Upper Body Blast (15-minute workout video)

This is 15-minute upper body workout that you can do at home or the gym with only a pair of dumbbells. Follow prenatal and low impact modifications in the video!

Hi friends! Hope you’re having a wonderful morning. Today is an avalanche of work stuff and topped off with a holiday girls’ night party. On days like today, where I feel like I’m running around all day, I’m really thankful for short workout options! I think one of the tough things when you’re pressed for workout time is spending some of that valuable time assessing what you’re going to do. Without a plan in place, it’s easy to feel like you waste your time wandering around and figuring out your exercises, or it’s enough to intimate you from working out entirely.

For days like this, you can just hit play! 

I have another short (but killer) workout video for you today. This one is focused on upper body with no cardio, so you can easily sandwich it with HIIT intervals and/or core work if you have time. If all you have is 15 minutes, this one’s got you covered.

(Pin it for a rainy day!)

Please follow my friend Katie for any modifications along the way, and as always, honor your body. Check with a doctor before making any fitness or nutrition changes.

Here’s the upper body workout:

  

Exercises and form cues:

(Complete 3 rounds of 12 for the following exercises)

Deadlift to row and upright row:  Hold a barbell, pair of dumbbells or kettlebell, and tap one leg behind you. You can keep it here, with the weight in your front foot as you tilt forward, bringing the weights just below the knees. Exhale and rise with a flat back. For more advanced variations, you can float this top foot off the floor. Make sure to keep hips parallel to the floor. As you rise, complete your upright row, leading with your elbows.

Biceps curl to overhead press: Holding a dumbbell, squeeze your biceps and exhale as you curl, inhale to bring the weights up to 90 degrees and exhale to press up overhead. 

Reverse fly: Your feet will be just under your hips with a slight bend at the knees. Hinge forward from your hips, keeping your back flat (shoulders pulled back) and core braced. Raise your arms, bringing them high and wide, engaging into your rear delts. Stop the elbows at shoulder height before carefully lowering back down. 

Chest fly with hip raise: Start on your back with legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold the weights out to your sides with a slight bend at the elbows. Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips, keeping your upper back pressing into the floor and hips parallel to the floor. As your hips lift, bring the weights in front of your chest, performing a chest fly. Lower down towards the floor and exhale to rise back up.

Skull crusher with optional march: Lie on your back with feet flat on the floor and elbows bent at 90 degrees. Extend your arms, pressing the weights towards the ceiling, and keep your arms in line with your shoulders. As an optional core challenge, march one leg (keeping a 90 degree bent and stopping in line with your hips), alternating legs with each rep.

Push-ups: On your knees, toes, or modified against a wall. Keep your hips down in line with your spine, and exhale, squeezing your chest, to rise.

If you find yourself with more time, try adding in this HIIT and strength, this leg and booty burner, this one-dumbbell workout, or this core video.

Please let me know if you give it a try!

xo

Gina

Video: Grant Hunker

Workout partner-in-crime: Katie Surridge

Studio: Animas Tucson

Graphic: Luminous Lines