The Best Beginner's Upper Body Workout

Summary

This video script outlines a comprehensive beginner's upper body workout designed to build strength and muscle while promoting consistency in exercise routine. It emphasizes compound movements targeting six key muscle groups: chest, back, shoulders, arms, and abs. The workout aims to be completed in under 60 minutes, utilizing lower volume and antagonistic supersets for efficiency. Proper form, intensity, and a gradual increase in difficulty are highlighted as crucial for effective muscle growth and weight loss.

Takeaways

• 🏋️‍♂️ The video provides a beginner's upper body workout designed to build strength, muscle, and an aesthetic physique.
• 🔄 The workout emphasizes consistency and habit-building as the key to long-term success in fitness.
• 💪 It targets six major muscle groups: chest, back (including lats and upper back), shoulders, biceps, triceps, and abs.
• 🔄 Compound movements are used to engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making the workout efficient.
• ⏱ The entire workout is designed to be completed in under 60 minutes, with a focus on intensity and efficiency.
• 👉 The workout includes sets with varying repetitions and rest periods, with a recommendation to push beyond the initial burn for growth.
• 🤔 Antagonistic supersets are introduced to pair opposing muscle groups for a more efficient workout without excessive fatigue.
• 🛋️ The script suggests adjusting bench angles for dumbbell bench press to target different parts of the chest and front deltoids.
• 🤲 For shoulder exercises, it's crucial to minimize trap involvement by focusing on pushing arms outward rather than upward.
• 🔗 Unilateral exercises like tricep pushdowns can potentially recruit more muscle fibers if performed with stability.
• 🍽️ The video mentions that abs won't show unless body fat percentage is low, emphasizing the importance of diet alongside training.
• 👕 The presenter promotes a clothing brand for comfort and aesthetics, offering a discount code for viewers.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the beginner upper body workout described in the script?

The main goal of the workout is to increase strength, build muscle, and develop a more aesthetic physique, with a focus on consistency and compound movements that involve multiple muscle groups.

Why is it important to prioritize weight training when trying to lose weight?

Weight training is important for weight loss because it helps build muscle, which in turn increases metabolism and helps maintain or even increase muscle mass after weight is lost.

What are the six muscle groups the workout focuses on for the upper body?

The workout focuses on the chest, back (including lats and mid to upper back), shoulders (front, side, and rear deltoids), arms (biceps and triceps), and abs.

How long is the entire workout expected to take from start to finish?

The entire workout is designed to be completed in under 60 minutes.

What is the maximum number of sets for one exercise in this workout?

The maximum number of sets for one exercise is three.

What is an antagonistic super set and how does it make the workout more efficient?

An antagonistic super set is a method of pairing two exercises that involve opposing muscle groups, allowing for one to be worked without fatiguing the other, thus making the workout more efficient.

How should one warm up before starting the workout?

A warm-up should consist of two to three sets of three to five reps of the exercise with gradually increasing weight until reaching the working set.

What is the recommended grip width for the lat pull down exercise and why?

A grip just outside of shoulder width is recommended to ensure lat involvement, with the mental cue of getting the upper arm to touch the side of the body to pull from the elbows.

How should the dumbbell bench press be adjusted for different sets to target different parts of the chest and front delts?

The bench angle should be adjusted upward with each set, starting at 15°, then 30°, and finally 45° to bias more of the upper chest and front delts.

What is the key to performing machine lateral raises correctly and why?

The key is to minimize trap involvement by keeping the collar bone down, focusing on pushing the arms outward rather than upward, and raising the arms slightly in front of the body to align better with the side delts.

What is the recommended rep range and rest time for the exercises in the workout?

The recommended rep range is generally 6 to 10 reps for compound exercises and 8 to 12 for isolation exercises, with rest times between 2 to 3 minutes for compound exercises and 2 minutes for isolation exercises.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Introduction to the Ultimate Beginner Upper Body Workout

The script introduces a comprehensive beginner upper body workout designed to build strength, muscle, and an aesthetic physique. It emphasizes the importance of consistency as the key to long-term success in fitness. The workout focuses on six main muscle groups: chest, back (including lats, mid to upper back), shoulders, biceps, triceps, and abs. The speaker assures that compound movements will be used to efficiently target multiple muscle groups within a 60-minute session, and suggests starting with lower volumes and intensities to build the habit of consistency. Antagonistic supersets will be utilized to enhance workout efficiency, and a proper warm-up is recommended but not detailed in the script.

05:01

🏋️‍♂️ Detailed Instructions for Upper Body Exercises

This paragraph delves into the specifics of the workout, starting with lat pulldowns to target the lats, with an emphasis on proper form and mental cues to engage the correct muscles. The script provides guidance on grip width adjustments for different sets to focus on upper and lower lats. It then transitions to dumbbell bench press, detailing the progression of bench angles to target different parts of the chest and front deltoids. The importance of form, range of motion, and tempo are highlighted, with a promise to push for two additional reps as the workout intensifies. The paragraph also subtly introduces the speaker's fitness coaching program for those seeking personalized guidance.

10:01

🤸‍♂️ Advanced Techniques for Shoulder and Back Exercises

The script continues with instructions for machine lateral raises and T-bar rows, focusing on minimizing trapezius muscle involvement and engaging the side deltoids and midback muscles, respectively. It offers tips for proper form, such as keeping the collar bone down and using a wide pronated grip for the T-bar row. The importance of a slow eccentric phase for both exercises is reiterated, with a recommended tempo of 2 to 4 seconds. The paragraph also discusses the benefits of training unilaterally for the lateral raises and the option to use dumbbells if a machine is not available.

15:02

📉 Supersetting Tricep and Bicep Workouts for Maximum Efficiency

The final exercises in the workout are tricep pushdowns and bicep curls, performed as a superset to maximize efficiency. The script recommends unilateral training for the tricep pushdowns to recruit more muscle fibers and provides alternatives for those who prefer bilateral training or lack access to certain equipment. For bicep curls, the focus is on maintaining proper form with elbows close to the body and avoiding unnecessary shoulder movement. The importance of a slow eccentric phase is emphasized for both exercises, and the script encourages pushing for two additional reps as the workout progresses, with a brief rest period in between.

🍴 The Role of Abs in the Fitness Journey and Closing Remarks

The script concludes with a discussion on abs training, acknowledging that while abs won't be visible without a low enough body fat percentage, they can still be strengthened and grown through targeted exercises. It suggests simple bodyweight exercises or short workout routines for beginners interested in abs training. The paragraph wraps up with a reminder that consistency and a balanced approach to fitness and nutrition are crucial for achieving long-term goals. The speaker invites viewers to like, subscribe, and follow for more content aimed at helping them level up their physique.

Keywords

💡Workout

A workout refers to a physical exercise routine designed to improve strength, endurance, and overall fitness. In the context of this video, the workout is specifically tailored for beginners to target the upper body, emphasizing the importance of starting with a structured routine to build muscle and increase strength.

💡Strength

Strength is the physical quality of being able to exert force or power against resistance. The video focuses on increasing strength as a primary goal of the workout, which is achieved through resistance exercises that challenge the upper body muscles.

💡Muscle

Muscles are the tissue in the body responsible for movement and force generation. The script discusses building muscle as a key objective of the workout, highlighting the importance of muscle development for an aesthetic physique and overall health.

💡Aesthetic Physique

An aesthetic physique refers to a body shape that is considered visually pleasing, often characterized by balanced muscle development and low body fat. The video mentions developing an aesthetic physique as a goal, suggesting that the workout aims to create a visually appealing body shape through muscle growth and fat loss.

💡Consistency

Consistency in the context of fitness refers to the regular and continuous practice of exercise routines. The script emphasizes the importance of being consistent with workouts as the most crucial factor for achieving long-term fitness goals.

💡Compound Movements

Compound movements are exercises that involve multiple muscle groups and joints, making them efficient for overall muscle development. The video script describes compound movements as a way to hit multiple upper body muscle groups in one workout, such as the lat pulldown and bench press.

💡Antagonistic Super Sets

Antagonistic super sets are a training technique where exercises for opposing muscle groups are performed back-to-back with little to no rest. The script mentions using this method to increase workout efficiency, allowing for the training of different muscle groups in a shorter amount of time.

💡Ecentric Portion

The eccentric portion of a lift refers to the lowering phase of an exercise, where the muscle is lengthening under tension. The script advises to slow down this phase to enhance muscle stimulation and control, which is crucial for effective training.

💡Lat Pulldown

A lat pulldown is a weight training exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi muscles in the back. The script describes the lat pulldown as the first exercise in the workout, emphasizing proper form and the importance of engaging the lats effectively.

💡Dumbbell Bench Press

The dumbbell bench press is a chest-strengthening exercise using dumbbells, which allows for a greater range of motion and can target different parts of the chest. The video script details how to perform this exercise with varying incline angles to target different areas of the chest and front deltoids.

💡Cable Tricep Pushdowns

Cable tricep pushdowns are an isolation exercise specifically for the triceps, using a cable machine to provide resistance. The script mentions performing this exercise unilaterally to potentially recruit more muscle fibers and emphasizes the importance of form and the eccentric tempo.

💡Dumbbell Bicep Curls

Dumbbell bicep curls are an exercise that targets the biceps, using dumbbells to provide resistance and control over the movement. The script suggests performing this exercise after tricep pushdowns as a superset to maximize the workout's efficiency and intensity.

💡Abs

Abs refers to the abdominal muscles, which are crucial for core strength and stability. The script touches on the topic of training the abs, noting that while they won't become visible without a low enough body fat percentage, they can still be strengthened and developed through targeted exercises.

Highlights

The best beginner upper body workout routine is introduced, focusing on building strength, muscle, and an aesthetic physique.

The importance of consistency in long-term workouts is emphasized as the key to success in fitness.

A comprehensive upper body workout plan is presented, targeting six major muscle groups for a well-rounded physique.

Compound movements are recommended for efficiency, engaging multiple muscle groups in one exercise.

The workout is designed to be completed in under 60 minutes, with a focus on time management and efficiency.

Antagonistic supersets are introduced to maximize workout efficiency by pairing opposing muscle groups.

Warm-up advice is given, suggesting 2-3 sets with light weights before starting the working sets.

Lat pulldowns are recommended for targeting the lats, with tips on proper form and grip width.

Dumbbell bench press variations are detailed, with adjustments for different chest and deltoid muscle emphasis.

Machine lateral raises are suggested for side deltoids, with a focus on proper form to minimize trapezius involvement.

Chest-supported T-bar row is recommended for midback and rear deltoids, with grip variations for muscle bias.

Unilateral cable tricep pushdowns are introduced for triceps, with a focus on elbow joint movement and form.

Dumbbell bicep curls are paired with tricep pushdowns in a superset to maximize arm muscle engagement.

The significance of abdominal training is discussed, with advice on how to approach it for visibility and strength.

A simple ab workout circuit is suggested for beginners, focusing on bodyweight exercises for core strength.

A call to action for viewers to subscribe for more fitness content and the offer of a fitness coaching program.

A sponsored mention of a clothing brand for comfort and minimalist aesthetics, with a discount code for viewers.

Transcripts

so you decided this is the year where

you get in the best shape of your life

you know it's not going to be easy but

you also know you have to start

somewhere and here's the very first

workout that I would personally do if I

had to start all over again in my

opinion here is the best beginners upper

body workout let's get into it now keep

in mind there are no one siiz fit all

workouts when it comes to a working out

in general what I'm focusing on is

increasing your strength building muscle

and of course trying to develop a more

aesthetic physique overall but let's say

goal is weight loss purely generally

speaking once you lose the weight you

kind of want to build muscle so it's

good to prioritize weight training in

the first place anyways and what I'm

trying to do is have you build the habit

of actually being consistent long term

above anything else that's going to be

the most important factor ultimately I

want this to be a starting place for you

so I'm going to keep it relatively

simple while still encompassing as many

muscle groups in my upper body as

possible so before we even get into that

we have to talk about the different

muscles that are going to be involved so

when it comes to upper body I like to

focus focus on six different muscle

groups now there are chest back notably

the lats and the mid to upper back call

it your traps and rhomboids pretty much

just everything above your lats then we

have the shoulders notably the front

side and rear delt then we're moving

down the arms including the biceps and

triceps and then lastly we got abs but I

will touch on ABS at the end of the

video now you might be wondering is it

even possible to be hitting all these

muscle groups in one workout especially

in a reasonable amount of time the short

answer is yes by focusing on compound

movements compound movements are

multi-joint movements that essentially

involve multiple muscle groups keep in

mind that these compound movements will

still generally have one muscle group

that we're focusing on but other muscle

groups will synergistically help in the

movement as well second thing you might

be wondering is how long will this

workout take all in all aim to have the

entire workout start to finish to be

complete in under 60 minutes and this is

possible with two factors firstly I'm

going to keep the the volume lower in

general the max I'm going to have you do

is three sets for one exercise now you

might be wondering am I able to actually

like grow if I'm only doing less than

three sets for like a specific muscle

group the answer is yes you just have to

increase the intensity of your workouts

and the second factor is I will also be

using antagonistic super sets to make

the workout overall more efficient if

you're unfamiliar with antagonistic

super sets they're essentially a way to

knock out two exercises in one paired

set they're called antagonistic super

that's because the two exercises

involved are generally going to be

involving opposing muscle groups so that

the muscles involved in the first

exercise are completely different than

the muscles involved in the second

exercise so you're not just going to be

completely fatigued on that second

exercise and overall this will make more

sense once we get into the workout now

keep in mind warm-ups are not included

in this workout however the best way to

warm up in my opinion is simply taking

two to three warm-up sets of three to

five reps of whatever exercise you're

doing and Gra gradually scaling up in

weight until you finally get to your

working set which is the set where the

weight is actually heavy enough and when

you're starting to actually count the

working sets so good luck on this

workout let's get into it all right

jumping into exercise number one we have

two sets of a lat pull down for the lats

of course now before you even begin make

sure that you secure yourself into the

actual seat by adjusting that knee

support making sure you don't have to

like be on your Tippy Toes or anything

when you're doing it more stability

helps you out because it helps focus

better on the muscle rather than trying

to stabilize yourself for your grip I

recommend taking a grip just outside of

shoulder width and to ensure that you're

involving your lats try to think about

getting your upper arm to touch the side

of your body when you pull this is a

great mental cue that helps you pull

from your elbows as they like to say and

if you find yourself feeling it more in

your forarms and your biceps when you're

doing the lap pull down then likely

you're probably taking too narrower of a

grip and pulling more with elbow flexion

meaning you're not getting your upper

arm to touch the side of your body more

so you're just bending your elbows now

when you pull you want to aim to have

the bar land around your upper chest and

naturally you're going to want to lean

back slightly as you pull that that's

completely fine just don't overdo it and

turn it into a row and you want to make

sure that between each rep you're

slowing the ascent back upwards as you

feel your lat stretch back out this is

known as the Ecentric portion of the

lift and should not be neglected meaning

you should be in complete control as

you're bringing the bar back up and how

do you know you're in control well I

recommend following a 2 to 4 second

tempo on the Ecentric part so literally

Count 2 to 4 seconds as you send your

arms back up now for set number one I

want your grip to be outside of shoulder

width to bias your lower lats but for

set number two I actually recommend

taking a closer grip around exactly at

shoulder width to better bias your upper

lats now naturally because you're taking

a closer grip you're going to be pulling

with your arms more out in front of you

which is complet completely fine just

try to remember to get your upper arm

and tricep area to touch the side of

your body just like in set number one

and if you're lucky enough to have this

piece of equipment in your gym for step

number two even better in terms of reps

aim for around 6 to 10 Reps for each set

and promise me that you'll try to get

two more reps once it starts burning

this will ensure that you're actually

training hard enough in the first place

and then between each set allow yourself

around 2 to 3 minutes of rest and now

we're ready to move on to exercise

number two and that is three sets of

dumbbell bench press for the chest front

delts and the triceps this exercise

mainly focuses on chest but in order to

make it slightly more front delt bias

we're going to be adjusting the bench

angle upward with each set so set number

one set the bench press one notch up

from completely flat at around 15° and

then for set number two set it up

another notch so now you're at 30° to

bias more of the upper chest and then

then for the last set set number three

set it up one last Notch to around 45°

and now you're going to be venturing in

more front delt territory now you might

be wondering why I don't have the bench

completely flat well I think for most

individuals when you account for your

natural Arch 15° is going to feel more

comfortable than being completely flat

now when it comes to shoulder position

you want your elbows to be roughly

halfway tucked between completely flared

out at around 90° and right against your

side at around 0° also it's going to

feel natural to slightly turn your wrist

so that the dumbbells are more Crossing

diagonally rather than facing each other

to make sure you're biasing your chest

especially in the first two sets you

want to stick out your chest so that a

small natural Arch forms between your

back and the bench remember to slow The

Descent to get a good mindful stretch on

your chest and once again aim for

roughly a 2 to 4 second Ecentric I

recommend sticking to around the 6 to 10

rep range for each set and again promise

me you're going to try to get at least

two more reps once it starts burning

this ensures that you're actually

training hard enough and trust me if

you're training hard enough you're going

to need around a 2 to 3 minute rest

between each set I want to point out

that ideally we'd split up these

different bench angles into multiple

workout days but if we're talking about

an all-encompassing workout I think it

makes sense to switch things up between

each set but with that said if you're

personally looking for full workout

programs or even some personal guidance

to help you stay accountable then I

highly recommend you apply to my

exclusive one1 Fitness coaching program

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let's get exercise number three is going

to be two sets of machine low raises for

the side delts to help build those broad

shoulders low raises are notoriously the

most incorrectly performed exercise size

I personally have seen the key thing to

focus on is minimizing trap involvement

you do this by keeping your collar bone

down and instead of thinking about

raising your arms up focus on pushing

your arms outward rather than upward

I've also heard people visualize this by

pretending to slide your arm under a

fence I did not make this up when you do

the raise I actually recommend you raise

with your arm slightly in front of your

body in the scaper plane as opposed to

directly out to the side in the frontal

plane again this is just going to help

with minimizing trap involvement and

also this will force you to lean forward

just a bit which will better align the

side delts with the direction of force

like always it is important to slow The

Descent back down which is the Ecentric

once again aim for around a 2 to 4

second tempo on that Ecentric now if you

don't have a machine you can easily

replicate this with dumbbells and

everything I mentioned pretty much

applies aim for around 8 to 12 Reps for

each set and once again promise me

you're going to try to get at least two

more reps once it starts burning I set

the rep range slightly higher than the

last two exercises because as a beginner

you'll likely be prone to shrugging and

bring your traps into the mix if you go

too heavy on these a two-minute rest

will suffice moving on to exercise

number four we got two sets of a chest

supported t- bar Row for the midback and

rear DST and pretty much the back

muscles above the lats now if you don't

have a T Bar you can replicate this with

dumbbells but for this exercise you want

to pull with a wide proning grip this

will force you to pull with your elbows

far from your body so a lot of elbow

flare in order to better bias the traps

and romboid now make sure you're bracing

your core on this exercise so you don't

lose your breath when the rest is

pressing against your sternum do this by

squeezing your abs as if rotang or

ratang was going to punch you in the

stomach no like actually it actually

helps most te- bar machines I've seen

will have two handles a wider and then a

narrower diagonal grip for set number

one I recommend taking the wider

pronated grip and focus on squeezing

your shoulder blades back together which

will help you bias the muscles of your

midback such as the traps and romb and

then for set number two take the

narrower diagonal grip and this time

pull while keeping your shoulder blades

more apart in other words don't squeeze

your shoulder blades back the range of

motion should feel shorter on this one

compared to the first set and you'll

notice that you'll be able to bias your

rear ads better this way and like all

always remember to slow The Descent back

down to get a good mindful stretch on

your back and your rear ads and once

again aim for around a 2 to 4 second e

Centric on the tempo I recommend six to

10 Reps for each set and once again if

you haven't been doing it promise me

that this time you're going to try to at

least get two more reps once it starts

burning you want to be training hard you

need to focus on training hard if you

want to grow 2 to 3 minutes rest will

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the description moving on to exercise

number five and six we got one to two

sets of unil L Al cable tricep push

Downs super setting that with one to two

sets of dumbbell bicep curls both taken

to failure firstly for the tricep

pushdowns I like to do this exercise

unilaterally or with one arm at a time

because unilateral training has been

shown to be potentially beneficial for

recruiting more muscle fibers if the

movement is more stable keyword if it's

more stable but if you personally are

like I preferred using two arms at a

time that works too in fact there are

many different ways to do a a tricep

push down like with the crossbody

variation that has been shown to be

better for the long head of the triceps

but it's a bit more technical since you

have to line up the cables with your arm

instead for a beginner I recommend a

traditional arm at your side tricep push

down being that this is an isolation

exercise for the triceps the focus is on

the elbow joint meaning your shoulders

shouldn't be moving back and forth when

you're extending your elbows or else

you're just going to be involving more

of your lats and like always don't

neglect these entric focus on slowing

the ascent back up and aim for that

Ecentric to be around 2 to 4 seconds

long and then immediately after that set

you're going to hop straight into

dumbbell bicep curls you can either

bring over the dumbbells to be used

later I promise no one will be mad if

it's just for one or two sets or you can

walk over to the Dumbo rack after your

seven tricep push Downs it's up to you

when it comes to the bicep curl

variation I'd opt with doing this

exercise while staying supinated that is

Palms facing up as opposed to twisting

your wrist between each rep just because

for a beginner it would likely be easier

for you to cheat if you're twisting your

wrist between each rep I also like doing

this bilaterally so both arms at the

same time but if you're doing

alternating one arm at a time that works

too now my biggest advice when it comes

to form is I recommend keeping your

elbows glued to the side of your body

and focus on Purely bending your elbow

meaning there shouldn't be all that much

movement in your shoulder similar to

with the tricep push downs and of course

the two to four second tempo on the

Centric still applies here now for both

exercises I'd aim for around 8 to 12

Reps for each set and like always

promise you're going to try to get two

more reps once it starts burning reps

are slightly higher here once more

because as a beginner you're likely to

be prone to moving your shoulder around

or having your form break down if you go

too heavy now if you're feeling pretty

tired after that one set maybe your

upper body feel like jello then one set

might be all you need but if you got

that dog in you or maybe quite the

opposite said if you didn't train hard

enough and you feel like going for that

second set I recommend taking a 2-minute

rest before jumping back into tricep

push down lastly comes ABS you probably

heard the saying ABS remain in the

kitchen well the truth of the matter is

that training your abs won't likely

result in you seeing them if you're at

too high of a body fat percentage

meaning if you're not already able to

see your abs then you probably won't be

able to see them just by training them

alone that being said you'll have to

focus on maintaining a caloric deficit

for long enough

until you reach that desired body fat

level where you can actually see your

abs that being said training your abs

will in fact strengthen them and like

any muscle allow them to grow and be

more prominent if you're already around

that 15% body fat for men or around that

20% body fat Mark for women and if

you're training your abs it doesn't have

to be all that complicated or long as a

beginner I recommend something body

weight a simple circuit of 10 to 20 reps

of the following v-ups Russian twist

bicycles that could suffice or you can

look up any of the plethora 5minute ab

workouts you'll find splattered all

across YouTube all right guys so that

was the beginner upper body workout I

try to be as all-encompassing as

possible and cover a wide array muscle

groups in a somewhat reasonable amount

of time so hope you guys enjoyed leave a

like if you found this helpful subscribe

you want to see more videos just like

this level up your physique and I'll see

you on the next one peace