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+1 for pullups. You want to get stronger while getting a big back? Do pullups.
Also, for shoulders, no presses? that's probably the best shoulder exercise for building strength and mass. the shoulder has 3 heads, and in your workout you only work 1. And about shrugs, I'm not saying it's a bad exercise, but IMO, it's unnecessary, as working the 3 heads of the shoulder way more important for building proportionate shoulders than shrugs. I did mechanized routines for years before starting CrossFit, and I built big shoulders without ever doing shrugs.
1) I do legs too, this was just an example of 1 upper body work out.
2) I'm not sure what else to call it, basically it's the opposite of a sit-up.
I will add pull ups, though. Thanks for the suggestion.
Cool...
Just making sure you weren't eliminating legs from the plan. Lots of people do. As hooligan said, 'back extensions' are what many people call your lower back lift. If you did them while standing, they are called 'good mornings'. If you did them while lying on your belly, they are called 'supermans' or 'swimmers' if you kick your legs.
Sometimes I wonder if I have a good weight lifting plan. Here's an example of a typical upper body work out.
-Bench Press
-Lower back lift
-Ab workout (flutter kicks)
-Bicep curls
-Two bench dips with a weight (triceps)
-Shoulder shrugs/Front Raises with a dumbell
-Seated row for upper back
-Seated chest fly
I do one warm up set with very light weight, then 3 sets of increasing, though still moderate weight.
Thoughts?
Too much, you should try to break up your workouts. Try supersets.......work chest and upper back one day..........then, work arms and shoulders a couple of days later...........then, work your legs and lower back a couple of days later.
Sometimes I wonder if I have a good weight lifting plan. Here's an example of a typical upper body work out.
-Bench Press
-Lower back lift
-Ab workout (flutter kicks)
-Bicep curls
-Two bench dips with a weight (triceps)
-Shoulder shrugs/Front Raises with a dumbell
-Seated row for upper back
-Seated chest fly
I do one warm up set with very light weight, then 3 sets of increasing, though still moderate weight.
Thoughts?
You need pull ups and slow pushups. Slow pushups have been a great benefit for both core and upper body, as well as arms. Body weight workouts are very beneficial and often ignored....
Lower back lift? Like weighted back-extensions? Pull-ups are a fantastic compound lift for your arms/shoulders/back. I strongly recommend adding them to your regimen.
I'm assuming that you left off your lower-body workout on purpose, and are not actually only doing upper-body work?
Agree with your pull up recommendations. They've been the most beneficial to me in that they build up my endurance and are a great for hitting so many muscle groups. One thing I found was using the body weight equipment found at parks. They generally have much thicker pull up bars which have increased my hand/wrist strength. That's been a huge benefit for other weight training circuits....
I've been working out with weights for more than 45 years. The best upper body exercises for me have been unweighted pullups and dips. On many occassions, my entire upper body routine consisted of only those two exercises for 6 months and longer, and I've never lost muscle mass or strength. For me, the fewer exercises in my workouts, the better my body responds. I don't especially enjoy time in the gym, so I've always looked for the least amount of work that would still be sufficient to keep up my conditioning and strength. IMO, 95% of the people I've seen in various gyms over the years are serial over trainers. When it comes to exercise....LESS IS BETTER THAN MORE!
-Bench Press
-Lower back lift
-Ab workout (flutter kicks)
-Bicep curls
-Two bench dips with a weight (triceps)
-Shoulder shrugs/Front Raises with a dumbell
-Seated row for upper back
-Seated chest fly
What is a lower back lifet? You don't need seated chest fly, shrugs, front raises, or bicep curls.
For upper body: Pushups, bench press, shoulder/military press, pullups, rows, lat pulldown.
Basically, for weights overall, you only need these exercises and their variations: Push, pull, squat, deadlift, lunge, twist, plank
I do not agree with those who say it's too much, considering your goal is to be generally fit, not become big. I would however put in either pullups or chinups (after your own preference) or if those are too heavy go for lat-pulldowns. Keep the rows, they combine nicely with the pull-up exercise. If "backlifts"=back extensions it should be all set by then.
You could also add shoulder-press.
Do 2 sets of each exercise for 12-15 reps, 30 secs rest in between. You can also super-set back exercises with front exercises, for example bench,row,bench, row, to heighten your intensity. To only do 2 sets of each will make it possible to go through all these exercises every session.
I would not only focus on what you are doing but how you are doing it. Make sure you are lifting heavy enough that you are truly working the muscle as well. I see people at the gym with such light weights and it really makes me wonder. Proper form, heavy enough weights, enough sets/rest for your goals, etc are also important to think about.
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