Many of us think we should stand around and do 15-20 reps of 5lb DB curls…right? Wrong! If you read this blog you know it’s low reps and heavy weight, first, and second, curls are the last thing you need to be doing. Let me tell you the best exercises to include in your strength training that will give you sexy arms.
Do your compound movements in the first part of your workout. Compound movement just means you are working more than one muscle group. Example, a Barbell Row is a back exercise but it utilizes your biceps, back, shoulders, and some glutes to execute. Compound moves also work your abs and core. You do enough of them at a good weight and you don’t have to formal ab work.
Start your upper body workout with these moves. 3-4 sets for 10-12 reps is a good rule of thumb for most people. Go until fatigue while able to keep good form.
Chest Press - Flat or Incline
Pull Ups/Chin Ups - these are EXCELLENT for your arms. Do them assisted if you need. This link shows you all you need to know to progress through pull ups if you don’t have an assist machine.
Lat Pulldowns - Wide and Close Grip
Rows - Cable Rows, Single Arm DB Rows, Barbell Rows…they are all good
Push Ups - Check out the push up challenge because it will work you good in just a few weeks.
Overhead Presses - Arnold and Regular Presses
Dips
These are my favorite exercises and I switch out my weekly routines with variations of all of them. I like to start a session off with one or two major compound moves for a few sets and go to failure or sticking. Then I move to exercises like curls or tricep extensions to finish off the muscle.
By incorporating these compound moves you’ll find your workout tougher, higher in intensity (which burns fat), and more productive.
Sample Upper Body Day for Fat Loss:
3 sets of Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns 10-12 reps SUPERSETTED with
3 sets of Dips
3×10-12 of Chin Ups SS with
3×10 -12 Bench Presses
3×10-12 of Push Ups SS with
3×10-12 DB Bicep Curls
3×10-12 OH Extensions SS with
3×10-12 Kickbacks or OH Presses
Rest 60 seconds between each Superset. That’s all you need. Beginners take the rest. Intermediate exercises, drop and give me abs for 60 seconds - no rest. Advanced or you want to just punish yourself…give me mountain climbers, burpees, bearcrawls, spiderwalks, pop squats, or run stairs between your supersets. You will NOT need cardio afterward. MUWAHAHAHAHAH!
And, don’t forget to drink your post-workout fuel! You don’t want to work this hard and lose your benefits by skimping on your fuel.