How to Get a Ripped Upper Body if I Can't Exercise

Pilates will help improve tone and stretching which helps increase potential for muscle development.

Build upper body muscle and improve definition without exercise. Defining exercise as a training process that leads to physical exertion, it is reasonably possible to develop the upper body muscles without total exertion through the use of resistance training and less-strenuous activities such as pilates. If the upper body contains a large amount of body fat, however, some cardiovascular activity is necessary for burning sufficient excess body fat to reveal the muscle definition beneath and thus producing that "ripped" appearance.

Things You'll Need

• Free weights or resistance bands
• Pilates class or DVD

Instructions

1. Enroll in a pilates class or invest in a pilates DVD for home workouts. Pilates workouts should be done multiple times a week for maximum benefits. These are generally slow, controlled movements used to increase muscle strength, improve definition and tone, and improve muscle potential, all of which will help achieve that "ripped" look without pushing the body to exertion.

2. Use free weights several times per week focusing on upper body muscle groups. These include bicep curls, tricep kick-backs, chest press, shoulder press, torso twist, bent-over row, deltoid raise and side-bends. Perform each move slowly, with control, to avoid exertion and increase benefits. Do 10 to 12 reps of each. If desired, go through one set or 10 to 12 reps each move, then repeat for a second set.

3. Monitor the types of calories consumed to reduce potential for increased body fat and increase potential for muscle growth. Foods to avoid should include sugar, non-nutritive sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup and processed white carbohydrates, such as white flour, pasta, and rice. Excess sugar from natural sources, such as fruit juice, should also be avoided; opt for whole fruit instead.

4. Maintain water consumption, aiming for 64 oz. or more per day. If not active, in the traditional exercise sense, 64 oz. of water should suffice. However, additional water may be necessary to keep the body from storing it as water weight, which can reduce the appearance of ripped, defined muscles.

Tips & Warnings

• No amount of Pilates or weight training will create a ripped physique if the body retains a large amount of body fat, so maintaining a healthy diet and water consumption are vital for those who are already lean. For those who possess a large amount of body fat (20 percent or more, for males), some exercise will be necessary to burn fat in order to get the desired muscular appearance.

• Consult with a physician before beginning any exercise routine. If not being able to exercise is due to a health condition, it may be necessary to divide the "ripped upper body" goal into shorter, simpler goals, such as "lose 5 lbs." or "build 1 inch additional muscle on biceps."

References

• Muscle Prodigy: Get Ripped
• "Nutrient Timing"; John Ivy, PhD. et al.; 2004

Resources

• Winsor Pilates: Home
• Muscle Prodigy: Learn the Best Pilates