Six self-resistance (SR) exercises with a stick for arms and upper body muscles
You can do this workout as morning exercises daily without overtraining. Try to keep tension in working muscles >60% of max. Perform 2-6 sets for each exercise. The number of repetitions (reps) is not important. The important criterion of sufficient loading is burning or light pain in working muscles. These exercises may be performed as a circuit. You can use a broomstick for these exercises.
1. Biceps pushing. Take a stick by two hands and hold it close to the chest. Push the stick to left side, tensing only right biceps and resisting by the left biceps. Keeping SR, move through the full range of motion (ROM) to left. Then push the stick to right side, tensing only left biceps and resisting by the right one. Keeping SR, move through the full ROM to right. Repeat pushing to right-left sides with ~constant SR until feeling the light pain in the both biceps. It is one set. Rest is 15-30 sec with 1 or 2 deep breathes.
2 Triceps pulling. Take a stick by two hands and hold it close to the chest. Pull the stick to left side, tensing only left triceps and resisting by the right one. Move through the full ROM to left. Then pull the stick to right side, tensing only right triceps and resisting by the left one. Again move through the full ROM to right. Repeat pulling to right-left sides until feeling the light pain in the both triceps. It is one set. Rest is 15-30 sec with 1 or 2 deep breathes.
3. Deltoid muscle pulling. Take a stick by two hands and hold it close to your hips (forward). Pull the stick to left, tensing only left deltoid muscle and resisting by the right deltoid muscle. Keeping SR, elevate your left hand above your head (full ROM). Then pull the stick to right side, tensing only right deltoid muscle and resisting by the left one. Keeping SR, elevate your right hand above your head (full ROM). Repeat pulling to right-left sides until feeling the light pain in both deltoid muscles. It is one set. Rest is 15-30 sec with 1 or 2 deep breathes. You can also use forward and backward circular movements with SR to develop different deltoid muscle fibers.
4. Latissimus dorsi muscles pulling. Take a stick by two hands and raise it above your head. Pull the stick to left, tensing only left latissimus dorsi and resisting by only right latissimus dorsi. Keeping SR, move through the full ROM to left. Then pull the stick to right side, tensing only right latissimus dorsi and resisting by the left one. Again, move through the full ROM. Repeat pulling to right-left sides until feeling the light pain in both latissimus dorsi muscles. It is one set. Rest is 15-30 sec, 1 or 2 deep breathes. You can also use circular movements with SR to develop more latissimus dorsi muscle fibers.
5. Pectoralis muscles pushing. Take a stick by two hands and straighten both arms at the chest level. Push the stick to left side, tensing only right pectoralis and resisting by the left pectoralis (use the full ROM). Then push the stick to right side, tensing only left pectoralis and resisting by the right one (use the full ROM). Repeat pushing to right-left sides with constant SR until feeling the light pain in both pectoralis. It is one set. Rest is 15-30 sec, 1 or 2 deep breathes. You can also use circular movements with SR to develop different pectoralis muscle fibers.
6. Trapezius muscle pulling. Take a stick by two hands and straighten both arms at the chest level. Pull the stick to left side, tensing only left trapezius and resisting by right trapezius. Move through the full ROM to left. Then pull the stick to right side, tensing only right trapezius and resisting by the left trapezius. Move through the full ROM to right. Repeat pulling to right-left sides until feeling the light pain in both trapezius muscles. It is one set. Rest is 15-30 sec, 1 or 2 deep breathes.
This principle of the opposite SR you can apply to any movements with sticks, which you can find on the internet sites.
