Low-Impact Back, Abs, and Arms in 20 Minutes

Format: Perform two rounds for the prescribed amount of reps. Rest as needed.

Move 1: Push Ups (10)

• Place your hands flat against the surface directly under your shoulders and extend your legs out behind you.
• Perform a push-up by lowering yourself to meet the surface, back flat, core engaged, and eyes focused about 6 inches in front of you.
• Push back up. Keep your core engaged the whole time and your neck in neutral alignment.
• Mod: You can perform these on your knees or on an elevated surface.
• Check out my Push-up Progression Tutorial for tips on perfecting form and building strength!

Move 2: Squat Press Cross (10)    

• Bring your weighted objects to your shoulders, feet hip-width distance apart
• Stand in front of your box, ottoman, chair, etc. as if you were going to sit down. Feet are hip-width distance apart, chest up and open, core engaged.
• Sit your booty back to meet your box, weight in your heels. Engage your core as you come back to standing, squeeze your booty at the top and press your right arm up and across your body, squat and bring your left arm across your body. Repeat.
• If you feel comfortable move away from your box and perform the squats without any assistance.

Move 3: Ball Sit Ups (20)

• With the Swiss Ball: position your body over the ball, feet planted firmly, hands behind your ears for stability. No pulling on your head or neck.
• Lift and lower your torso, initiating the movement from your upper abdominals. Keep your spine neutral and your head from curling forward or back.
• Without the Swiss Ball: lay on your back with your knees bent, pressing your lower back down into the floor or mat.
• Place your fingertips lightly behind your ears and raise your torso up, peeling it off the floor, trying to lift your shoulder blades up. You can reach through your knees, then return your hands back as you come down.

Move 4: Bicep Curls to Reverse Flyes (12)

• For Bicep Curl: Stand with feet at hip distance, holding your weighted objects at your sides. Engage between the shoulders slightly to hold the shoulders in the correct neutral position (so they’re not rounded forward).
• Raise and lower the weights, bringing the palms to face your shoulders as you lift.
• For Reverse Flye: Hinge forward to 45 degrees, and engage between your shoulders so they’re not rounding forward.
• Turn your pinkies up slightly so that as you lift your weights up to the side, the pinkies come toward the ceiling.
• Repeat both moves together.

Move 5: Superwoman Lifts (10)

• Position yourself on your stomach on the mat.
• Extend your arms and legs.
• Lift your arms and legs off of the mat simultaneously.
• Pro tip! The wider your legs are, the easier the move will be. As you get stronger, bring your feet in closer together.

Move 6: Side Plank Hip Drop Crunch (10 each side)

• Position yourself on your mat, on your elbow and knee, elbow stacked just below your shoulder.
• Lift up into a side plank, keeping the hips square in front of you.
• Lift your top arm up overhead and extend your top leg long as you drop your hip toward the floor.
• Raise your hip back up while you drive your elbow to your knee.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Move 7: Low Impact Warrior Burpees (10)

• Plant your hands on your mat beneath your shoulders and step or jump back to tall plank, holding your belly button in and up to keep your core engaged.
• Bring your right knee toward your left shoulder, then your left knee to your right shoulder in a cross-body mountain climber motion.
• Jump or step your feet up to meet your hands, loading the weight in your heels,
• Stand and smoothly kick one leg out straight in front of you, then the other leg.
• MOD: Step your feet back and forth rather than jumping; perform the mountain climbers on an elevated surface, placing your hands on the side of a couch or chair; do high knees instead of kicks.