Summer Shape Up: Armed and Dangerous

Exercise, a love hate affair for some people.  Exercise should be about fun, not just another chore! How is your upper body strength?  Let's check, drop and give me 20 push up's! See, I new you would have fun!  

Looking to improve your upper body strength, not to mention that chiseled look we all love to flaunt (æsthetics is important too as a side effect)?  Allow me to share a few of my all time favorites. Don't worry, an expensive gym membership is not required.

If you currently train with free weights/machines you know you should be training and reaching failure on the last few repetitions. Training for upper body should include: front, middle, posterior shoulders, rotator cuff (external/internal rotation), back (low-back, traps, lats, rhomboids), biceps, triceps, chest. Never training the same muscle groups two consecutive days.

What is required to improve upper body strength and great looking arms is a creative mix of exercises, never routine, awesome form, reaching failure (i.e., never a bazillion repetitions) and a CLEAN "diet".   Yep, can't get away from it.  A good body is really made in the kitchen.

If you only perform cardio activities, you are missing out on developing muscle mass, a key component to the art of weight management. The success of long term weight management relies on clean eating and some form of strength training (walking not counting for strength).

A strong upper body is imperative to maintaining balance, supporting back health, improving posture which also reduces hunched backs and just have to get this in, breathing is more efficient. Daily activities are easier to perform such as lifting, turning, walking and running. As a side note, I've had several people over the years actually increase their height because their posture is so much better. They technically did not "grow taller", but because their posture improved from hunched position, they are standing prouder and taller!  Convinced?

Here are some of my all time favorite exercises I thought I would share to help you spice up your workout, sprinkle these into your mix of ingredients and see for yourself what changes you experience.  Note, your core should always be enaged during these exercises.

Looking for more tips?  Check out Core Power's Motivational Monday FREE Fit Tips, see link for more info:http://www.getcorepower.com/2012/02/900am-strength-training-coming-soon/.

Lynn MacDonald,ACE Personal Trainer/Registered Yoga Teacher (Yoga Alliance)
www.getcorepower.com