20-minute Upper Body Sculpt

Equipment: weighted objects, optional wall and elevated surface
Format: Tabata: each move is done consecutively for 0:20 at max effort, followed by a 0:10 rest for 4:00 total. Circuit as written.
How to perform a drop set: Round 1 is your heaviest set and you should be within the suggested rep range when you hit your rep ceiling. Once you get to the top of your reps, set aside your weights and grab a set that is 20-30% lighter, and perform as many reps as you can with little to no rest. Once you complete that set, grab a set of weights that is 20-30% lighter than the last set and perform as many reps as possible.

Tabata

• Burpees
  • Begin standing at the top of your mat with your core braced and chest upright.
  • Bend your knees, plant your hands on the mat, and jump your feet back into a tall plank position with shoulders stacked over wrists, braced core, back flat and neutral gaze (not looking up or down).
  • Bend your arms and lower yourself toward the mat for a push-up while keeping your shoulders away from your ears.
  • Be mindful that your hips and torso are moving in one line.
  • Maintaining a braced core and flat back, push yourself back up to the starting position.
  • Jump your feet back up to your hands and drive through the heels to stand or jump.
  • Repeat for allotted time.
  • MOD: For low impact, remove jumps and step your feet out and in.
  • Complete the push-ups with your knees on the mat or complete the entire sequence with your hands planted on an elevated surface (bench/couch/chair) instead of the mat.
• Jack Press
  • Begin standing with your feet together and core braced. Hold your light weighted objects in your hands, arms in a goalpost position and shoulders back and down (as if you are standing against a wall).
  • Jump your feet out wide as you press the weights towards the sky with arms in full extension as though you are doing a shoulder press. Keep your elbows back and your chest open.
  • Jump your feet back together, bringing your arms back to the starting position, and repeat for allotted time.
  • MOD: Remove weighted objects and/or make this move low impact by removing the jump and alternating stepping each foot out and back in.

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Circuit:

• Narrow Row Pause (6-10)
  • Stand with your core braced, chest up, shoulders back and down (as if they were against a wall), and weighted objects in both hands.
  • Hinge at the hips at a 45 degree angle with your body (sending hips back as though you are shutting a car door with them), and engage between your shoulders, so they’re not rounding forward. Allow your dumbbells to hang beneath your chest and keep your head and neck in a neutral position.
  • Draw your elbows up and back beside your ribcage, squeezing your back muscles.
  • Pause for a count of 1-3 seconds.
  • Slowly lower the weights with control to the hanging position beneath your chest.
  • Repeat for your max reps.
• Leaning Lateral Raise (6-10)
  • With a weighted object in your left hand, lean against a wall with your right shoulder, being mindful of maintaining your body in an upright plank position: core braced, shoulders locked into their sockets, hips square, and body in a strong straight line.
  • Lift your left arm to shoulder height, maintaining a slight bend in the elbow and leading with your shoulder and elbow rather than your wrist.
  • Lower the weight back down with control.
  • Repeat for your max reps, switch sides and match reps.
  • MOD for standing lateral raise: Stand with your core braced, chest up, shoulders rolled back, and weights in hand.
  • Keeping your ribcage down and core engaged, lift both arms out to the side, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows and leading with your shoulders and elbows rather than your wrists.
  • Slowly bring the weights back down to your sides with control and repeat for your max reps.
• Biceps Curls (6-10)
  • Standing and holding weights with palms facing forward, a braced core and shoulders back and down (as if they were against a wall), bend at the elbows to curl the weights up to shoulder height.
  • With control, lower the weights to the starting position. Be mindful that you’re keeping your elbows in at your ribcage for the duration of the curl and not allowing your shoulders to shrug or round forward.
  • Repeat for your max reps.
• Narrow Row pause (6-10)
• Leaning lateral raise (6-10)
• Biceps Curls drop set: (6-10), AMRAP, AMRAP
• Narrow Row pause (6-10)
• Leaning lateral raise(6-10)