Optimal Upper Body Workout Split

In this video, the presenter discusses how to organize and choose exercises for an upper body workout split based on current scientific literature and anatomical understanding of the upper body muscles. The optimal training frequency and realistic time commitment of an upper-lower split make it a very effective choice for many lifters.

Choosing Exercises for Upper Body Workouts

• An upper-lower split involves splitting up workouts into upper body days and lower body days, often two of each being performed every week.

• The best exercises to include in your upper body workouts are chosen by sticking to the following guideline:

• Start with incline dumbbell presses to prioritize the upper chest.

• Move on to a horizontal rowing movement like a chest-supported row to target all of the upper back musculature.

• Add in overhead press as a vertical pressing movement that targets several muscles at once.

• Finish with pull-ups as a vertical pulling movement that works all of your back musculature and heavily involves your shoulder and scapular stabilizers.

• Incline dumbbell presses put more emphasis on the clavicular head of the pecs or the upper chest which is often a weak point for most people. Utilizing dumbbells instead of barbells prevents muscle imbalances from occurring and allows greater range of motion.

• Chest supported rows effectively target pretty much all of the upper back musculature. Rowing movements provide similar levels of lat activation as lat pulldowns but more activation in other areas of the back like traps and rhomboids. It helps minimize involvement of lower back which will be heavily involved in next exercise.

• Overhead press is an ideal choice for a vertical pressing movement due to the ability to easily overload it with weight and targets several muscles at once. It mainly targets the anterior deltoid with some involvement of the lateral and posterior heads as well as heavily stresses the core, triceps, and serratus anterior muscle.

• Pull-ups work all of your back musculature and also heavily involve your shoulder and scapular stabilizers.

Optimal Bench Angle for Incline Dumbbell Presses

• Research tends to show that the optimal bench angle for incline dumbbell presses is somewhere between 30 to 56 degrees for most people.

• Experiment with different angles to see what best activates your chest.

Careful Consideration of Barbell Rows

• Exercises like barbell rows do have their place for back development but given that research shows they elicit high lower back involvement relative to other back exercises, their inclusion in a workout needs to be carefully thought out.

Upper Body Workout Routine

In this section, the speaker discusses the best exercises for an upper body workout routine.

Pull-Ups vs. Lat Pull-Downs

• Pull-ups are superior to lat pull-downs, but they are more fatiguing.

• Lat pull-downs may be a better option given that previous exercises are quite energy demanding.

• Including both in your weekly routine is the best option.

Accessory Movements for Biceps

• Incline dumbbell curls preferentially emphasize the long head of the biceps and enable them to be active throughout the whole range of motion.

• It is one of the best choices for biceps development, especially for the long head.

• Choose a biceps exercise that emphasizes the short head of the biceps more for balanced development of both heads over time.

Triceps Exercise

• Dumbbell extensions on an incline bench emphasize the long head of triceps which doesn't get much attention otherwise.

• Any triceps exercise that puts your shoulder in an extended position will effectively target the long head.

Summary and Recommendations

• For intermediate or advanced lifters, include face pulls or chest flies as an additional exercise if you feel that your rear delts or chest needs more work.

• For beginners, stick to four main compound exercises since isolation exercises don't provide more muscle growth when compound movements are already used.

• Follow this link to get a free pdf with full workout exercise tips with visuals and a progression scheme for each exercise to help ensure you're progressing over time.

Second Upper Body Workout Routine

In this section, the speaker discusses another upper body workout routine.

General Outline

• Stick to the same general outline as the first upper body workout routine.

• Switch up the exercises for balanced development of both heads over time.

Exercises

• These exercises are a good option for your next upper body workout during the week as they complement the ones mentioned in this video.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes the video and provides additional information.

Additional Information

• Follow the link provided in the description box down below to get a copy of the pdf routine that includes all of this information.

• Let me know in the comments down below if you'd like me to do a video on lower body days for this workout routine or just any other topics that you'd like to see in future videos.

• Give me a follow on Instagram where I provide a lot more informative content on a regular basis.