Lifting : Upper Body

This_chick221
This_chick221 Posts: 30
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone have a weekly plan they go by that they'd like to share?

I need to tone my upper body SEVERELY! Majority of which is my core and arms. I lose weight from my bottom half first and look like a freakish cartoon character!

Diet is pretty well under wraps, I limit sugar also, as it LOVES to stick to my tummy!

Thoughts anyone?

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm assuming you are a beginner in the weight room. Look into the book, The New Rules of Lifting for Women..."lift like a man and look like a goddess."
  • This_chick221
    This_chick221 Posts: 30
    Very new! And THANK YOU!
  • norrisski
    norrisski Posts: 1,217 Member
    Jamie Eason Live Fit on bodybuilding.com. I am on Week 5 without really following her diet and feel fantastically strong and have some muscle definition that I didn't have 5 weeks ago.
  • jalloggio
    jalloggio Posts: 141
    Being a certified trainer, I usually make my own programs depending on my goals. I have many clients online who have access to unlimited workout programs.

    You can google "upperbody workouts" and find many decent programs.

    What kind of program are you doing now? what are your goals?
  • gerard54
    gerard54 Posts: 1,107 Member
    I started out doing the 5x5 workout. Loved it...
  • This_chick221
    This_chick221 Posts: 30
    Being a certified trainer, I usually make my own programs depending on my goals. I have many clients online who have access to unlimited workout programs.

    You can google "upperbody workouts" and find many decent programs.

    What kind of program are you doing now? what are your goals?


    My main goal is to lose 20lbs, but tone things up all the way around. I am at 165, and was most comfortable at 145.

    I am infatuated with cardio. Zumba, elliptical, boxing, I have a plethora of classes I take. I've never lifted consistently. My upper body strength is lacking. My weight goes straight to my gut, and I am just sick of it. So I need a routine to correct it and of course maintain it. Thus, my research led me to lifting. Duh!!!

    I MAKE time to workout 6 days a week. I'm not a slacker, and I don't make excuses. I just have very little direction in regards to lifting so I've never pursued it.
  • scyian
    scyian Posts: 243 Member
    Im on New Rules for Women and my upper body strength was pants before I started, but it's improved loads in the past couple of weeks.
  • juliekins64
    juliekins64 Posts: 125 Member
    This is my upper body routine (google for pics):
    -bench press
    -flyes
    -one arm dumbell row
    -shoulder press
    -lat pull down
    -chin up
    -pushups

    This is not the order of exercises, I usually alternate an upper body and then a lower body or sometimes superset.
  • HE84
    HE84 Posts: 12
    This may be a stupid question, but I am new to lifting too, what is the 5X5 workout?
  • jalloggio
    jalloggio Posts: 141
    Seems to me that you just need a good program to follow!
  • This_chick221
    This_chick221 Posts: 30
    This is my upper body routine (google for pics):
    -bench press
    -flyes
    -one arm dumbell row
    -shoulder press
    -lat pull down
    -chin up
    -pushups

    This is not the order of exercises, I usually alternate an upper body and then a lower body or sometimes superset.

    How many sets are you doing??
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    I've completed New Rules of Lifting for Women and moved on to New Rules of Lifting Supercharged with a once-a-week 5x5 workout thrown in for good measure.

    Highly recommend NROL for Women if you have never been in the weight room before. It will give you confidence and introduce you to a variety of lifts and you can move on to more NROL workouts or to a different program.
  • juliekins64
    juliekins64 Posts: 125 Member
    This is my upper body routine (google for pics):
    -bench press
    -flyes
    -one arm dumbell row
    -shoulder press
    -lat pull down
    -chin up
    -pushups

    This is not the order of exercises, I usually alternate an upper body and then a lower body or sometimes superset.

    How many sets are you doing??

    I do 3 sets of 10 reps. I won't do all of those if I am trying to progress to a heavier weight because my upper body gets fatigued. If I am only doing a moderate amount of weight (heavy but I am not completely exhausted by the 10th rep) I will do all of those.
  • juliekins64
    juliekins64 Posts: 125 Member
    This is my lower body and core routine, 3 sets of 10 reps:

    Squats (lifting ~60 lbs)
    Step Ups w/bicep curl (1 set is 10 reps on each leg)
    Deadlift (65 lbs)
    Dumbell Lunges (1 set is 10 reps on each leg)

    Russian twists with medicine ball
    Knee pull ups (hanging from arms and pulling knees up to chest)
    Bicycle crunches
    Plank Hamstring Curl (using stability ball)
  • Daysednconfused
    Daysednconfused Posts: 975 Member
    I started lifting in January, after purchasing a home gym (universal machine, not free weights). This is my routine MWF, in the order I do them. I do 3 sets of each, with as many reps as I can handle, increasing weight anytime I can do 15 reps.

    Military Press
    Reverse curls
    Lat Pull Down
    Triceps Extension
    Bench Press, Machine
    Pull Ups (pull-ups)
    Butterfly (Pectoral Fly)
    Biceps Curl
    Shoulder Shrug

    Good luck!

    P.S. I have the same issue as you as far as losing weight. My grandson said to me yesterday that I was soooooo skinny "at the bottom (meaning my legs), but you get bigger and bigger as you go up". UGH!
  • _happycats_
    _happycats_ Posts: 105 Member
    I agree with several others - New Rules of Lifting for Women is so great :) Walks you through why it's important and gives you a workout program that explains each step and switches things up every few weeks so you've got lots of variety!

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