Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Developing muscle mass in your upper body
• Part 2 of 3: Do specific exercises
• Part 3 of 3: Eating for more muscle mass
• Tips
• Warnings

To make your upper body more massive and build more muscle, make sure you exercise enough and do the right exercises. Not every upper body exercise will help you build mass. Some exercises are great for building strength and others are better for building mass. It is generally a combination of different types of strength training that will help you to get a bigger upper body.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Developing muscle mass in your upper body

1. Do more reps. There are two types of weight lifting exercises you can do. You can choose fewer reps or more reps. Studies have shown that more reps build more muscle mass. Many sets (three to six), with six to 12 reps, will increase muscle mass.
   • When starting your workout to get a bigger upper body, focus on increasing the number of reps with each exercise you do.
   • More reps do build strength, but not as much as few reps. If you want to build mass and strength, you should follow a combination of exercises with many and few repetitions.
2. Be sure to include compound exercises in your routine, rather than isolation exercises. Compound movements are generally better for mass building than isolation exercises.
   • Compound exercises are exercises that usually use free weights or body weight and engage multiple joints and muscles. These types of exercises are usually the best for building more mass.
   • Exercises such as deadlifts and squats are examples of compound exercises.
   • Isolation exercises are exercises that target only a small group of muscles (such as bicep curls). These are great for muscle definition or sharpening, not for building mass.
3. Exercise your upper body every other day. If you are doing some form of physical activity, it is important to take time to rest. This is especially true when you target a specific set of muscles.
   • Rest is the time when your muscles get stronger and increase in size. This does not actually happen during the activity itself.
   • Take rest days throughout the week and don't just make sure you don't work your upper body every day. Aim to train your upper body every other day or 2-3 days a week.
   • If you don't rest and recover properly, you can experience muscle fatigue, poor performance and poor results.
4. Also do cardio. While cardio doesn't do much to make your upper body bigger, it's still an essential activity to include in a workout.
   • It's usually considered a good idea to do moderate cardio for about 150 minutes every week.
   • Many activities can count as "moderate intensity," such as jogging, running, or taking an aerobic class. However, consider activities such as rowing that increase your heart rate as well as engage multiple muscles in your upper body.

Part 2 of 3: Do specific exercises

1. Do pull-ups. This is a great compound exercise that works a variety of muscles in your back, arms, and shoulders.
   • Grab a chin-up bar with both hands. Place your hands so that they are slightly apart and your palms are facing you.
   • Pull yourself up until your chin is just above the bar. Slowly lower your body until your arms are almost straight. Repeat the exercise as many times as needed.
2. Add push-ups to your routine. One of the best things about pushups is that you can do them anywhere (because they are bodyweight exercises). You can also do all kinds of variations to increase the difficulty.
   • Start with your hands on the floor, directly below your shoulders, and your legs straight behind you. Your back should be straight, your core tight and tight.
   • Lower your body, keep your back straight and your elbows against you; do not let them fan out to the sides. Do this by pulling your shoulder blades back and down. Lower yourself until your chest rubs the floor.
   • Push yourself back to the starting position. Make sure to keep your core tight.
   • Repeat this 10 to 20 times.
3. Do dips. Again, this is another type of compound exercise that engages a wide variety of muscles including your back and arms. It specifically targets the back of your arms and shoulders.
   • To get the most benefit from this exercise, use parallel bars. Place one hand on each bar and hold it firmly. Lift yourself by lifting your feet off the ground - you need to engage all of your arm and back muscles to do this.
   • Slowly lower yourself by bending your elbows. Bend them so they face back and keep your arms parallel to your body.
   • Lower yourself until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor. Push yourself back to the starting position. Lower the chair for the next rep.
4. Do the incline chest press. This exercise is very good for building strength and mass. You train the chest and arms with it.
   • Lie back on an adjustable bench set at an angle of 30-45 degrees. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with the fists facing away from you.
   • Lower the dumbbells until they are approximately chest height and then slowly push the dumbbells back up until your arms are fully extended.
   • Lower the dumbbells to start a new rep.
5. Do dumbbell rows. This exercise works your upper back, especially the broad back muscles and trapezius.
   • Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees slightly and bend forward from the waist with a straight back.
   • Stretch your arms down so that they hang slightly in front of your body.
   • Bend your arms and bring the dumbbells up to the side of your body. Keep your arms flat against your body all the time.
   • Slowly lower the dumbbells in front of your body. Bring the dumbbells back up for another rep.
6. Do reverse flyes. This is an exercise that targets the back of the shoulders and your upper back.
   • Lie on your stomach on an incline bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with the palms facing each other.
   • To begin with, your arms should be outstretched in front of you. Slowly lift your arms out to the sides so that they are perpendicular to your body. Stop and hold your arms when you are at chest height.
   • Squeeze your shoulder blades together to hold this position as best you can.
   • Slowly lower your lower back into the starting position. Repeat this if necessary.
7. Do bicep curls. While bicep curls are not a compound exercise, they can help to specifically strengthen the front of your arms, which is a very desirable place to gain muscle definition.
   • Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms down at your sides. Make sure your palms are facing away from your body.
   • With your upper arms still and level with your chest, lift the dumbbells up to your shoulders. Lift the dumbbells until your hands reach your shoulder.
   • Lower the barbell back to the starting position. Repeat this if necessary.

Part 3 of 3: Eating for more muscle mass

1. Get more calories. To see a significant increase in muscle mass and size, you need to increase your total calorie intake. Eating very light or following a low-calorie diet will not help you develop lean muscle mass.
   • You don't have to eat large amounts of extra calories every day, but a little more is allowed. This can be anywhere from 150-250 extra calories per day.
   • The extra calories help support your body during exercise and the repair and recovery process of your muscles.
   • Get these extra calories from healthy foods. Choose lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Don't try extra calories from sugars, fats, or processed foods.
2. Eat enough protein. To help you build muscle and support your intense weight training, make sure you eat enough protein every day.
   • Typically, it is recommended to consume about 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight. However, if you do bodybuilding you may need more protein or about 1.0g per kg of body weight.
   • To find your body weight in kg when given lbs, divide your weight in lbs by 2.2. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs, your weight in kg is about 68 kg.
   • Choose a variety of lean protein sources such as: eggs, poultry, lean beef, tofu, seafood, nuts, or low-fat dairy products.
3. Eat at the right time. Another very important part of your training and goal to increase your muscle mass is that you refuel after training. Without proper nutrition after a training session, you may not get the muscle gains you are looking for.
   • You should refuel within an hour of completing your workout. Waiting longer is not recommended. your window for the best recovery is 30-45 minutes after your workout.
   • Refuel with plenty of carbs and a significant amount of protein. You need to replace the energy you used during the workout and bring the protein into your body to help your body repair and repair the muscles you worked out.
   • Choose a protein shake, protein bar with a piece of fruit, a small meal (such as fried chicken and sweet potatoes), chocolate milk, or college oats.

Tips

• It's good to start with bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups. Once you've mastered these two, you can move on to weights.
• To keep your body from hitting a limit, you can vary the number of sets and reps each time you train your upper body.

Warnings

• Developing muscle mass significantly requires weight training, which can be dangerous. Minimize the danger by learning proper technique from an expert and always having an attentive assistant on hand.
• Always talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.