With summer behind us, the motivation to keep ourselves in shape sometimes falls to the wayside. But to get that motivation back we spoke with Amanda Butler of Fhitting Room, an upscale boutique fitness studio delivering body-changing, high intensity workouts, who created a quick and effective 20-Minute Upper Body routine that you can do at home, traveling, or at the gym.
Complete 3 rounds of the following 5 exercises. Perform each movement for 45 seconds followed by a 15 second rest before moving on to the next exercise. After you have completed all 5 exercises, take a 90 second rest, then complete another round.Â
1. Pushups
Start in a high plank position; with your shoulders over your wrists and legs out behind you. Lower your chest towards the floor, keeping your elbows angled back, exhale and push yourself back up to start position. To make this easier, drop down to your knees for modified pushups.Â
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2. Arch Ups
Lie face down on the floor, engage your core and extend your arms straight out in front of you (thumbs up to the ceiling). Lift your legs, arms, and chest off the floor by squeezing your glutes and engaging your lower back. Hold for a count and then lower to the floor. Keep repeating.
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3. Diamond Pushups
Start in a high plank position; bring your hands together to make a diamond shape (keeping your shoulders stacked over your wrists), legs extended back behind you about hip width apart. Lower your chest down to tap your diamond (hands) and exhale as your press back up to start position. To modify this exercise, drop to your knees. The key here is to make sure your chest hits the diamond and not your face.Â
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4. Plank Ups
Start in a forearm plank position; shoulders stacked over your elbows and feet extended back behind you. Take your right hand and replace your right elbow and then do the same with the left hand. Come back into a high plank position, then lower your Right elbow back to the floor and then the left. Repeat alternating sides. To modify this exercise, drop to your knees. Keep your core tight during this exercise as well!Â
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5. Tricep Dips
Start with your hands shoulder width apart behind you on the floor. Straighten your elbows to lift your pelvis off the floor (feet out on the floor in front of you). Keeping your pelvis lifted, bend and straighten your elbows behind you, working your triceps. Make sure to keep your fingers facing toward your feet. Â
To learn more about Fhitting Room click here.
