Advanced 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

One-Arm Dumbbell Rows with Ball

1. Begin by placing one hand on Swiss ball, standing with the same-side leg behind the Swiss ball.
2. The opposite hand is holding a dumbbell with your palms facing inward.
3. The opposite leg is held off the floor approximately 12 inches.
4. Bend at the hips so that you create a flat back. Your spine should be in a neutral position.
5. Pull dumbbell straight up to the side of your chest, keeping arm close to your side.
6. Slowly lower to starting position, but don’t let the dumbbell touch the floor.
7. Try doing 2 sets with 10-12 repetitions for each arm.

Special instruction: This exercise works on your stabilizer muscles to help create better balance.
Muscles worked: upper back, shoulders and biceps.

Wall Sit with Lateral Dumbbell Raises

1. Lean against a wall, with your feet out in front of you approximately 12 inches and shoulder width apart.
2. Hold dumbbells to your side, palms facing inward.
3. Slowly lower your body from the hips until you reach 90 degrees at the knees. Hold that position.
4. Slowly raise your fully extended arms to your side. Don’t lock your elbows. Raise the dumbbells to shoulder level and return to the starting position.
5. Try raising the dumbbell in the wall sit position 10-12 times. Repeat.

Muscles worked: shoulders and quads.

Dumbbell Reverse Flys Lying on Ball

1. Begin by placing your body balanced on the Swiss ball at your core with legs straight and toes on the floor.
2. Hold dumbbells to the left and right side of the Swiss ball underneath your shoulders with arms extended.
3. Exhale and raise your arms to your side, bringing the dumbbells up to shoulder level height. Keep your arms as straight as possible but do not lock your elbows.
4. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position to complete one rep.

Special instructions: this is not an exercise for heavy weights. Keeping arms slightly bent will less the stress on the elbow.
Muscles worked: upper back.

Dumbbell Triceps Extensions on Ball

1. Start from a seated position on the Swiss ball.
2. Slowly walk out until your head and shoulders are supported by the ball. Your feet should be slightly further than hip width apart.
3. Hold dumbbells and extend arms above your head, palms facing inward and elbows in.
4. Lower dumbbells to 90 degrees at the elbow, so that the dumbbells are at both sides of your head. Return to the starting position.
5. Try doing 2 sets with 10-12 repetitions.

Special instructions: it’s important to keep your elbows in as you lower the dumbbells for optimal isolation of your triceps.
Muscles worked: triceps.