Here is a quick upper body circuit that can be performed either on it's own as an upper body workout or as part of your weekly gym routine.

First of all, and most importantly, it is advisable to warm up sufficiently and stretch. I would recommend using the cross-trainer or rower for 15 minutes as your warm up as these machine will work your upper body and mobilise the joints sufficiently for the exercises to follow.

All levels of fitness can perform these exercises as long as the gym you use has an assisted chin up/dips machine. The assisted machine is the one where you have a plate to either stand on or kneel on and can add or reduce the weight to support a portion of your bodyweight. This is an excellent way for you to assess your achievements as you will get stronger and fitter the more you perform these exercises and you will therefore be able to reduce the weight you place on the machine, thus lifting more of your own bodyweight until you can lift yourself up unassisted.

After your warm up and stretch, locate the machine in your gym and adjust the weight so that you can lift yourself up comfortably 10 times. Then, starting with a wide arm grip (palms outwards), perform one set of 15 pull-ups. Immediately on completion of this set, change hand settings to use the dips section and perform one set of 15 dips (with the same weight). If there isn't a dips setting then perform 15 press-ups on the floor (you can do these on your knees if you are a beginner and gradually progress to a full press-up). Then, immediately on completion of the dips or press-ups, return to the bar and perform one set of 15 close grip chin ups (palms facing inwards).

This circuit is counted as 1 set and is devised to exhaust your upper body (shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, chest) therefore, each set of 15 repetitions should leave you feeling the "burn" or "pump" in your muscles. If you do not feel this, then reduce the weight and lift more of your own bodyweight. Depending on your fitness levels, you can take a 2 minute rest or perform an easy 5 minute set on the cross trainer then repeat the circuit.

Once your fitness level permits you to achieve 3 sets of this circuit with a 5 minute cross-trainer break in between sets, the workout will take approximately 35 - 40 minutes. You can then finish off with 3 sets of stomach crunches and back extensions to work your mid section. As your strength improves, remember to reduce the assisted weight until you can perform at least 10 repetitions unassisted. I have successfully used this workout in my weekly routine achieving 3 sets of 10 repetitions (unassisted) with a 5 minute cross-trainer break in between sets within 4 weeks starting from a deconditioned state.