The upper body is a rewarding area to exercise. Both men and women generally carry less body fat in this area than in their stomach (men) or lower body (women). That fact, coupled with the smaller muscles of the upper body mean that results usually show up quickly, often within a month. The ability to see quick gains in your fitness helps you to stay on track to meet your fitness goals.

The upper body consists of your chest, back, shoulders and arms (both biceps and triceps). To develop a nice upper body, plan on exercising each body part two to three times a week. For best results, choose two different exercises for each body part, and do not work out the same body part two days in a row. To really develop a muscle, the muscle must be exercised and then allowed to rest. If you skip the rest, you will stay sore and risk injury but not develop any muscle. For each exercise, complete eight to twelve repetitions, rest for approximately thirty seconds and then repeat that same exercise. When you can do two sets of each exercise, increase to three. When you can easily do twelve repetitions of an exercise, it is time to increase the weight. If you have any questions about the following exercise, or need additional details, an internet search will turn up pictorial descriptions of each exercise.

Chest:

• Chest Press or Bench Press

  These are basically the same exercise. The bench press is done lying flat on a bench and using a barbell, while the chest press is done lying on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand.

  Lying on your back, you are holding the weight directly above your chest, elbows are out to the side. Press the weight up, until arms are straight and directly over your chest. Lower to your chest, pause without letting the weight rest on your chest, and then repeat.

  Choosing between the chest press and the bench press is a matter of preference and the equipment you have available. The only caveat is that if you are working out alone, the chest press is preferable because you can drop the dumbbell if the weight gets to be too much for you, as opposed to a barbell which can easily get too heavy too quick on the bench press.

• Chest Fly

  Lay on the ground or the bench, weights out to the side, even with your ears. Raise the weights slowly until they touch directly above your chest. Lower slowly back to the side, repeat. Do not use momentum and allow the weights to "fall" to the side. Lowering the weight is as much a part of the exercise as raising it.