Content provided in partnership with

Forge your forgotten upper-body muscles: more attention from the opposite sex, better health and improved athletic performance can be yours with these three upper-body exercises

Men's Fitness, August, 2003 by Ian Cohen

Not all muscles get the props they deserve. In fact, some get dissed no matter how much they contribute to a man's well-being. Take the Three Muted Muscles, for instance--upper pectoral, posterior deltoid and long head of the triceps. This trio tends to be overlooked more often than the Portland Trailblazers' rap sheet. Yet these unsung champions allow your upper body to function at its full capacity, while simultaneously putting the final touches on a perfect physique. It's time they got the positive PR due them, so we've come up with three exercises that will help you bring them to the fore.

THE EXERCISES

NEGLECTED MUSCLE #1: UPPER PECTORAL

Most Popular Articles in Health: Fuel your workout: exercisers who eat before they work out have more energy ...; Soothe a dry, itchy scalp: 5 easy expert solutions; Cocktails and calories: Beer, wine and liquor calories can really add up. ...; The sour truth about apple cider vinegar - evaluation of therapeutic use; The, six best supplements you've never heard of: these secret weapons can ...; More »

Located just below the collarbone, the upper pecs have historically taken a backseat to their more popular, lower-leveled tenants. "One of the primary reasons for mid-pec favoritism over the upper pecs seems to stem from the degree of difficulty in the exercises that focus on these muscles," says Aron Branam, C.P.T., C.S.C.S., A.C.S.M. from Seattle. "Most guys are more comfortable and able to lift heavier weight during a flat-bench press than an incline press due to the biomechanics of the lift," Branam says. "This reduced comfort and strength level during incline exercises often detracts from the popularity of training the upper pecs. However, to fully develop the chest, the upper pecs must never be ignored."

How to work it:

1. ELEVATED PUSH-UP

Start in a normal push-up position near some stairs or a flat bench. Place both feet two steps up from the floor. Your lower body should now be above your upper body. Start with your arms fully extended under your chest (1a). Now lower your chest as close to the floor as you do when performing a normal push-up (1b) and then return to the starting position. Be sure to keep your body straight (no sagging at the hips or belly). Elevate your feet to a higher step for added difficulty.

Perform three sets of 10 to 25 repetitions

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

NEGLECTED MUSCLE #2: LONG HEAD OF THE TRICEPS

The long head of the triceps is one of three muscles that make up the triceps brachii. All three of these muscles are located on the back of the arm. One is on the outside portion, one on the inside and one directly in the middle (the long head). And just like the middle child, the long head is usually the one that bears the brunt of any neglect. Sooner or later, though, you're going to have to give it some love, because it is essential in elbow extension and provides stability when the shoulder joint is abducted. Basically, this means without a healthy long head of the triceps, your arm mobility will be significantly compromised.

"When working the triceps, most people do the exercises in front of their bodies while standing, due to the lack of comfort with holding a weight overhead," says Bronman. "The low elbow position of most triceps exercises will not target the long head. To really focus on working the long head of the triceps, the elbows must be above the head to place a stretch on the muscle, which in turn allows more force to be created."

How to work it:

2. LYING ROPE EXTENSION

While lying flat on your back, with both hands grab a rope attachment connected to a cable station. Bend your arms 90 degrees and bring your arms forward until your elbows point upward (2a). Keeping your elbows stationary, extend your hands toward the ceiling, allowing the rope to split as your arms straighten (2b). Squeeze your triceps at full extension; slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Perform three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

NEGLECTED MUSCLE #3: POSTERIOR DELTOID

Situated at the back of the shoulders where the arms join the body are the frequently neglected rear deltoids. And just as the upper pecs do during a chest routine, these muscles play third fiddle to those more visible and easy-to-work anterior and medial delts.

Few people realize, however, that a pair of strong rear delts will not only help keep your shoulders balanced and your rotator cuff injury-free, but also increase your pressing power during a variety of chest and shoulder exercises. With so many benefits, you may be wondering why the rear delts are so often overlooked. "Plain and simple," says Bronman. "They're small muscles that tire quickly and are not a lot of fun to train. In addition, they're also not muscles we clearly notice when we look in the mirror." Put these two together and it's easy to see why the rear delts are skipped over more often than the tofu platter at a Vegas buffet.

How to work it:

3. SINGLE-ARM CABLE ROW

Start with a pulley or elastic resistance band set at shoulder height. Grab the handle and step back so that your working arm is straight out in front of your body, directly in line with your shoulder (3a). Holding your elbow high, pull straight back, squeezing the shoulder blades (3b); slowly return to the starting position and repeat. Since this is a small muscle group, you should train with lighter weights and do higher reps. Concentrate on really feeling the delts work during each rep.

Forge your forgotten upper-body muscles: more attention from the opposite sex, better health and improved athletic performance can be yours with these three upper-body exercises

Men's Fitness, August, 2003 by Ian Cohen

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Technology

Most Popular Articles in Health

Most Popular Publications in Health