STUCK FOR CASH and can’t afford the gym? No worries.
One barbell and a few weights is all you need to keep your upper body hard as granite.
Follow this five-exercise routine three times a week between now and Christmas and notice a major change to how you look.
1. Military press
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell in front of your shoulders, palms forward, and slowly push it upward, but not locking out the elbows.
Hold above your head for a moment before returning to the starting position. Take your time completing the rep and don’t use momentum to move the weight up.
Repeat eight times for one set and perform three sets.
2. Frontal raises
Again, stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent.
Position your hands on the barbell shoulder-width apart and rest it on the tops of your thighs with your knuckles facing out.
Now, while maintaining a strong core and a slight bend in the elbow, lift the barbell— the palms of your hands always facing down.
Do not bounce the barbell up. Repeat eight times for one set and perform three sets.
3. Upright rows
Rest the barbell on the tops of your thighs with your arms extended and a slight bend at the elbows. Your back should be straight.
Keep the barbell close to your body and raise it up to about chin level, with your elbows driving the motion. (your elbows should always be higher than your forearms as you lift).
Lower the bar slowly until your arms are fully extended and you are back in the starting position.
Do three sets of 9-15 reps.
Note: The closer the grip, the more directly the trap muscles are worked. These are the muscles behind the neck and either side of the spine. A wider grip will hit the deltoids. ie muscles on the rounded contour of your shoulder.
4. Bicep curls
The old tried and tested. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell in front of you, palms facing forward. Lift up by flexing at the elbow joint until you reach a full contraction before slowly lowering it down. Do 3 sets of 15 with minimal rest between sets.
5. Standing overhead extension
To complement what we just did we’ll now target the triceps. Lift the barbell over your head until both arms are fully extended.
The palms of your hands should be facing upwards. Now, flex at the elbow and lower the barbell behind your neck, pausing at the lowest point before slowly lifting it back up to the starting position.
DO 3 sets of 10 with minimal rest between sets.
NOTE: Only the forearms should move. The upper arms should remain motionless throughout.