Upper Body
Day Two, Week One
Hello, and welcome to Day Two! This means Day One is in the books, and YOU made the choice to keep going. GO YOU! Warm up with some jumping jacks, a pep talk, and turn up your motivating playlist. Zone in and fight through it!
More on the Movements…
10 Push-ups
Start in high plank with a neutral spine, arms fully extended, and hands positioned just wider than your chest.
Bend your elbows out and back as you lower your chest to slightly below your bent elbow.
Continue for 10 repetitions.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower your chest, exhale as you push up.
Modification:
If you can’t get much depth from your toes, drop to your knees. Make sure you tuck your pelvis so your butt doesn’t stick up in the air.
Even better than push-ups from your knees: Stay on your toes, but do an incline push-up from the couch or a bench instead to take a little weight off and keep your core engaged.
15 Side Presses
Lay on your right side and cross your right arm over your chest, resting your hand on your shoulder.
Place your left hand directly in front your right shoulder.
Press yourself up then lower yourself back to the ground.
Repeat for 15 repetitions then switch sides.
Breathing: Exhale as you press up, inhale as you lower.
10 Crab Toe Touches
Begin in crab position: Sit on the floor with your feet in front of you and your hands behind you, fingers facing forward or to the side. Extend your arms and lift your hips off the ground.
Bend your elbows, lowering yourself to the ground.
As you press yourself back up, contract your core and bring your right hand up while simultaneously lifting your left leg. Reach your right hand to your left toes.
Slowly return to elevated position, dip again then alternate sides.
Continue alternating for 10 repetitions.
Breathing: Inhale as you dip, exhale as you press up and reach.
15 Roll-up Presses
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Place your arms at your sides with your elbows bent to about 90 degrees.
Contract your core and drive your elbows into the floor to lift your back off the ground. As you lift your back, puff out your chest and bring your shoulders back.
From this position, roll onto your forearms then press through your palms until your arms are fully extended, lifting your hips off the ground.
Lower your hips back to the ground, and slowly roll back to starting position while keeping your core contracted.
Continue for 15 repetitions.
Breathing: Exhale as you roll up, inhale as you roll back.
10 Hand Release Push-ups
Start in high plank position with your wrists stacked below your shoulders.
Lower your chest all the way to the ground keeping your elbows at about a 45 degree angle (in the middle of straight out into a T and completely tucked in next to your chest).
With your chest on the floor, pull your hands up so the hover off the ground.
Place your palms back on the floor, contract your core, butt and thighs and push up into high plank.
As you push up to plank, your torso and hips should rise as one unit. Try to not arch your back or sag your hips.
Continue for 10 repetitions. This will work to improve your normal push-up strength!
Breathing: Inhale as you lower to the floor, exhale as you push up.
30 sec Side Plank Rotations
Start in side plank position: Shoulder in line with your elbow, body in a straight line, feet stacked, core contracted and arm raised in the air.
Twist your torso forward and reach your arm under your body.
Return to starting position and continue for 30 seconds before switching sides.
Breathing: Exhale as you twist and reach, inhale as you return to start.
Modification:
Rather than holding side plank with your feet stacked, rest on your knee closest to the floor. Bend that knee about 45 degrees. The leg on top should be extended and slightly raised.
10 Tricep Dips
Grab a sturdy chair, or use the couch, a coffee table or bench.
Place your hands outside your hips, knuckles facing forward and arms straight.
With your hips squared, lower your body to the ground, then press yourself back up through your palms.
Keep your chest high to avoid hunching forward, and keep your elbows tucked behind your shoulder blades.
Continue for 10 repetitions.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower, exhale as you press up.
Modification:
To make it more difficult, extend your legs in front.
10 Pike Push-ups
From plank position, lift your hips up and back until your body forms an inverted “V” shape. Keep arms and legs straight.
Bend your elbows and lower your upper body toward the floor.
Slowly push back up into starting position, and continue for 10 repetitions.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower your upper body, exhale as you press back up.
Modification:
To make this more difficult, elevate your feet onto a couch, table or bench.
