As I am sure you know, there are different types of training techniques. They range from supersets to drop sets to tempo training, and there is a time and a place for each one! Todays workout is a 300 rep challenge, high reps to really burn out the upper body and stress the muscles with little rest in between. An at home upper body workout routine with no equipment needed, just your bodyweight!
Because this workout is putting so much stress and tension on the upper body, I wanted to share with you the benefits of training this way!
• Increased overload and muscle breakdown
• More calories burned (less rest time)
• Hit fatigue early and therefore allow muscles to build stronger
• Increase protein synthesis due to cell hydration
Training in compound sets is going to put a lot of stress on the muscle, which will in turn tear it down and allow it to build up stronger/bigger over time. It also allows the body to burn more calories because there are fewer rest periods, and because the muscles are constantly working through the entire workout, which means increased blood flow!
Table of Contents
• 50 vertical mountain climbers
• 45 supermans
• 40 punches
• 35 dips
• 30 reverse snow angels
• 25 v pushups
• 20 dolphins
• 15 plank walks
• 10 spider pushups
• 5 burpees
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Another cardio movement to get that heart pumping before moving into strength exercises!
Form: This is almost like high knees with arm motions at the same time! You want to keep your core right and same arm/same leg go at the same time. Getting those knees up as high as you can.
Modifications: Instead of running them out, you can just simply march. But you want your hands and knees going at the same time. The counting for these is 50 PER SIDE!
Great exercise for the low back and stabilizers. An exercise that seems very simple but packs a big punch!
Form: Lying flat on the floor on your stomach, lift all four limbs off the ground, squeeze and come back down to the floor. You want to engage your glutes and make sure your arms, head, and legs are all off the ground!
Modifications: To make it easier you can start by just lifting your arms off the ground and leaving your legs down, but make sure you try to work up to all four limbs lifting! To make things harder you can add weights to your hands or hold at the top longer!
PUNCH LIKE YOU MEAN IT. This exercise is only effective if you actually out some force, and purpose behind the motion!
Form: In an athletic stance (knees soft and slightly bent) you are punching forward, alternating sides. You want to think about PUSHING and PULLING that punch, and make it count! You also want to rotate through your trunk to help put some power behind it.
Modifications: There is no easier modification for this exercise, but to make it harder you can hold small weights!
These can be performed on the floor, or on a bench/chair. Working those triceps that kick in during all pushing movements.
Form: Think “elbows in and push through hands.” If you are doing them on the floor, you want to keep your hips up and drop down as far as you can. If you are using a chair or bench, keep your knees bent and your butt close to the bench as you lower yourself down and push through those hands. DO NOT USE YOUR HIPS TO HELP PULL YOU UP.
Modifications: Doing them on the floor is the easiest option. To make things harder you can straighten your legs instead of bending them, but you can also had a weight to your hips to make it more difficult.
Another back strengthening exercise, with no equipment necessary. This is a great muscular endurance exercise for the stabilizers of the low back.
Form: Lying on your stomach, you are going to do a reverse snow angel. So lifting your arms and legs up off the ground, rotate your arms down to your sides and then back over your head before releasing yourself back down.
Modifications: An easier modification is again, leaving your legs on the ground and just moving your upper body. To make it more difficult you can add small weights to your hands, or refrain from coming down to rest between reps!
A secret shoulder burner most people don’t know about. It is amazing what simply changing the angle of the body can do!
Form: On all fours, your butt up in the air like a “v” and your fingers pointing inwards at each other. Drop your head down so that the crown of your head is meeting the floor between your fingers and then push yourself back up. Make sure you keep your core tight and remember, it is okay that your butt is in the air…this time!
Modifications: Decrease your range of motion if it is too hard for you. Work your way up to lowering yourself down more and more each time. To make it harder you can elevate your feet so the angle is more drastic.
This exercise works your shoulders, chest, and your back…if you do it correctly!
Form: High plank position on your hands; push yourself back so your legs straighten and your butt is in the hair, and then pull yourself forward past high plank position where your shoulders are ahead of your wrists. You need to keep your core tight and focus on the push and the pull of the movement.
Modifications: Drop down to your knees if you need to and you can do the same movement. To make things harder you can make your forward/backward range of motion!
This is a doooozy!
Form: High plank position on your hands, step from side to side with your hand AND your foot. You can continue to the right for as many ‘steps’ as you want before moving to the left…or you can do one and one.
Modifications: Again, drop down to your knees and just move your hands from side to side. You still want to keep your core tight and be in a straight line from your head to your toes. There is no need to make these harder. If you have the perfect form, then just add onto the reps here.
This pushup variation works both the upper body but also the obliques as well.
Form: Pushup position on your toes/hands, with your wrists under your shoulders; you are lowering yourself down into a regular pushup, but as you lower down, your leg bends up to meet your elbow, and then returns as you pushup. Alternate legs with each pushup. Keep your core tight and try to keep your knee off the ground.
Modifications: If you need to make things easier, just remove the knee drive or drop down to your knees. To make things harder you can lower yourself further down towards the floor, or do multiple reps on one side keeping your leg off the ground the entire time.
The best and worst exercise of all time.
Form: Core tight and make sure there is a purpose behind each movement. Movement goes as: hands to floor, jump back, just forward, jump up. Core is tight the entire time and you are jumping all the way back to a high plank position and then back in towards your hands.
Modifications: You can elevate your hands on a bench or chair to make things a little bit easier. You can also take the jumps out and just step back in and out. To make things harder you can add a pushup at the bottom, some mountain climbers or plank jacks as well.
Check out my blog here on the benefits of warming up and cooling down with exercise. Here is this weeks upper body workout routine warm-up and cool down…
This weeks warm-up:
• 10 Pushups
• 20 arm circles forward
• 20 arm circles backwards
• 5 walkouts
Cool down:
• Open book stretch
• Childs Pose
• Arm crossover
• Overhead arm stretch
Another workout in the books! If you are looking for a great recovery drink, or another source of easier protein, check out Vital Proteins below! Great collagen protein products that have amazing health benefits!
