Sculpt your shoulders, arm, and core – all from home!
With gyms closed, now is the perfect time to perfect your bodyweight upper body movements! Push-ups and handstands might not be part of your gym training programme, but when you’re workout out at home, they’re some of the most effective exercises around. This workout will challenge your strength and build on it to help ensure your mobility and overall fitness remain intact even when you can’t get out for a workout or are lucky enough to have a nice multi gym available in their spare room.
This is a complete upper body and core workout that should take about thirty minutes to complete. As with all bodyweight work, make sure you’re primed for the movements before you start. Bodyweight movements all about careful control and moving with purpose, so don’t rush. You’re definitely going to feel this workout tomorrow, so make sure you stretch properly afterward!
Planks of All Types
Challenge your upper body strength with this variety plank workout sequence. Then move on to push-ups and handstand holds for a burn-out finisher.
- Plank shoulder taps: 2 sets of ten (each arm) Aim to keep your hips level and square during the taps.
- Side Plank: 2 sets of max effort (each side) Don’t lock out your elbow – it’ll put undue pressure on your wrist and hand. Instead, keep a micro-bend to help avoid injury.
- Forearm plank reach out: 2 sets of ten (each arm) Beginning in a forearm position, make sure your elbows are directly under your shoulders. Don’t skimp on the reach out – make full contact with your hand and the floor.
- Plank up-down: 2 sets of ten (each arm) Resist the urge to tick-tock your hips to make this movement even more challenging.
Once this circuit is complete, move on to push-ups and handstand holds.
Next
- Standard push-ups: 3 sets of 6. Keep your elbows tracking back to avoid injury.
- Downward dog to push up: 2 sets of 6. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this movement. It’s going to challenge both your mobility and your triceps strength!
- Standard push-ups: 2 sets of max effort. Challenge your bis, tris, and upper body with this classic move.
- Handstand hold: 2 sets of max effort for time. Remember to keep your core engaged and a micro-bend in your elbows.
Bonus Challenge
- Add in an additional two sets of narrow grip push-ups.
Need even more of a challenge? Try doing two sets of max rep handstand push-ups.
It’s worth mentioning that we know it’s tough to get a complete upper body workout without using weights at home. But the workout above is definitely useful in targeting the core muscles of your upper body and helping ensure all of your precious gains aren’t completely lost. And, since most of these movements require the activation and engagement of your core, you’re basically getting two workouts at the same time! Not too bad for an at home workout without weights.
