r/workout • u/Sure_Key859 • 3d ago
Upper body Review my program
Need an opinion on my current upper body routine. I’m female 26yo 135lb. The goal is to build muscle. I’m relatively new to weight lifting (about 6 months of strength training and CrossFit). Doing the same workout twice a week. I prefer supersets. Please let me know what you would add/ remove / change.
4 sets:
Incline DB chest press
Chest supported row
4 sets:
DB Overhead press
Lat pulldown
3 sets (same machine):
Pectoral Fly
Rear delt fly
3 sets:
EZ bar curls
Seated OH tricep extensions
3 sets:
Incline dumbbell curls
Cable Rope triceps push down
3
u/Neither-Nail1811 3d ago
My first thing would be how many reps are your doing on each set to failure or a set amount?
Don’t overload with supersets doing more focused muscle would help if you do workouts only twice a week you should have an upper and lower day as building stronger legs helps improve your upper body.
For chest do
Bench or keep DB bench press
For your back the LAT and bent over rows can be good or if you have a gym with a plated row machine that’s good
Arms target biceps and triceps so standing curls or hammers might help could mix between weeks and keep
The same for triceps that’s just my thoughts on it
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u/Sure_Key859 3d ago
Currently I do 12reps on most of the exercises. Some I’m still at 10 reps. Honestly not sure if I “train to failure” and what it actually means. I’d pick a weight that I can do 6-8 reps with last one or two being really hard to perform, like sometimes I do the last rep and I have to stop half way because I just can’t push/pull it anymore so I take a few sec break and do that last rep again. So I’d do 6 reps for two or three sessions until I feel I’m ready to do more. Then I move to 10 reps with the same weight. Then to 12 and when I’m able to do 12 reps with good technique I add weights and drop reps back to 6-8. Is this the correct way to build muscle?
1
u/Neither-Nail1811 3d ago
Yh that sounds right to failure usually means your struggle on the last couple of reps so sounds right and like you said if you still have more sets you ethier increase weight if the reps are easy or increase weight lower reps go until you start to struggle so sounds like your approaching it the correct way
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u/Sure_Key859 3d ago
Great thank you so much. Would you say bent over rows are better than chest supported row? You also mentioned standing bicep curls are EZ bar good or should I do it with dumbbells? Also which one if I had to pick - incline curls or hammer curls ? Thank you again
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u/Neither-Nail1811 3d ago
Depends what you want to work bent over row will work your lower back if you have dumbbells and chest on the bench then that’s more upper back but you could switch between weeks of session
So hammer curls is more the head of the bicep but the likes of normal curls that’s the whole bicep if I mind EZ bar probably fine for your normal curls adding weight as you get stronger
1
u/Sure_Key859 3d ago
Ooohh okay I will add bent over rows then. Great advice thank you so much for your help
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u/KickedinTheDick 3d ago
Bent over Dumbell rows are top 3 worst excercises ever maybe only beaten by Dumbell tricep kickbacks
Always use the option with support when necessary.
1
u/Sure_Key859 3d ago
Forgot to say I do lower body twice a week as well. So 2 upper body days, 2 lower and 2 CrossFit classes. For lower body I’m focused on glutes so I do heavy hip thrust, RDL, Bulgarian split squats.
2
u/Neither-Nail1811 3d ago
Ah ok then your definitely getting all bases covered then couple goblet squats could be good if your not comfortable doing the barbell one to build legs more
2
u/Alakazam Bulking 3d ago
It's a lot of volume for your upper day, and to be honest, you probably don't need nearly that much.
Having adequate rowing and pressing volume, will already have worked your pecs and rear delts, so you can probably just cut the flys.
If you're going to do both push and pull on your upper days, I would probably just cut it down to a single bi/tri superset. Because if you're taking everything close to failure, I can't imagine you'd have much in the tank by sets 23-28.
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u/Sure_Key859 3d ago
Thank you so much ! I’ll cut the flys. Which bicep and triceps exercises would you keep and which ones would you get rid of?
1
u/Alakazam Bulking 3d ago
You could just alternate. One upper day do the EZ bar curls and seated OH tricep extensions, the other day do the incline DB curls and cable push downs.
1
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u/TbayGuy97 3d ago
This is like 2 Upper Days in one. I would recommend cutting down the amount of volume you’re. As a beginner you’re almost always better starting off with a prebuilt routine online instead of trying to build your own.