Name: Playbook - Niki SugarySixpack - Quick upper body circuit (16 mins work + warm up, cool down)
Uploaded: 2024-09-14T00:48:43.060Z
Duration: 25 min
Description: Quick upper body circuit (16 mins work + warm up, cool down)

Great for a mama who has a toddler and short on time. I did this why my toddler had her short nap. It took a popsicle to finish it when she got up. But I finished and that's what counts!

FitnessMama

Need:
1 large dumbbell
Or two smaller ones (if using 2 smaller ones make sure you are actively pressing them together when doing the exercises)

This is quick and this is as non stop as possible! (We go 16 mins straight for the actual workout)

Great for when you’re short on time but still want to get a nice little upper body workout in. 

You’ll target biceps, shoulders & back here.

Move with intention and keep that core working with your breath😁

Enjoy!

Go through each exercise continuously only resting quickly if needed.

-Keep majority of motion in the thoracic spine, not dumping into low back
-Exhale to arch (cat), inhale to cow
-Slow, controlled and intentional
-Don’t push range of motion to discomfort

Cat cow

-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
-Move with control
-Repeat reps on both sides

Plank reach right

Plank reach left

-Engage deep core and use lower abs to lift knees off the ground
-Keep hips ribs and head stacked for good alignment
-Keep a light length through your torso
-See core breathing/ core hold tutorials

Quadruped lift off

-Targeting the serratus anterior muscle
-This is a small range of motion
-If you are struggling to isolate the movement, think shoulder blades pulling straight together across your back and sliding down to your armpits as you press up
-This is not a thoracic mobility exercise, upper back should stay pretty netural
-Use whatever core technique feels best for you - gentle core hold or core breath along with movement can work
-Elbows aren't moving along with the exercise like a traditional push up
-Be mindful of tension in neck

Scapular push up

-Hips, ribs and head are stacked with a light length through the body
-Core stays connected through the movement, still breathing! See core hold tutorial in core function playlist
-Elbows under shoulders
-Very slight anterior pelvic tilt (tucked). Imagine ribs and hips are lightly connected by a string
-Move feet side, middle, side as quickly as you feel comfortable keeping good form
-Raise arms up on a chair/step/bench to modify

Quadruped triple tap.

-Intensify by moving off knees into regular push up position during push up portion
-Core works with breath through the movement. Exhale and engage on exertion. Core should be engaged when stretched out in ‘plank’ position
-core should help lift/hold torso off of the ground when pressing back

Pressback

-Twist open through the upper mid back, in the thoracic spine - not low back
-Exhale lightly connect to core, move
-Flow through with intention - don't push range of motion or speed through movement
-Be mindful of just trying to reach with arm and not twisting
-Hold reach through for just a second or two, we're flowing through here
-Keep in mind optimal alignment of torso(hips, ribs and head stacked in line)
-Can sit on something lower if feels better
-If you have a severed diastasis, be extra mindful of how this is affecting your core!

Thoracic windmills

-Hinge at hips to bend. Can adjust depth as needed for comfort
-Lats engage before moving arms
-Core works with breath through movement (see core hold/core breathing tutorial)

Raise & rotate

-Rotate palms up as arms open back to feel a chest stretch
-Move with control

Hug yourself

Warm up

-Be sure hips, ribs and head stay stacked in good alignment so ribs don’t flare whenweight is overhead
-Think pelvis and ribs lightly connected by a string
-Press dumbbells together if using 2
-Controlled lowering and extension of weight
-Deep core works with your breath throughout the movement. Exhale engage (see core breathing)

Close press.

-Core works to support spine and prevent dumping into low back(see core hold tutorial)
-Hinge at hips. Keep hips, ribs and head stacked. Wide legs
-Adjust hinge depth as needed
-Butt can press into wall for added stability
-Lats engaged to support weight. Think shoulder blades pulled together
-

Close row.

-Slow and controlled lower
-Length through the torso with hips, ribs and head stacked
-Core works along with breath throughout movement (see core breathing tutorial). Exhale, connect, curl 
-Be sure your body isn’t helping the curl by using hips to push weight 
-Can use 2 lighter weights actively pressed together or 1 heavier weight

Close curl.

-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

Close lat pull.

Upper body circuit

-Can hold either arm position to feel stretch longer
-Weight is seated back on legs/heels
-Keep length and intention through stretch, don’t allow chest and belly to dump towards the floor

Lat stretch

-Reaching over head to feel stretch along side body
-Keep length through torso
-Gently rotate slightly open towards your back, this is a very small range of motion
-The goal is a gentle stretch, not discomfort

Rotating side stretch right

Rotating side stretch left

-Keep shoulders back and pull arm across body
-Torso isn’t twisting for added range of motion

Shoulder stretch right

Shoulder stretch left

-This is a small range of motion in the twist open
-Should be felt in the thoracic spine - not low back or neck
-Ball between legs to help prevent twisting through lumbar: exhale connect to core, squeeze ball with knees and move
-Flow through with intention - don't push range of motion or speed through movement
-Hold reach for just a second or two, we're flowing through here
-Keep in mind optimal alignment of torso(hips, ribs and head stacked in line)

Thread the needle reach flow right

Thread the needle reach flow left

-Make sure rotation is coming from the thoracic spine (upper/mid back) not the low back
-Engage core and squeeze inner thighs before rotation
-See seated thoracic rotation in core work tutorials section

Seated thoracic rotation

Cool down

Quick upper body circuit (16 mins work + warm up, cool down)

That was super quick and effective! Challenged with heavier weights and it had me dripping sweat!

Julianne

I had to modify this since I am traveling and don’t have weights at my disposal. 😅 I used tension bands and changed a few exercises to make it work for what I had available! Went great!

Natalie

Total body intervals

Perfect for on the road at the farm! Legs felt the burn!

Body weight step circuit

This was such a FAST and entertaining cardio with upper body focus. Absolutely loved it

Alexandra

Carmen

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Mobility circuit (thoracic + hips)

Great sweaty workout. Fit it in before the kids were up!

Christina

Really enjoyed this one. I’ve had to take a few weeks off and this is a great way to start back up again when you have little time. Thank you!

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Low Impact light weight cardio (+ intensifiers)

My oh my! My core is burning so good! This was a fantastic core workout 🤗

15 min creative core follow along

Joanna

Total body AMRAP

This was quick but very effective! Got my legs burning and the sweat going 😅

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Bless you for such diversity in workouts! I caught a flu from my son so I modified a bit this workout to be able to complete training for the challenge today ☺️

Quick upper body circuit (16 mins work + warm up, cool down)

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