The long wait is over: summer is here. And as always, the best way to beat the heat is to head to the beach.
We are living in a world of aesthetics, and it has become exceedingly significant for younger people to tone their bodies just the way they want. Exercise and a good diet is undoubtedly the key to achieving this goal. Exercise doesn’t just make you look good though – it also makes you feel good, and is incredibly rewarding towards your health.
A major chunk of beach and gym wear is customized around a properly toned upper body so you can flaunt yourself in the right manner. Keeping this goal in mind, let us consider some of the most effective upper body exercises which will prepare you to dominate the beach this summer!
Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press
Smith machines are readily available in gyms all over the world. To proceed with this exercise in the right manner, place a bench under the Smith machine and set the barbell at a height which you can reach with your hands while lying down with your back against the bench. Keep your hands positioned a bit wider than your shoulder width for a proper grip. Unlock the barbell and keep your hands stretched with your fists facing forward and your arms locked into position. Now bring the weight down on your middle chest gradually with your hands locked into place.
The objective is to maximize the involvement of your triceps. After taking a deep breath, you need to push the weight back to its original position. Your triceps will play an integral part in doing so. Ideally, the time it takes to push the weight up should be half the time it takes to bring it down. If you are new to this exercise, it is recommended to use a spotter who can help make sure that the weight is being applied to the right body parts at the right angles. This is generally a beginner level exercise, and extremely helpful in improving your triceps.
Decline Oblique Crunch
It is well known that abs are a crucial part of a great look. They might require more effort to properly enhance, but they sure look impressive, and they indicate formidable core strength. In order to proceed with this workout, only a decline bench is required.
Secure your legs at the height of the bench, and slowly lay down with your back set against the decline. Now raise your upper body off the bench until you’re halfway up. Remember that this exercise is to be performed in pairs of sets, with a left and right rotation. Put one hand beside your head and the other one on your thigh to get started. Now start lifting your body and crunch towards the side where your hand is on the thigh. Continue this slowly until the elbow on one side touches the knee of the other side, and then slowly come back to the original position. Six to eight reps on each side will be sufficient for beginners.
Triceps Dumbbell Kickback
This dumbbell lift directly affects your triceps and muscle strength. It is exceedingly important to keep the angles correct and locked for this exercise, as is the case with a majority of exercises involving weights since weights pushed at the incorrect angles can lead to backbone strain and muscle deformation. It is highly recommended to watch video tutorials regarding how to properly exercise, and your Xfinity TV can be quite helpful in offering you fitness channels which offer guidance and new content around the clock.
For this exercise, a bench and dumbbells are needed. Place your knee on the bench with your torso facing the ground and a dumbbell in the other hand, while the knee hand is placed firmly on the bench. As a starting position, your arm is stretched freely towards the ground with the weight in hand. Now bring it upwards while stretching your arm all the way horizontally. Remember to keep your back straight and firm while performing this exercise.
These exercises will surely help you in achieving your body goals this summer. An active mind plays a healthy role towards an active body, so make sure to commit yourself in the right manner, because consistency is the key to fitness. We wish you an amazing, fun-filled, and energetic summer holiday!
Pull-Ups
This is one of the most common, yet advantageous exercises you can do. These can become quite challenging, especially for beginners, and there are a great many variations of pull-ups. Your lats, biceps, triceps, and forearms all get worked out.
The general method is to grab the bar by opening your arms around your shoulder width. Bend your knees so that you are in a hanging position. Now pull yourself up by pushing your elbows towards the floor until your chin reaches the height of the bar. Now bring yourself down, but remember to do so with the strength of your muscles, rather than in a sudden jerk. Pull-ups can be done at home, which is another great thing about them.
Bicycle Crunches
A major flaw with abdominal exercises is that they can hurt your back and lower hip, which may lead a person to stop going to the gym or exercising altogether. Bicycle crunches are a great way to improve all of your abdominal muscles without having to worry about back pains, at least if you do them the right way.
A floor mat and commitment are the only two things required for this exercise. Lie down straight on the mat with your hands behind your head and elbows stretched outward. Now raise one leg with your knee bent, then reach it with your elbow from the other side using your shoulders. Repeat this, with your legs working as if they were riding a bicycle. Make sure not to push your legs vertically – the movements should be horizontal to maximize the muscle activity. This activity is similar in nature to decline crunches but involves more muscles to maximize output.
