Give the dumbbells a break, and fire up your arms with this strengthening bodyweight workout [1]. You'll get a quick and effective sweat sesh in with this arm-centric workout targeting your biceps, triceps, shoulders, and chest.
The Workout
- Before you get started, be sure to do a warmup [2]. Moves like plank walkouts [3] and jumping jacks [4] are great to prepare for the upcoming workout.
- Complete the designated reps for each of the following exercises. Once you've gone through all four of the exercises, take up to two minutes of rest. Repeat for a total of four rounds.
Basic Push-Up
- Start in a plank position with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above your wrists.
- Take a breath in, and as you exhale, bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your chest toward the ground. Stop as soon as your shoulders are in line with your elbows. Inhale to straighten your arms. This counts as one rep.
- If this is too difficult, do this exercise with your knees on the floor.
- Complete eight reps.
Crab Walk
- Sit on the ground with your knees bent, your hands two inches behind you, and your fingers pointing away from your body. If this is too much weight on your wrists, slightly turn your fingers out to the sides of your body. Lift your hips two to three inches off the ground.
- Step your right foot forward as you simultaneously move your left hand forward. Then repeat on the opposite side. This completes one rep. Focus on perfecting the contralateral movement (moving opposite body parts at the same time).
- Continue walking forward for a total of 10 reps, or 15 meters. To advance this movement, walk forward for 10 reps and then walk backward for 10 reps, targeting your triceps.
Burpees
- Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
- Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
- Do one basic push-up, bending the elbows and then straightening back to plank.
- Jump the feet forward to the hands and come into a squat.
- Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can.
- Complete 10 reps.
Plank With Shoulder Tap
- Begin in a plank variation with your feet slightly wider than your hips for added stability.
- Keeping your torso stable, bring your right hand to your left shoulder, then return your right hand back to the mat.
- Bring your left hand to your right shoulder and return it to the mat. This counts as one rep.
- Complete 10 reps.