day four: arms, Back & Abs
Allow 60-90 seconds rest between circuits. Aim for little to no rest between exercises during the circuit. If you’re a beginner, take breaks as needed.
for an added challenge, begin with 5-6 minutes of high-intensity cardio of your choice. complete bonus exercises within rounds.
circuit 1: Complete 3 rounds.
spider crunch burpees. Complete 10-12 reps.
modification: remove jump.
Start with feet hip width apart, slightly bend at your knees and propel yourself upward as you jump to the ceiling. Bend your knees as you land, and drop down placing your hands on the floor in front of you and jump both feet back so that you’re now in plank position. Bring your right knee toward your elbow, crunching your right side and then position your foot back into a plank position. Repeat on the left side. Jump the feet back in toward the hands, and then explosively jump into the air, reaching your arms straight overhead.
Pushups. Complete 10-15 reps.
modification: drop to knees.
Begin in a plank position with your feet behind you and your palms on the ground, shoulder width apart with fingers facing forward. Stiffen your torso by contracting your core/abdominal muscles, your glute and quadriceps muscles and align your head with your spine. Lower your body toward the floor, keeping your head aligned with your spine, with your elbows flaring outward until your chest or chin touches the floor. To modify, drop to your knees.
Mountain climbers on med ball.
Mountain climbers on med ball. complete 20 reps.
modification: palms on floor.
In a plank position, brace your core with your hands placed on a medicine ball directly underneath your shoulders. You can also modify this by placing your palms on the ground directly beneath your shoulders. Flex your left hip, bringing your left thigh to your chest. Lift your right knee off the ground, fully extending your right leg behind you, with your toes pointing towards your shins, heel up. Stiffen your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine, then pull your shoulders down and back. Keeping your hands firmly on the medicine ball, abs engaged and shoulder strong, simultaneously switch leg positions.
bonus exercise: 45-60 second sprint.
circuit 2: Complete 3 rounds.
bent over single arm rows. Complete 12-15 reps, Left-right.
Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, bend over to place your left knee and left hand on a bench to support your body weight. Your hand should be placed directly under your shoulder and your knees should be positioned directly under your hips. Your back should be flat and spine should be neutral, with your head aligned with your spine. Pull your shoulders down and back and maintain this position. Extend your right arm (holding the dumbbell) towards the floor without allowing your torso to rotate or shoulder to move towards the floor. Pull the dumbbell upwards, bending your elbow and pulling your upper arm backwards. Keep your arm close to the side of your body and continue pulling the dumbbell upwards until you are unable to lift any further without rotating your torso. Return to starting position.
straight arm pulldowns. Complete 12-15 reps.
at-home modification: use dumbbells (see description).
Stand with the feet hip-width apart, the hips straight, the back tall, and the knees slightly bent. Place the cable pulley at the highest position, use a straight bar attachment or handle grip, and hold one end of the bar or one handle in each hand. Keep the arms straight while bringing the hands down to the front of the waist. Slowly lift the hands back to the starting position to lower the weight.
Using dumbbells: Hold one dumbbell in each hand, bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the tips, keeping your back flat and spine neutral. With your palms facing back, let the dumbbells hang perpendicular to the floor, with hands directly below your shoulders. Keeping your arms straight, pull both dumbbells back toward your hips, squeezing your lats. Return to starting position and repeat.
Upright rows. complete 12-15 reps.
Stand with feet hip-width apart, with hips straight and back tall. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip (palms facing your body) with your hands on either side of your thighs. Bend at your elbows and move your arms in an upward position until your elbows are in line with your shoulders. Return to the starting position and repeat.
bonus exercise: 10 burpees
circuit 3: complete 3 rounds.
chest fly. complete 8-12 reps.
With your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent, With the elbows slightly bent, slowly bring both hands together in front of the body. When the hands are together, pause for one second before slowly returning the arms to the starting position.
single arm lateral pull downs. Complete 12-15 reps, left-right.
at-home alternative: single arm bent over row.
Position yourself on your knees in front of an adjustable cable machine with a handle grip positioned at a high setting. Grab the handle with one hand with an overhand grip, your arm fully extended and position yourself on your knees. Brace your abdominal muscles to protect your spine. Pull shoulders back and down and attempt to hold this position throughout the exercise. Slowly exhale and initiate the downward pull by first depressing your scapulae, then pulling the handle downward in a motion that drives your elbows directly down towards the floor, bringing your elbow towards the sides of your torso. Go back to starting position and repeat.
cable face pulls. complete 12-15 reps.
at-home modification: bent-over rows.
Place the cable pulley at a high position with rope or dual handles attached. Stand in front of the cable pulley, bracing your core. Pull the rope or handles directly towards your face, separating your hands as you do so and bringing your elbows past your head. Keep your upper arms parallel to the ground. Return to your starting position and repeat.
bonus exercise: 45-60 second sprint.
circuit 4: complete 3 rounds.
supermans. complete 20 reps.
Lie on your stomach on a mat with your legs extended, toes pointing away from your shins, arms extended overhead with palms facing each other. Relax your head to align it with your spine. Exhale, contract your abdominal and core muscles to stabilize your spine and slowly raise both legs a few inches off the floor while simultaneously raising both arms a few inches off the floor. Keep both legs and arms extended and avoiding any rotation in each. Maintain your head and torso position, avoiding any arching in your back or raising of your head. Hold this position briefly and return to your starting position.
Side plank hip dips. complete 10-15 reps, left-right.
Lie on your left side propped up on your left elbow and forearm, shoulders stacked over your elbow, legs stacked on top of each other. Raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. This is the starting position. Keeping your core braced and your glutes engaged, slowly lower your left hip toward the floor. Reverse the move, returning to side plank position. Repeat for reps, then switch sides, performing equal reps on each.
commandos. complete 8-10 reps, left-right.
Start in a push-up position with the hands under the shoulders and the legs stretched out directly behind. Squeeze the thigh and glute muscles to keep body and legs in a straight line, and lower down to the elbows one elbow at a time. From this position on the elbows, press the hands into the floor one at a time to return to the push-up position.
plank jacks on med ball. complete 20 reps.
at-home modification: palms on floor, tap feet.
Begin in plank position, with your hands positioned firmly on a medicine ball, your body in one straight line, and your feet together. Like the motion of a jumping jack, jump your legs wide and then back together. Jump as quickly as you want, but keep your pelvis steady and don't let your glutes rise toward the ceiling.