Strength training doesn’t have to be an hour-long endeavor. Many of us don’t have hours to devote to working out. We often look at strength training as an all or nothing pursuit – either we have the time to do it or we don’t do it at all.
Today’s workout is intended to combat that mindset. I’m including two upper body, equipment-free workouts that you can do in 10 minutes. If you want to train your upper body three times a week, I would do workout A on a Monday, workout B on Wednesday and then workout A on Friday. Start with workout B on the following Monday. Stick with this routine for four weeks and assess where you are. After four weeks, you will probably need to change up your routine for something more challenging. Send me an email when you get to that stage, and I will try to help you come up with another routine.
This workout is also intended to help combat the effects of sitting at a desk for several hours. These movements will help open up your chest and assist with shoulder flexibility - particularly the wall slides.
Remember: listen to your body as you do these exercises. If something hurts (beyond the muscle working), stop what you are doing. You know your body better than anyone else, and as I’m constantly telling my clients, no one workout is worth being injured over!
10-Min Upper Body Workout (A)
5 Inchworms with Shoulder Taps
10 Diamond Push-ups on knees or toes
10 Forearm Plank Rotation
10 Scarecrow
10 Reverse Snow Angels (with no weights)
10 Dead Bugs
Repeat for a total of 3 times.
10-Min Upper Body Workout (B)
10 Plank ups (up and down planks)
10 Tricep Dips with Legs Extended
10 Floor/Prone Y Raise, Floor T Raise (10 per exercise)
10 Bird Dogs
10 Wall Slides
Repeat for a total of 3 times.
