Name: Playbook - Niki SugarySixpack - Back, chest & shoulders
Uploaded: 2023-03-09T17:49:16.000Z
Duration: 38 min
Description: Back, chest & shoulders

Need:
Dumbbells 
Chair/bench (if you wanna modify bent exercises)

We focus on the back, shoulders and chest here! Move with intention, avoid using momentum to move the weights.

Time is estimated based on me! It will vary from person to person some!

-Deep core works with your breath throughout the movement! (see core breathing tutorial). Exhale, connect, move
-Keep hips ribs and head stacked in good alignment and a light length through body
-Pull shoulder blades together before pulling band apart and down- resist the urge to let ribs flare, core connection helps keep them down

Banded lat pulldown

-Keep hips lifted and picture a line from knees to head with hips, ribs and head in line
-Keep length through the body
-Avoid hips, ribs or waist sinking towards the floor
-Deep core engaged through movement to stabilize
-Slow and controlled with the band, especially the lower

Side plank row with band left

Side plank row with band right

-Pull forward from down dog, shifting weight into the hands and slightly rounding the upper back
-Move slowly with intention
-Core works with breath through the movement. Exhale, connect and pull forward

Pike weight shift

-Press up from the floor, engage chest as you press hands into the floor
-Core should be engaged as you press up off of the floor and lower down. See core hold tutorial in core function section
-Core works with breath through movement. Exhale and engage on exertion
-Intensify by pressing up into full plank rather than on knees

Press up on knees

-core is the driving force here
-Hips, ribs and head are stacked with a light length through the body
-Pull forward using the core
-Core works with breath through the movement
-Very slight anterior pelvic tilt (tucked). Imagine ribs and hips are lightly connected by a string

Plank rocks

-Upper/mid back muscles are working here
- Should not cause pain in low back. if it does lower the range of motion and focus on recruiting the upper/mid back.
-doesn’t need to be a massive range of motion. Recruiting the proper muscles at a lower range is better than strain with more range
-when pulling back imagine you’re pulling a band or cable. Really pull wit the lats
-Connect to the core before moving/lifting each rep
-Glutes help some as a stabilizer

Superman pullback

-intensify to full plank. Only if you have a great grasp on the exercise and great core function
-targeting the serrations anterior. A very under mentioned but important muscle! 
-wide arms of you are having trouble feeling it(think wrapping Freon under shoulder blades and around to the side of the torso
-think sinking through the shoulder blades and pressing back up with no motion in the arms
-core works with breath through movement
-pay attention to alignment of hips, ribs and head- don’t want unnecessary rib flare or low back arch

Serratus push (quadruped)

-When extended in plank, be mindful of your core. It should be supporting you in this position and as you walk out
-Hips shouldn’t sag towards the floor
-Bent knees as needed the closer hands come towards your body for range of motion
-Move with intention 
-Use core to stabilize
-Core works with breath through the movement

Inchworm

-Keep movement in the thoracic spine, not dumping into low back
-Exhale to arch (cat), core stays lightly connected
-Wiggle gently side to side, keeping hips stable
-Slow, controlled and intentional
-Don’t push range of motion to discomfort

Cat + thoracic wiggle

Warm up

-Keep hips lifted and picture a line from knees to head with hips, ribs and head in line
-Keep length through the body
-Avoid hips, ribs or waist sinking towards the floor
-Deep core engaged through movement to stabilize
-Slow and controlled with weight. Elbow rows up towards ceiling

Side plank row right

Side plank row left

-Core focus to stabilize 
-core works with breath through the movement. Exhale connect, press weight. You may was to maintain a light connect in the lowering as well depending on what feels best for you.
-core has a to really stabilize you during the press because of the tendency to wobble or lean to one side during this single sided press. Don’t let weight pull you or cause you to shift
-At start elbow comes out and down from the shoulder in a wide ‘V’ not straight out from the shoulder like a ‘T’
-can be done on bench etc as well as floor like shown
-maintain control of the weight during lowering phase

Unilateral chest press right

Unilateral chest press left

Upper pair 1

-Core works to support spine and prevent dumping into low back(see core hold tutorial)
-Adjust depth of hinge at hips as needed
-Lats engaged to support weight
-length through torso and hips, ribs and head stacked in line
-controlled lower of weight

Bent fly

-Keep hips, ribs and head stacked with a light length through torso
-Movement should come from the arm working, not the body helping to create momentum
-Core works along with breath (see core breathing tutorial)

Reverse grip raise

Upper pair 2

-Can also be done of the floor if comfortable (montor feel dizziness and roll to side) on your back (and in1st trimester)
-Arms are slightly bent at the elbows and stay that way throughout
-Movement happens at the shoulder not elbows
-Recruit chest to pull arms together, meeting at the front of your body
-Arms angle slightly down from shoulders, not straight out to the side
-Glutes squeeze to hold your body up, slight anterior pelvic tilt (towards ribs)
-Core works along with breath(see core breathing tutorial)

Chest fly

-Raise arms to shoulder height
-Slow and controlled lower
-Arm should be doing the work. Hips and torso should not be used for momentum
-Core works with breath through movement (see core breathing tutorial)

Wide front raise

-Small bend in elbow. Stays the same throughout movement
-Core engages before lat pullback, working along with breath (see core breathing tutorial)
-Lats engage and shoulder blades pull together before pullback
-Hinge back with wide legs. For added stability but can press back against the wall
-Keep good alignment by stacking hips, ribs and head and keeping  light length through the torso. Chin stays tucked

Lat pull

Bent front raise(can also stand hinges)

Upper circuit 2

Lat pull modifier

Side plank row modifier

Bent raise modifier

Bent fly modifier

Modifiers

Back, chest & shoulders

Full body mix

Upper body (biceps, triceps + shoulders)

Tatum

This was such a fantastic lower body workout! Absolutely loved the combination of exercises!

Julianne

Lower body

I achieved 3 rounds of this and oh my gosh!! I am so unbelievably sweaty! Literally dripping in sweat all over. This was so challenging for me! What a great workout 🔥👏🏼

Really loved it! It was a great challenge after a few days break! ☺️🙌🏻 Thanks!

Judit

Full body

Didn’t quite make it through 3 rounds! I’ll definitely revisit this to try to finish.

Perfect quick workout right before me and the fam take a flight to Hawaii!!!

Alexandra

This was an amazing cardio circuit, will certainly be revisiting!!

Caroline

Light weight cardio + core

One of my favorite upper body workouts I’ve done on the app!

Upper body (chest, back, shoulders)

This reminded me of a total body challenge day from the get fit guide! I loved it! Out of breath and super sweaty

This was excellent! Loved it very much! 🙌🏻

Full body circuits

Niki

Loved this lower body workout! Lower reps made it possible to lift heavier weights while maintaining proper form 👍

This was a really targeted and phenomenal workout! One exercise is missing. The step up to step back left side is missing. Otherwise this was fantastic!

Lower body circuits

Definitely coming back to this one to repeat. Great all body workout

Perfect start to the weekend!! Quick and challenging! 💦

Full body AMRAP

Banded deep core

Came back to this one because it’s super quick but so much fun! Really effective total body workout!

Amber

Full body fives

Sooooo yummy after you’re Lower Body Strong in follow alongs.

Mobility

That was great! Had me catching my breathe 💪

Full body fitness

Upper body with core focus

Oh my gosh! This was such an amazing workout! I could really feel it in my glutes. Loved it!

Collins Stone

Legs + glutes

Amber L 

OMG Nikki!! This one killed me! Felt VERY cookie from Christmas!🤣

Lower body mix

Core + cardio

Great workout. And girl…your biceps are fire on the L curl video

Great workout! Wish the rep counts were in the move titles so you can just click through the demos.

All over upper body

Anna

Lower body burnn

Great one!! I’m a hurdle coach (former D1 hurdler) & I’m going to incorporate those plank leg circles into my ab routine for my athletes.  If I go the opposite way you did it mimics the trail leg motion. Awesomeness!!

Great flow of challenging exercises! 🙌🏻

Great workout to ease me back in after a week off due to travel.

Fast full body fives

This was a tough one! Really got my core along with my upper body 💪🏼

Loved this upper body workout! It included great new exercises! 🙌🏻 My shoulders are crying! 😂

Upper body (core, biceps, triceps + shoulders)

I love your workouts and this is one of my favourites!!

Raeanne

Emilia

Full body fire

Oh my gosh this one was tough! It burned soooo good!

Missy

Was the last pair supposed to be 1 set on the R leg & then 1 set on the L leg?

Total body mix

Really enjoyed this upper body workout! It was well balanced! 🤩🙌🏻

Lower body mobility

Full body cirucits

Loved 🥰 this workout, especially after a legs day 🤪. Thank you for reminding me how I can still improve my hip flexor strength — wowza did they ever burn🔥 💪🏼 😝

Lauren

Step cardio + core

One ☝️ of my favourites — thank you 🙏🏼

I know you mentioned it only took you 28 minutes…. But how!?!? Haha!

Lower body singles

That was HARD! You e been absolutely crushing workouts lately. Love all the new ones!

Victoria

Upper body circuits (shoulders, chest, tri)

Really enjoyed this one to start the day!

Excellent! Just what I needed for my busy day with my 3 kiddos. Thank you for always giving us great workouts!

Natalie

Whoa! I challenged myself with doing this for an extra 8 minutes and being dead by the end of it is an understatement! 😃 Really enjoyed it though! 🙌🏻

Quick full body AMRAP

I could really feel this one in my back which I tend to neglect, so thanks! 😊🙌🏻

Upper body mini circuits (back, biceps + shoulders)

Love loved the added warm up and mobility cool down!

Andrea

Legs + glutes (+ warm up/cool down)

As a hurdle coach, I approve of this awesome hip mobility & strength workout!! I’ll be using this one on my athletes.

Lower body mobility + stability

That’s a killer total body workout! Don’t be fooled that it’s with only one weight! 😃 You’ll burn and sweat crazy!

Fantastic! I’m glad I don’t have to have a home gym to follow your routines. 💪

1 weight full body

Core rehab - upper ab + rib flare

Holy sweat! Loved this one. Definitely coming back to this. Thank you!

This workout really got my legs and glutes burning! I can feel the soreness starting to set in already. Great workout!

Legs + glutes mini circuits

Loved it so much, did a fourth round 💪🏼 Thank you ☺️

Upper body tri sets (chest, triceps, shoulder)

Are you using 20’s the whole time?? That is BEYOND amazing

Great set of exercises! Definitely on my favorite’s list.

Joanna

Total body EMOM

Long band core

Alicia

I REALLY enjoyed this one. I will come back to it again and again. Thank you!

Total body intervals

I really loved this workout! 🙌🏻 Feeling the burn in all over my lower half! 🔥🔥😃

Back, chest & shoulders

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