same here josie, i was supposed to do a 30m cardio yesterday, but after church, i was so exhausted , i just laid around most of the day, but last week was sooooo busy, my old body was wore out!
so, today i did complete body sculpting (firm) and added one set of very heavy upper body. i did the same upper body on sat. i love it. it is one that one of the firm instructors made up. it is fun and you can go very heavy. i'll paste it here if anyone is interested.
Home » Jen's heavy upper body sculpt
Jen's heavy upper body sculpt
by Instructor_Jen | Jul 12, 2010
My HEAVY Upper Body Workout is just the thing you are looking for this week! It is a nice change of pace from the lighter, faster routines that we are all used to. A lot of women worry about lifting heavy weights because they do not want to look bulky. Be assured that we cannot, even if we tried. We do not produce the muscle building hormone, testosterone, in the abundance that men do. VARIETY in our workouts is a beautiful thing. Not only will it get our minds out of a rut, but it will keep our bodies from getting in one, too. So pick up those heavy weights, the ones that make you sweat, the ones that you struggle with and the ones that make your body ache the next day. Remember the more muscle you have the more calories you burn at rest. You will need 2-3 sets of heavy dumbbells and that is it...LET'S GET STARTED!
Heavy Double Split Row: I want you to concentrate on your back muscles with this exercise. Start with two heavy dumbbells. Place your feet in a runners lunge with your right leg in front first. Hinge forward from your hips about 45 degrees keeping your spine long, all the way to the top of your head. Your shoulders should be back and down away from your ears. Maintaining this torso position, reach the dumbbells toward your front foot with your elbows in full extension and your palms facing inward. This is your starting position. Now "row" the dumbbells up to hip level keeping your elbows in close to your torso. Think about wrapping your shoulder blades around your spine. Return to start and repeat for a total of 6 repetitions with your right leg in the front, then complete 6 repetitions with your left leg in front. With this exercise you get the added bonus of isometrically working your legs while holding your runner's lunge. Keep your pace slow and controlled.
Oblique Push-ups: This exercise is not only awesome for working your chest and arms, it also adds a little core challenge as well. Start in a side plank position up on your right hand, not your elbow. Make sure that your shoulder, elbow, and wrist are lined up. Remember for the lower body portion, you have the option of stacking your left knee over your right or stacking your left foot over your right. From this side plank position, place your left hand on the floor, keeping your hips turned and facing left. Slowly lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows as you would in a push-up. Feel your chest and core working. Slowly push back up, keeping your hips stacked. Complete 6 repetitions on your right side. Then switch and do 6 on your left side. Remember, you always have the option of doing a traditional push-up.
Heavy Clean and Press: This biceps curl and overhead shoulder press exercise works several upper-body muscle groups at the same time. It strengthens your biceps, shoulders and triceps. Hold a pair of dumbbells straight down at your sides, palms turned toward each other. Curl-up the weights up to chest level then press them overhead. Do not arch your back on the press: keep a slight pelvic tilt and hold your abdominals tight. Also, make sure when you press the dumbbells overhead you reach for the sky and line up your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position.
Repeat 12 times.
Heavy Triceps Kickbacks:
Start with one dumbbell in your right hand and place your feet a little outside your hips, bending your knees slightly and hinging at your hips to a 45 degree angle. Be sure to brace your abs tight to protect your back. Depress and retract your scapula by pulling your shoulders down and back. Maintain this position throughout the exercise. Your head should be aligned with your spine. Position your working arm parallel to, and close to, your torso. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees or at least to a point where your forearm hangs vertical to the floor. Slowly extend your elbow by contracting your triceps muscles until your elbow is fully extended. Your upper arm should remain stationary next to your torso during the movement. Avoid any arching in your low back or any rotation in your torso. Slowly return your arm to your starting position, without changing your torso position. Keep your upper arm parallel and close to your torso. Do 6 repetitions on the right and 6 on the left.
Alternating Grappler Row: The grappler row is almost like a traditional bent-over row, except we will keep the dumbbells inside your legs and start at the top of the move. You will need two heavy dumbbells for this exercise. Your feet should be placed a little wider than hip-width apart. Bending your knees and pushing them outward over your ankles, hinge forward from your hips, getting your torso as parallel to the floor possible. The more parallel you are to the floor, the harder it will be. With that said, if you feel any pulling in your lower back, simply lift your torso to a place where your back does not feel compromised. You will need to hold this solid position throughout the exercise. HOLD YOUR ABS TIGHT! Next, pull your elbows in close, lifting the dumbbells and squeezing your upper and mid-back. From here, slowly lower your right arm to full elbow extension while keeping your left arm up in the start position. Pull your right arm back up and repeat on the left side. This is a challenging exercise, so really pay close attention to proper form. Alternate your right and left sides for a total of 12 repetitions.
Alternating Dumbbell Floor Press: This interesting variation of the traditional dumbbell chest press is more challenging than it looks. By alternating your arms, you add a new dynamic to the move where you have to engage your core to keep your body stable. Do this exercise supine on the floor. Begin with one weight in each hand straight up over your chest, palms facing your thighs. Keep your left arm in place while bending your right elbow and lowering your arm down until it's at or just below your chest (your arm should look like a goal post). Press your arm back up without locking your elbow, then immediately repeat the move with your left arm while keeping your right arm in place. Continue alternating sides, engaging your abs to keep your torso from moving. Keep your abs contracted throughout the movement to protect your back. Keep the motion slow and controlled-try not to use momentum. Alternate right and left for a total of 12 repetitions.
Leg Raise: Let's add a little more core work to the alternating dumbbell press by adding a double leg raise. Finish your last rep and keep the dumbbells over your chest. Your arms are straight and reaching for the sky at all times. Keeping your core tight and your spine pressing into the floor, lower both legs to about an inch or two from the floor. MAKE SURE YOUR BACK DOES NOT ARCH! Using your core, slowly lift your legs back to start. Again, do not use momentum. If you feel your back arching before your legs reach 1-2 inches from the floor, then you will need to stop your legs before you feel the arch. So you may only get your legs to a 45 degree angle or less. That is OK. You will get stronger. FORM is very important here!! Repeat 12 times.
Heavy Alternating Biceps Curl: If you're looking for a simple way to change your biceps exercises, try alternating your arms. By alternating your arms, you change the exercise just a bit and may be able to use heavier weights than you use with regular double-arm curls. Because one arm gets a bit of a rest while the other one works, you may find heavier weights a better choice. Stand with your feet about hip-distance apart or whatever is comfortable and hold the weights beside your thighs with your palms facing out. Bend your right elbow and curl the weight up towards your shoulder, keeping your shoulder still. Lower the weight, keeping a slight bend at the bottom to keep tension on your biceps. Repeat the move with your left arm. Continue alternating arms for a total of 12 alternating repetitions. Avoid using momentum. Keep the move slow and controlled and don't swing the weights.
Heavy Overhead Press: Start by standing upright with your back straight and your core tight. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip and your knuckles facing up. Your elbows are at 90 degrees and out to the sides of your shoulders. Raise the weights above your head in a controlled motion, ensuring that you do not slam your arms upward and stress your elbow joints. Exhale as you push upward, being mindful not to let your back arch. On the downward motion, for the first six repetitions, stop your elbows at shoulder level. Again, your elbows will be at 90 degrees. For the final 6 repetitions, execute the upward motion as before, but on the downward motion, pull your elbows all the way down and in toward your ribs. Squeeze your back and push your chest up and outward. I love adding this full range movement! Perform a total of 12 repetitions.
Heavy Standing French Press: The French press is a great way to isolate your triceps. When performing the French press while standing, be sure to stand straight up with your feet separated and placed under your hips. Keep your knees soft and maintain a slight pelvic tilt. Tighten your abdominals. Hold one dumbbell at the end with both palms and raise it to an extended position a bit behind your head. Keep tension in your triceps even when your arms are extended at the top of the lift. While keeping your upper arms and elbows fixed close to your head, bend your elbows to allow the dumbbell to descend behind your head until your forearms touch your biceps, or as low as is comfortable. Next, use your triceps to press the dumbbell upward until your arms reach the extended position. Repeat 12 times.
One set of all of these exercises should take you around 10-15 minutes to complete. I would like for you to get in three full sets. This should be a good 30-45 minutes of strength training. These are basic exercises that you can incorporate into your weekly routine. Enjoy and I look forward to your feedback.
the oblique push-up is killer. very difficult.
ttyl, cathy
