Since muscle building is the new sexy, it’s no surprise that more people than ever want to start lifting weights. Instagram hashtags like “fitspiration” and “gym” contains millions of posts, most of which feature flexed muscles, inspirational quotes, and exercise advice.
While weight training can be a great way to lose weight and build muscle, it can be confusing and even intimidating to choose which exercise to perform to build a Greek god physique. However, in order to build an attractive upper body, you must concentrate on larger muscle groups such as your back, chest, and shoulders. So, if you’re about to begin lifting or have plateaued, here are the upper body strength exercises you should incorporate into your routine for maximum results.
1) Lat Pulldown
The lat pulldown is an excellent exercise for developing a V-taper back. A large and wide back creates the illusion that a person has a well-built upper body. Lat pulldown, as the name implies, targets your latissimus dorsi muscle, also known as the lats. The lats are one of the largest muscles in the back, so training them is essential. Moreover, when a person performs a lat pulldown, they work their traps, delts, and biceps. The best thing about doing lat pulldowns is that they are an excellent substitute for pull-ups.
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2) Bench Press
What makes a physique stand out? Probably well-developed pec muscles. Bench press is one of the most popular exercises among bodybuilders and celebrities for developing a strong and muscular chest. Bench press exercises target all the muscles in your chest, including the pectoralis major and minor. Moreover, the chest press is a compound exercise, which means it works more than two muscles at the same time. Similarly, when you perform a bench press, you work your chest, shoulders, and triceps. The best part about the chest press is that it helps you burn a lot of calories while also improving your strength.
3) Military Press
There is a common misconception that you must train your biceps in order to build strong and large arms. However, in order to make your arms appear larger, you should concentrate on your shoulders first, followed by your biceps muscle. Moreover, having a strong shoulder gives your body a 3D appearance and makes it appear broad. The military press is the best exercise for developing shoulder muscles. The military press focuses on the deltoid muscle, which is the largest in the shoulder. The best thing about performing military press is that it aids in the smooth execution of all exercises that involve the shoulder.
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4) Tricep Dips
Growing bigger arms is one thing, but making them look broad is another, which is where the triceps come in. A tricep muscle is twice the size of a bicep muscle, so developing large triceps complements the biceps and makes the arms appear larger. Dips are the best exercise for triceps training. The best thing about dips is that there is no risk of injury when performing them.
5) Biceps Curls
You’d be lying if you said your goal isn’t to bulk up your biceps. The biceps curl is the best exercise for developing bicep muscles. A person can perform curls with dumbbells or barbells, but using dumbbells allows for a better mind-muscle connection. The only thing to remember is that the biceps are one of the smallest muscles, so train hard but don’t overtrain.
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