Something for upper body?

RyanneRose
RyanneRose Posts: 128 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm right at the beginning of my journey here, and am mostly focused on keeping close to my calorie goal, and getting more active. I'm doing fairly well with the calories and for the most part making better choices. For the past two weeks, I've gotten on my elliptical for 45-60min a day six days of the week with a "rest" day of 15min on Sunday. Yay...eating better and getting more active!

But I'm wondering if there's anything fairly easy to incorporate or add during or after the elliptical workout (this is the only machine I have access to - my other choice is walking the neighborhood with the baby and stroller) which would benefit my upper body? I can feel my current workout all the way up my legs and my backside, and it's definitely keeping the heart rate up, but I feel like I'm neglecting my arms etc. Like I said, I'm just starting out which is why I say "fairly easy". Right now, lifting and carrying my daughter (24lbs) and her stuff is the extent of my upper body work.

Replies

  • RyanneRose
    RyanneRose Posts: 128 Member
    bump?
  • JessicaDumont2
    JessicaDumont2 Posts: 100 Member
    You could do push-ups, pull ups, and worst of all, planks. Haha. :) I hate planks but they workout everything on you.
  • RyanneRose
    RyanneRose Posts: 128 Member
    Heh, there's no way I could do pull ups with this body right now. I'm not very good at push ups, but I can do them. Planks...also not my best, but can make a valiant effort lol. Anything else?
  • healthywtb
    healthywtb Posts: 80 Member
    Jillian Michael's Shred 1,2,3 work the upper body as well as some cardio and abs. If some of the exercises got too bouncy for my knee, I just do the modifications offered. if you search that on MFP, you will see many comments and references about it.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Heh, there's no way I could do pull ups with this body right now. I'm not very good at push ups, but I can do them. Planks...also not my best, but can make a valiant effort lol. Anything else?

    Start with push-ups and planks on your knees
    Get a pair of light hand weights, 3-5 lbs. to start with
    Google these moves if you're not familiar with them:
    Bicep curls
    Tricep dips
    Shoulders: side raises, upright rows, overhead presses
  • MistressAella
    MistressAella Posts: 99 Member
    http://truestarhealth.com/members/cm_archives11ML3P1A26.html

    ^good ideas there.

    You can modify the pushups by doing them on your knees or even by placing your hands on say, your island surface, and doing a pushup that way. I can't do a pullup either, but I put a bar on top of my couch arm (it's high) and the kids craft table and use it for inverted rows. I've even bench pressed my kids, lol. They loved it and it gave me a good workout. Fill milk jugs with water and use them for bicep curls. If you had access to a band you can use that for overhead tricep extensions. You can use those milk jugs again for deadlifts or good mornings. You can use a high couch arm to do extensions and work your lower back. Or do supermans on the floor. Again with the milk jugs for bent over rows.... Honestly, I've even gotten my husband to stand or kneel on the couch and lean over onto my feet and used him as a leg press. lmfao. Anything works with a little (crazy) imagination ;) Good Luck!!
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    http://truestarhealth.com/members/cm_archives11ML3P1A26.html

    ^good ideas there.

    You can modify the pushups by doing them on your knees or even by placing your hands on say, your island surface, and doing a pushup that way. I can't do a pullup either, but I put a bar on top of my couch arm (it's high) and the kids craft table and use it for inverted rows. I've even bench pressed my kids, lol. They loved it and it gave me a good workout. Fill milk jugs with water and use them for bicep curls. If you had access to a band you can use that for overhead tricep extensions. You can use those milk jugs again for deadlifts or good mornings. You can use a high couch arm to do extensions and work your lower back. Or do supermans on the floor. Again with the milk jugs for bent over rows.... Honestly, I've even gotten my husband to stand or kneel on the couch and lean over onto my feet and used him as a leg press. lmfao. Anything works with a little (crazy) imagination ;) Good Luck!!

    This just reminded me! Duh!
    I just got a Pilates DVD that uses a resistance band.
    It's broken up into 10 minute segments and you can customize which muscle groups you want to work.
    It's called "10 Minute Solution Tighten & Tone Pilates" with Lara Hudson.
    I bought it at Walmart.
  • RyanneRose
    RyanneRose Posts: 128 Member
    Thanks, all...great suggestions here! I actually have 30DS but injured myself doing the jumping (snapped something in my leg and haven't been the same since) so it's been gathering dust on the shelf for about 3 months. I got through level 2. It didn't even occur to me to do one part of it without the other. Wow, not sure where my brain went. I do have a band, and also a set of 2 and 8lb weights, but I think I need to get a 5.
  • phjorg
    phjorg Posts: 252 Member
    Heh, there's no way I could do pull ups with this body right now. I'm not very good at push ups, but I can do them. Planks...also not my best, but can make a valiant effort lol. Anything else?

    Start with push-ups and planks on your knees
    Get a pair of light hand weights, 3-5 lbs. to start with
    Google these moves if you're not familiar with them:
    Bicep curls
    Tricep dips
    Shoulders: side raises, upright rows, overhead presses
    so 4 push movements, 2 arms 1 core and 0 pull movements and 0 legs. seems unbalanced...
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Heh, there's no way I could do pull ups with this body right now. I'm not very good at push ups, but I can do them. Planks...also not my best, but can make a valiant effort lol. Anything else?

    Start with push-ups and planks on your knees
    Get a pair of light hand weights, 3-5 lbs. to start with
    Google these moves if you're not familiar with them:
    Bicep curls
    Tricep dips
    Shoulders: side raises, upright rows, overhead presses
    so 4 push movements, 2 arms 1 core and 0 pull movements and 0 legs. seems unbalanced...

    OP asked for upper body.
    Just giving her ideas to choose from.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Thanks, all...great suggestions here! I actually have 30DS but injured myself doing the jumping (snapped something in my leg and haven't been the same since) so it's been gathering dust on the shelf for about 3 months. I got through level 2. It didn't even occur to me to do one part of it without the other. Wow, not sure where my brain went. I do have a band, and also a set of 2 and 8lb weights, but I think I need to get a 5.

    I don't know if this applies to you or not, but I've found myself thinking that since I knew next to nothing about fitness/exercise that I had to do the entire work out perfectly or would see no results.
    I've since become more comfortable with modifying work outs to work for me.

    Another option: If you have two of the 2lb hand weights, you can hold both in one hand and work one arm/side at a time.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    Can you push and pull on the arms on your elliptical machine? If you can, just stop using your legs and do a short workout with your arms only. Be sure to push and pull!

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