Exercises for Building Upper Body Strength

Medicine Ball Slams

Strength Building Exercises

I haven't been to the gym for a little while and I don't feel good. My hands feel weak and my back hurts.

A couple of years ago, my lower back hurt so much that I had to  endure a lot of pain and had difficulty getting in and out of a car. I went to my doctor who laid put two options in for me:

Push Up on the Smith Machine

1.         Attend  physiotherapy sessions minimum two to three times a week to ease the pain

         Or

2.    Find a personal trainer who could customize an exercise program for me to strengthen my muscles.

Lat Pull Down

I pondered over the options. Since our health system only paid a fraction of the cost for physiotherapy sessions, I would still have to pay at least 2/3 of the cost. With that amount of money out of my own pocket, the physio would only target the aching part of my body. What about the rest? With an aging body, the rest of it would progressively get weakened and worse. 

Body Plank

Agility Ladder

But if I opted for the personal trainer program, she/ he would design a program that would not simply reduce pain but also strengthen my entire body. The difference in the cost is not phenomenal, therefore, I chose the personal trainer option.

I never regret it once!

I feel good and stronger each time upon finishing my session with my trainer.

Today’s  exercise program targeted  my upper body helping me to build muscles and strength. There were two sets of exercises:

Bicep Curls

Circuit 1

Medicine Ball Slam – 45 seconds

Push up on the Smith Machine – 12 times

Lat Pull Down Machine – 12 times

Body Plank ( on exercise mat) – 1 minute and 15 seconds

Circuit 2

a. Agility ladder – running in and out, back and forth 3 times

Walking lurch with weights ( carrying a 7.5 lb weight on each hand) – 20 times

Triceps Pulls

b. Bicep curls – 10 lbs on each hand – 20 times

c. Triceps pulls on the Dual Adjustable Pulley Machine – 12 times

d, Side planks ( on exercise mat) – each side for 30 seconds

Of the two circuits, I found the body plank the hardest. It was not easy supporting my entire body weight on two elbows. I was burning!!!

Side Plank

However, I do look forward to building enough strength so that I could lift some weights. That would be fun!!!  

  

R.T.

Women’s Gym

Don Mills, Toronto
Pictures from Google Images