When it comes to exercising, you want to be sure that you are a woman that is targeting all of the right areas. However, if you are a runner or you tend to do a lot of walking, you could end up having a lower half that gets all of the glory. While it is important for a woman to have strong legs, you will see that an upper body that is nicely toned will be very rewarding. These are some of the best options when you want to get a good upper body workout for women that will surely get you the results you are hoping for.
As with any sort of workout, be sure that you are taking on a good warm up in the beginning. For these upper body exercises for women, you can take on some jump rope, jogging or cycling to help get your heart rate up and your blood flowing.
Overhead Presses
Take a set of dumbbells to create 90 degree angles in each arm, bringing the upper arm parallel to the ground while having the dumbbells around head-height. While you exhale, you simply press the weights up overhead and then return to the start position. Never let your elbows droop down below the height of your shoulders so that you can maintain a good amount of resistance.
Triceps Kickback
Keep your back flat and your core tight while you hinge forward from the hips. Bend your elbows while keeping the upper arms tight to your sides. As you exhale, straighten the arms as much as you can, then inhale while bending your elbows into your original starting position. Just be sure that you are keeping a neck and spine position that is neutral.
Lateral-Raise Side Plank
Get into a side plank position and keep a lighter dumbbell grasped in your upper hand. Take the weight and bring it in front of your center core while keeping your arm bent slightly. Then, lift the weight up to about shoulder height and return to the starting position. To add a challenge to this upper body exercise, lift the top leg and in between rep touch it to the weight.
Push Ups
This is a classic exercise that never fails for a good upper body workout. Just start in a plank position with your hands firmly positioned under your shoulders. You can then use your toes to stabilize the lower half of the body. Keep the spine straight with hands pressing into the floor, lowering the body until your chest just about grazes the floor. When pressing back up, exhale and then go back again.
In addition to these exercises, there are countless options that you can add to your routine to give you an excellent upper body workout for women. This is all about finding a good balance with exercises that push you to the limit while also giving you joy and a good feeling when all is said and done. For a bit of an extra push, add in some resistance for the ultimate upper body workout.
