the muscles, the benefits of strength training for the upper body are very great. Here are just a few reasons why you should include it in your training schedule.
Strengthening bone tissue
Osteogenesis and remodeling are the processes by which the body adapts to changing stress by changing bone mass, structure, and removing weak or damaged bone tissue. The contraction of the muscles attached to the bones is the stress that forces the bones to change and become stronger. The stronger your muscles, the stronger your bones must be to cope with muscle contractions. Bone tissue modeling helps prevent fractures and prevents the development of osteoporosis.
Connective tissue
Tendons, ligaments and cartilage are what hold our bones together. Weakening, these connective tissue elements are at risk. Upper body strength exercises strengthen connective tissue in the elbows, shoulders, neck, spine, wrists and hands, improving joint function and stability. Excellent injury prevention.
Upper body strength exercises strengthen connective tissue in the elbows, shoulders, neck, spine, wrists and hands, improving joint function and stability
Muscle growth and fat burning
Strength training increases lean body mass while reducing fat reserves. The higher your muscle to fat ratio, the more metabolically active your body becomes. In an organism with an active metabolism, the level of basal metabolism increases, fat oxidation accelerates and energy consumption in the form of calories increases. In other words, you burn more calories and fat just by carrying more muscle mass!
More confidence, better results!
Considering all of the above, harmonious upper body development improves self-esteem and takes you to the Big League. Interesting data was published in the American Journal of Health Promotion. Scientists have concluded that women who do strength training three times a week achieve more significant improvements in their figure compared to girls who limit themselves to three walks a week (although walking is still better than sitting on your butt all day long). Feeling your own strength fills both body and mind with confidence.
Lots of benefits every day
While we tend to associate strength with winning sports, having strong arm and back muscles can make many everyday tasks easier. You will be able to move furniture without assistance, carry all the bags from the supermarket in one go, lift boxes without back pain and much more! Feeling your own strength is not only cool, but strength gives you independence, because you can easily cope with many everyday tasks.
