4/2/2019 The Best Upper-Body Workout | Coach

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The Best Upper-Body Workout

Pack on lean size across your torso in just 16 workouts over the next four weeks
with this laser-focused muscle-building programme

by MEN’S FITNESS on26 JUN 2017

Do you want to add a serious amount of lean muscle mass in just 28 days? Then you’ve come to the right
place because this four-week, 16-session training plan will do exactly that by pushing your body harder
than it’s ever been pushed before. After all, getting out of your comfort zone and doing something
you’ve not done before is the key to making rapid progress.

The way this programme has been designed – with two sessions a week that work your chest and back
directly, and two that work your arms both directly and indirectly – will mean you add significant muscle
mass across your torso, while the high-intensity weights workouts will also strip away excess body fat.
The result? A brand new body.

How the plan works

To add as much lean muscle mass as possible over the next 28 days, while also stripping off body fat, it’s
important you follow this training plan as closely as possible. It’s been designed to tax your major muscle
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groups, especially your chest and back, to radically transform how you look shirtless.

The four-week plan is made up of four sessions a week, which you will ideally do on a Monday,
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

The Monday session targets your chest and back; the Wednesday one your legs and shoulders; the
Friday session your chest and triceps; and the Saturday one your back and biceps.

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This means you’ll work your major upper-body muscles either directly or indirectly twice a week, and it’s
this big increase in training volume that will stimulate these muscles into growing bigger quickly.

Each workout is made up of five moves. The first two moves form a superset and the final three moves
make up a tri-set. This approach increases the amount of time per session you are working rather than
resting, which will not only keep your muscles stimulated for longer but also keep your heart rate high to
increase the rate of fat burn.

Tempo training

To get the full effect from these workouts, you need to stick to the four-digit tempo code for each
exercise. The first digit indicates how long in seconds you take to lower the weight, the second how long
you pause at the bottom of the move, the third how long you take to lift the weight, and the final digit
how long you pause at the top.

The accumulated time under tension increases your heart rate to burn body fat and break down muscle
tissue so it’s rebuilt bigger and stronger. Keep each rep smooth and controlled so your muscles – not
momentum – do the work, and move through a full range of motion.

Upper-Body Workout 1: Chest and Back

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1A Bench press

Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 30sec

Lie on a flat bench, holding a barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart using an
overhand grip. Brace your core and press your feet into the ground, then lower the bar towards your
chest. Press it back up to the start.

1B Bent-over row

Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec

Hold a barbell using a shoulder-width overhand grip, hands just outside your legs. Bend your knees
slightly, then bend forwards, hingeing from the hips and keeping your shoulder blades back. Pull the bar
up towards your sternum, leading with your elbows, then lower it back to the start.

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2A Chin-up

Sets 3 Reps 6 Tempo 2011 Rest 20sec

Hold a chin-up bar using a shoulder-width underhand grip. Brace your core, then pull yourself up until
your chin is higher than the bar, keeping your elbows tucked in to your body. Lower until your arms are
straight again.

2B Incline flye

Sets 3 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec

Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand above your face, with your palms facing and a
slight bend in your elbows. Lower them to the sides, then bring them back to the top.

2C Diamond press-up
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Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2110 Rest 60sec

Start in a press-up position but with your thumbs and index fingers touching to form a diamond. Keeping
your hips up and core braced, bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Push down
through your hands to return to the start.

Upper-Body Workout 2: Legs and Shoulders

1A Back squat

Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 30sec

Stand tall with feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across the back of your
shoulders. Keeping your chest up and core braced, squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to
the floor. Drive back up through your heels to return to the start.

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1B Overhead press

Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec

Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across the top of your chest with hands
slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your chest up and core braced, press the bar
overhead until your arms are straight, then lower it back to the start.

2A Barbell split squat

Sets 3 Reps 6 each side Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec

Stand tall with feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a bar across the back of your
shoulders. Keeping your chest up, take a big step forwards with your right foot, then bend both knees to
90°. Drive back through your right foot to return to the start. Repeat for six reps, then switch legs and do
another six reps with your left foot forward.
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2B Barbell high pull

Sets 3 Reps 8 Tempo 1010 Rest 20sec

Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip and arms
straight. Keeping your chest up and core braced, pull the bar upwards, leading with your elbows, until it
reaches chin height. Then lower it back to the start.

2C Lateral raise

Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec

Stand tall, holding a light dumbbell in each hand by your sides, palms facing each other. Keeping your
chest up, your core braced and a slight bend in your elbows, raise the weights out to shoulder height.
Turn your thumbs down at the top, then lower them back to the start.

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Upper-Body Workout 3: Chest and Triceps

1A Bench press

Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 30sec

Lie on a flat bench, holding a bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart using an
overhand grip. Brace your core and press your feet into the ground, then lower the bar towards your
chest. Press it back up to the start.

1B Seated dumbbell overhead press

Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec

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Sit on an upright bench holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forwards.
Keeping your chest up, press the weights directly overhead until your arms are straight, then lower
them back to the start.

2A Hammer-grip dumbbell bench press

Sets 3 Reps 6 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec

Lie on a flat bench, holding dumbbells by your shoulders with palms facing. Drive your feet into the floor
and press the weights straight up, then lower them slowly back to the start.

2B Dumbbell triceps extension

Sets 3 Reps 8 Tempo 1010 Rest 20sec

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Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand over your head, arms straight. Keeping your chest up, core
braced and elbows pointing up, lower the weights behind your head, then return to the start.

2C Diamond press-up

Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec

Start in a press-up position but with your thumbs and index fingers touching to form a diamond. Keeping
your hips up and core braced, bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Push down
through your hands to return to the start.

Upper-Body Workout 4: Back and Biceps

1A Pull-up

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Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 30sec

Hold a pull-up bar using an overhand grip with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace
your core, then pull yourself up until your lower chest touches the bar. Lower until your arms are
straight again.

1B Barbell biceps curl

Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec

Hold a barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart using an underhand grip. Keeping your chest up,
core braced and elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the bar up to your chest, squeezing your biceps as
you go. Lower it back to the start.

2A Chin-up

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Sets 3 Reps 6 Tempo 2011 Rest 20sec

Hold a chin-up bar using a shoulder-width underhand grip. Brace your core, then pull yourself up until
your chin is higher than the bar, keeping your elbows tucked in to your body. Lower until your arms are
straight again.

2B Reverse-grip bent-over row

Sets 3 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 30sec

Hold a bar using a shoulder-width underhand grip, hands just outside your legs. Bend your knees slightly,
then bend forwards, hingeing at the hips and keeping your shoulder blades back. Pull the bar up towards
your sternum, leading with your elbows, then lower it back to the start.

2C Dumbbell biceps curl

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Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec

Hold dumbbells by your sides with straight arms, palms facing forwards. Keeping your chest up, core
braced and elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the weights up, squeezing your biceps as you go. Then
lower them back to the start.

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