Upper Body and Abs Blast

Equipment: Weighted objects (water bottles, dumbbells, etc); optional ankle weights.

Format: Perform each movement for the prescribed time/repetitions and repeat for 3 rounds. Rest as needed.

CIRCUIT 1:

Move 1: Down Dog to Alternating Side Knee Crunch (0:30-1:00)

• Begin in a tall plank position with your core engaged and your shoulders stacked over your hands.
• Press your hips back, keeping your head in line with your arms as you come into a down dog. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your palms, and your heels should reach toward the floor.
• Shift back to your tall plank position, engaging your core and flattening your hips.  As you shift forward, smoothly bring your right knee out toward your right elbow for a side crunch. 
• Return your leg back to start in your plank position and repeat the full movement, alternating each knee for a side crunch. 
• MOD: Place hands on an elevated surface (chair, couch) or perform from a kneeling position.

Move 2: Reverse Fly to Row to Triceps Kickback (8-12)

• Hinge forward at the waist to be at 45 degrees, gaze neutral, with your shoulders down and back so they’re not rounding forward and allow your weights to hang beneath your chest.
• Lift both arms out to the side, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Slowly bring the weights back beneath your chest.
• Pull the weights to your sides for a row, keeping your elbows close to the body and squeezing your back muscles like you’re pinching the base of your shoulder blades together.
• While in this row position perform a tricep kickback by kicking your arms straight back.
• Slowly lower the weights down again to the starting position and repeat the fly, row and kickback combination.

Move 3: Jack Punch (0:30-1:00)

• Start standing with feet together and your hands close to your chest in a punching position.
• Jump your feet out wide as you punch your right arm straight across your body. 
• Jump your feet back together as you bring your arm back in and as you jump your feet back out, punch your left arm straight out. 
• Repeat back and forth. 
• MOD: Take out the jump and simply step your feet out one at a time while punching your arms out in front of you. 

CIRCUIT 2:

Move 1: Russian Twist to Bicycle Feet (0:30-1:00)

• Start in a seated position with your knees bent, feet on the ground, chest up tall and core engaged.
• Slowly rotate your upper body reach from side to side for 4 repetitions.
• Come back to center with your chest up tall and pump your legs out one at a time like pedaling a bicycle for 4 repetitions. 
• MOD: Place your hands behind you on the ground for stability when you are pedaling your feet.

Move 2: Biceps Curl to Around the World (8-12)

• Holding your weighted objects with your palms facing you, pull your shoulder blades back and down with your core engaged.
• Keeping the upper arms stationary, perform a bicep curl with both arms by curling the weight up to your shoulder while contracting your bicep (palm facing you). 
• Reverse the movement to return to your starting position. 
• With a slight bend in your elbow and your shoulders still pulled down and back, sweep your arms out and up around you to end overhead, using your shoulders to initiate this movement. 
• Return to the starting position and repeat the biceps curl and around the world back and forth.

Move 3: Side Shuffle Squat Thrust  (0:30-1:00)

• Begin in a high squat position with your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart, core engaged and weight back in your heels.
• Laterally shuffle to the end of your mat, bend your knees and plant your hands just below shoulders. Step or jump back to a tall plank, keeping your core tight and back flat, gaze about 6 inches in front of you for a neutral spine.
• Jump or step your feet back to your hands. Load your weight in your heels and use your momentum to power up to standing and ending in your starting high squat position.
• With your knees bent, laterally shuffle to the other side and repeat.
• MOD: Do this movement on an inclined surface like a chair or ottoman.