Total Upper Body Shred

Equipment Needed: Weighted Objects (dumbbells, water bottles, books, etc).

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

Superset 1: 

Move 1: Bear Crawl Shoulder Tap Walkouts (0:30 – 0:45)

• Begin in a standing position with your core engaged and chest up tall.
• Bend your knees slightly and place your hands on the floor in front of you.
• Walk your hands out to a tabletop position with your knees hovering slightly above the floor, shoulders stacked over your hands and hips stacked over your knees.
• Brace your core and bring one hand to touch the opposite shoulder and repeat on the other side. 
• Brace your core and walk your hands back in towards your feet to stand and repeat. 
• MOD: Perform this movement on an elevated surface or hold a stationary bear crawl plank.

Move 2: Tricep Roll Back Extensions (12-15) 

• Start lying on the ground with a weight in each hand, your arms extended straight over your chest and your feet on the ground with knees bent.
• Keeping the upper part of your arms still, bend both arms, lowering the weights toward your shoulders. 
• When you touch your shoulders with your weights, shift your arms toward you to bring the entire weight flat to the floor. 
• Keeping your elbow pointing toward the ceiling and not letting your elbow bow out, drive up with the weights to your starting position. (Focus on using your tricep rather than just locking out your elbow).

Move 3: Bradford Presses (8-10)

• Begin standing with one weight in each hand in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip and your hands wider than shoulder width.
• Keeping your ribcage down and core engaged, drive the weights up until it’s a few inches above your head then lower the weights by bringing them behind your head until your elbows are at 90 degrees. 
• Without pausing, reverse the movement to bring the weights back to the front. (Keep the weights in constant motion to maintain tension in your shoulders).
• If your mobility doesn’t allow for this, perform overhead presses. 

Superset 2: 

Move 1: Single Arm Rows (12-15 each side) 

• Hinge forward at the hips to be at 45 degrees, core engaged, gaze neutral, chest up, shoulders rolled back and down, and a weight in one hand, hanging beneath your chest.
• Pull the weight to your sides while keeping your elbows close to the body, and squeezing your back muscles like you’re pinching the base of your shoulder blades together.
• Perform 3 rows and then perform 3 tricep kickbacks by kicking your arms straight back.
• Slowly lower the weights down again to the starting position and repeat.

Move 2: Biceps Curl Rotations (6-8)

• 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 biceps (palms facing you). 
• Reverse the movement to return to your starting position and repeat. 

Move 3: Hand Raise Push Ups (12-15) 

• Begin in a tall plank position with your hands stacked below your shoulders and your core engaged (no arched back).
• Lower yourself toward the mat by bending your elbows and pointing them back behind you at a 45 degree angle, keeping your body straight and your shoulders away from your ears. Keep your gaze about 6 inches in front of you rather than looking up or down, to maintain a neutral spine.
• Bring yourself all the way down to the ground and once you are flat to the ground, raise your hands briefly, place them back down on the ground and press back up to your starting position with your core engaged.
• MOD: Perform the push up with your hands on the side of your couch or other elevated surface but remembering to go all the way to the surface with your chest. Alternatively, remain on the mat, but in a kneeling, or single knee down position.
• Check out my Push-up Progression Tutorial for tips on perfecting form and building strength!

Finisher Burnouts:

Format: Do as many reps as possible to failure.

Move 1: Biceps Curls

• 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 biceps (palms facing you). 
• Reverse the movement to return to your starting position and repeat.

Move 2: Overhead Triceps Extensions

• Begin in a standing position, holding one weight overhead with both hands so your arms are straight overhead.
• Slowly lower the weight behind your head by bending your elbows, being careful not to flare your elbows out too much.
• Once your forearms move beyond parallel to the floor, bring the weight back up to the starting position. 
• Your upper arms should remain in place throughout the movement so that your elbows aren’t moving too far forward or backward.

Move 3: Lateral Raises 

• Stand with your core engaged, chest up, shoulders rolled back, and weights in hand.
• Keeping your ribcage down and core engaged, lift both arms out to the side, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows and leading with your shoulders and elbows rather than your wrists. 
• Slowly bring the weights back down to your sides with control and repeat.