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Precor Resistance Training Program #3 - Upper Body Workout: Chest, shoulders, arms, and mid and upper back

This is a split routine workout that requires a commitment to exercising at least twice a week, and more optimally, four times a week. For the best results, commit to working each body part at least two times per week (lower body on two days and upper body on two days), and avoid using the same muscles on consecutive days.

Specifically, this upper body workout focuses on the chest, mid and upper back, shoulders, and arms, compared to the lower body workout which focuses on the legs, abs, and lower back. Ideally, you should perform the lower body workout on days 1 and 4 and the upper body workout on days 2 and 5.

Workout Details:

Precor Machine: Any of the Precor Strength Training Systems
Total Time: approximately 45 to 60 minutes
Goal: To focus on a select group of muscles and perform more than just one or two exercises per body part. Provide a workout focused primarily on building overall upper body strength.

Warm Up:

Machine: Precor EFX or similar cardio machine that is effective for increasing core body temperature.
Time: 5 to 7 minutes
Stretch: Following the warm up, perform some basic stretches for the arms, shoulders, hamstrings, and quadriceps.
Level: 1-20

Workout Tips:

• As you begin the resistance training portion of the workout, pay attention to your body as you exercise. Some muscle fatigue is normal, but if you feel any pain and/or discomfort, the exercise should be stopped immediately.
• While performing resistance exercises, breathe normally and don't hold your breath. Inhale during the concentric phase (i.e., while the muscle is getting shorter) and exhale during the eccentric phase (i.e., when the muscle is getting longer).
• Perform the exercises in a slow and controlled manner over a full range of motion.
• As you become more comfortable with the exercise routine, challenge yourself by first increasing the number of repetitions, then the weight.
• Consult a qualified health and fitness professional if you are a beginner or have specific questions.

Workout Outline:

Basics:After you have completed the warm-up, start the resistance training portion of the workout.
Weight: Use enough weight so that the last repetition is very difficult to complete.
Number of exercises: 12
Amount of rest between sets: 30 seconds to 1 minute
Amount of rest between exercise pairs: 1-2 minutes
Note: Some of the exercises may not be available on all Precor strength machines.

Body Part	Exercise	Primary muscle(s) worked	1Number of repetitions/set	2Number of sets
Back	Lat pull down	Latissimus dorsi, biceps	8-12	2-3
	Seated row	Latissimus dorsi, biceps, posterior deltoid, rhomboids	8-12	2-3
	Posterior deltoid	Posterior deltoid	8-12	2-3
Chest	Incline press	Pectorals, triceps, deltoid	8-12	2-3
	Pectoral fly	Pectorals, deltoid	8-12	2-3
Shoulders	3Shoulder press	Deltoid, triceps	8-12	2-3
	Upright row	Deltoid, trapezius	8-12	2-3
	Lateral shoulder raise	Medial deltoid	8-12	2-3
Arms	3Preacher curl or standing biceps curl	Biceps, forearm	8-12	2-3
	Triceps pushdown or triceps kickback	Triceps	8-12	2-3

¹The number of repetitions is recommended for healthy adults under 50 to 60 years of age. For individuals interested in developing muscular endurance, who are older than 50 to 60 years or are more frail, 10 to 15 repetitions with less weight may be more appropriate. (Source: ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 6th edition, 2000.)

²While 2 to 3 sets is recommended to elicit strength gains for this particular strength program, for previously sedentary individuals or individuals who are just starting a resistance training program, 1 set may be more appropriate. (Source: ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 6th edition, 2000.)

³If desired and your particular machine is equipped for both exercises, you can do both, but cut the number of sets to 1-2 per exercise.

1. Lat pulldown Muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, biceps Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3
2. Seated row Muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, biceps, posterior deltoid, rhomboids Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3
3. Posterior deltoid Muscles worked: Posterior deltoid Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3
4. Incline press Muscles worked: Pectorals, triceps, deltoid Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3
5. Pectoral fly Muscles worked: Pectorals, deltoid Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3
6. Shoulder press Muscles worked: Deltoid, triceps Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3
7. Upright row Muscles worked: Trapezius, deltoid Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3
8. Lateral shoulder raise Muscles worked: Medial deltoid Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3/arm
9. Preacher curl (shown) or standing biceps curl Muscles worked: Biceps, forearm Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3
10. Triceps pushdown (shown) or triceps kickback Muscles worked: Triceps Number of Repetitions: 8-12 Number of sets: 2-3

Workout courtesy of Jessica Smith, Fitness Consultant