Jamaica Well Fest

Body Muscle

Build Upper Body Muscle - Do You Know the "Real" Top 5 Benefits of Building Upper Body Muscle?

There are two obvious reasons for you to build upper body muscle. One is to improve your health and the other is to improve your strength. But beyond those two benefits, there are 5 more that come with the act of adding muscle to your body. And truthfully, those are the real 5 benefits you want when you decide to build upper body muscle.

These are the 5 factors you'll experience when you start building upper body muscle:

1. Buddy Respect - Your friends look at you with envy and want to know how they can build their upper body.
2. Attention - Girls like big arms and muscles.  They want a guy who takes care of his body.
3. Fear Factor - A muscular frame can appear to be very intimidating
4. Confidence - You can take your shirt off in public without giving it a second thought. Plus achieving your goal to build upper body muscle gives you the courage to pursue and achieve other goals.
5. Better Sex Drive - No explanation needed.

Consider for yourself these questions. Have you ever had a time when you looked at your buddies and were envious of the muscle they had or the girls they were with because of that muscled look? And have you ever felt your self esteem lowered just a tad bit when you stood next to your buddy with that chiseled muscular frame? Have you ever looked at a guy and felt just a little intimidated because even at 5'8" he was 200lbs of rock solid steel? Okay maybe not real steel but with all the muscle he had it sure looked like it. Does your sex life take a beating because of your stamina, look, or self confidence?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then when you really think about it, aren't the 5 benefits listed above really what you want and the real reasons to build upper body muscle? They are valid reasons too and something everyone desires.

Get started with your plan to build upper body muscle today. Do it for health and increased strength. And do it for all those other important reasons too.

About the Author

I know a skinny guy who had absolutely no muscle. His goal was to get cut and build muscle bulk. And he did by gaining over 40 pounds of muscle bulk in less than 6 months. He did so  using a program he designed  that incorporates some of the philosophy above. The rest of the details can be found www.buildupperbodymuscle.com

Of course his technique is for people who are serious about making some real changes to their bodies. More information can be found at build upper body muscle Good luck in your training!

What are the best workouts to build upper body muscle mass?

I want to build upper body muscle mass. I know that the best workouts for building muscle mass are high weight/low rep type workouts, but what kind of weekly workout should I do?

Should I do one day of benching and curls with 3 sets of 5 reps, then the next day do something like triceps and squats with same amount of sets and reps and repeat these two processes throughout the week?

I do not have access to a gym, only a weight bench where I can bench and do arm/leg curls and squats. Not sure what other kind of excercises I can do with this setup.

Please see exercise links below.

The following healthy living recommendations will help you if you’re trying to lose weight, tone up your muscles, have aspirations of building lean muscle mass, are attempting to get a wash board stomach, or just want to feel better:

*1) Burn more calories then you're consuming everyday and measure your results using the following formula: Calories Consumed minus Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) minus Physical Activity minus the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). A website that explains this formula in more detail and will help you determine how many calories you need to reach or maintain a certain weight is at http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/weight/calsburned.htm

Get an online, desktop, or cell phone diet and fitness calculator. This will allow you to easily calculate the above formula, set goals, log your daily calorie consumption, and register your physical activities.

Set realistic goals for your ideal body weight. Here are two websites that will calculate a suggested body weight:
Adults: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm
Teens/Children: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/exercise/weight/bmi.html

It is difficult and unhealthy to lose more than one or two pounds per week. There are 3,500 calories in a pound. If you eat 500 fewer calories per day for a week you will lose one pound. If you burn through exercise 500 more calories per day for a week you will lose one pound.

Here are two articles on how to break through a weight loss plateau:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/86/99147.htm

http://www.webmd.com/content/pages/18/102117.htm

*2) Eat natural and organic foods found on earth versus something created by a corporation to make money. Eat meals in small portions throughout the day and take a good multi-vitamin supplement.

Do not try fad diets or diet pills. Avoid “High Glycemic Load Carbs” (sugar, pastries, desserts, refined starches such as breads, pasta, refined grains like white rice; high starch vegetables such as potatoes) and drink lots of water. Read this article for more information on high GL Carbs:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates.html

The following are food pyramids and several articles on what you should eat everyday:
Food Pyramids:

http://www.rayandterry.com/html/images/PyramidLRG.gif?osCsid=26a424be471d1337e7c2f105d5c64d9d

http://www.mypyramid.gov/

Antioxidant Superstars - Vegetables and Beans:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107638.html

Antioxidant Loaded Fruits:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107640.html

Good Carbs Mean Better Weight:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/100/105783.htm

The Benefits of Protein:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/85/98824.htm

Some Fats Are Good For You:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/49/40075.htm

Antioxidants in Green and Black Tea:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107641.html

What You Should Eat Daily:

http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/slide/slide_yourbody_healthfood_201.jhtml

Best Foods to Fight off Disease and Keep You Healthy:

http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/slide/slide_yourbody_healthfood_101.jhtml

*3) Perform cardiovascular, core, and/or strength training on most days. Read a book or find a certified trainer to make sure you're doing all exercises correctly.

The following is a website and numerous articles on cardiovascular, core, and strength training:
Exercise Prescription on the Net

http://www.exrx.net/

Starting an Exercise Program:

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/startexercise.htm

Strength Training Basics:

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/trainbasics.htm

Cardiovascular Machine Workouts:

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/cardiowork.htm

Balance Your Way to a Stronger Body:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/64/72314.htm

Understanding Your Training Heart Rate:

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/thr.htm

Exercise Errors:

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/errors.htm

Getting a Flat Stomach:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/71/81365.htm

Weight Lifting - Does Order Matter:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/80/96440.htm

Encouraging Exercise in Your Kids:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/95/103524.htm

Strength Training Safe and Effective for Kids:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/32/1728_81005.htm

*4) Get plenty of sleep. Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health, and safety.

*5) Educate yourself continually on health issues and make a life long commitment to good health. A great free publication is “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005”. A reputable test you can take to measure your biological age is at http://realage.com
Look at all areas where you can enhance your health. For example, make improvements in the quality of the air you breathe. Review outdoor air quality forecasts where you live and get an indoor air purifier.

Send me an email or yahoo instant message to "gainbetterhealth" if you have any questions and good luck!

*Click on all the source links below to get the full benefit of the recommendations. The answers presented to your health questions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.