Beginning Upper Body Workout

Safety tips to remember when exercising:

• If you are new to exercising, check with your doctor before starting.
• Warm up and stretch prior to exercise to help prevent injury and boost performance, preferably with a low impact exercise (bike, elliptical machine, rowing machine or walking).
• Cool down for 5-10 minutes after exercise by slowing down your workout, followed by another stretch. It's important for your heart rate to come down slow and you'll gain more flexibility because your muscles are already warmed up.
• Make sure to drink water before, during and after exercising.
• You should stop exercising immediately and check with your doctor if you:

• Experience chest pain
• Can’t catch your breath
• Develop an irregular or rapid heartbeat
• Feel any other sharp discomfort or pain

Boxer

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees bent, torso almost parallel to floor. Hug your elbows to your sides, hands near chest.
2. Exhale and extend left arm forward (palm down), right arm back (palm up).
3. Inhale and hug arms back in.
4. Repeat, switching arms.

Special instructions: keep back flat and arms parallel to the floor, head in a neutral position looking at the ground.
Muscles worked: upper back and shoulders.

One-Arm Dumbbell Rows

1. Grasp a dumbbell with palm facing in. Rest opposite elbow on opposite leg. Try to create a flat back and keep your upper body steady.
2. Inhale and pull the dumbbell up as high as possible, keeping your elbow back and ensuring that the upper arm travels away from your torso a little.
3. Exhale and lower dumbbell back down until arm is straight, but elbow does not lock, to complete one rep.

Special instructions: keep your spine in a neutral position.
Muscles worked: upper back, shoulders and biceps.

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

1. Stand with feet slightly apart, back straight, arms hanging at your sides. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inward.
2. Exhale and raise the dumbbells at your sides to shoulder level, keeping elbows slightly bent.
3. Inhale and lower slowly with control to the starting position to complete one rep.

Special instructions: do not let the momentum of your swinging arms do all the work - keep the movement controlled. Be sure you are not leaning back when lifting the weights.
Muscles worked: shoulders.

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions

1. Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in your right hand. Extend right arm straight up with palm facing away from you. Rest your left hand on your abs.
2. Inhale and lower the dumbbell toward the left shoulder, keeping upper arm stationary, until forearm is parallel with the ground.
3. Exhale and push weight back up to starting position and to complete one rep.
4. Finish all reps on one side and switch.

Special instructions: you may want to use your free arm to support the working arm by holding at the elbow to help keep the arm stationary.
Muscles Worked: triceps.