Welcome to a Chest and Shoulders workout that can be performed at home! This workout is challenging, and can be made even MORE challenging for more advanced athletes. Are you ready to push yourself, and gain strength from the discomfort of your own home?

*Please note the edits throughout this workout. It is difficult to find perfect pictures online, and as a trainer I do not always agree 100% with standard technique advise. My edits are here for safety purposes. Especially in the section working primarily shoulders, please note that my edits discuss the shortening of projected range of motion. This is to protect your shoulder, and avoid any potential injuries from over rotation. Frankly, it’s amazing more people do not over extend, as shoulder injury is one of the leading weight training-related injuries.*

 

Things you’ll need:

Some kind of weight (x2). You can use a 10-20lb dumbbell, or a backpack with some books. Just as long as you’re able to get a weight that feels slightly difficult, and you’re able to maintain a grip!

Water. Do not pass out!

Ready?

Begin with 10-15 Minutes of Cardio. The goal is less to get a workout, and more to get limbered up!

Then:

• 10 small arm circles to the front
• 10 small arm circles reverse
• 10 big arm circles

This will be an adequate warm up. We will get a good stretch in toward the end.

If you’d like, do a few minutes of stretching here to alleviate any tightness you may have. While all the workouts you’ll be doing are targeting specific muscle groups, the whole body will be at work. It is important to try and deal with any soreness/tightness even if it is in a different muscle group than what is being targeted on any specific day.

This is a circuit. Try to do the full circuit 2 or more times, increasing the number of rounds as you get stronger over time.

 

BEGIN

1. Regular Position PUSH UP 8-10 Reps. Come into high plank, belly button hugging up to your spine, shoulders stacked above wrists, neck and head in neutral and nice straight legs. Press yourself up and down. If you feel the need, drop your knees. Be sure to maintain a rigid torso! This is a general rule you can apply to all the push up variations in this workout!

2. Diamond PUSH UP

• 8-10 Reps.

• Using the same good plank form as before, bring your thumbs and index fingers to touch, forming a diamond shape.
• Lower and lift your chest, going down only as far as you can while maintaining an engaged core and good alignment.
• Remember to drop your knees if you need to. Be sure to do whatever it takes to complete the set.

 

3. Wide PUSH UP 8-10 Reps Hold a strong plank but bring your hands out wider than your shoulders. You may find this quite a bit easier to do than the last push up variation, and sometimes even easier than a regular push up. Because your hands are out wide, they won't be under your shoulders. Focus on keeping them parallel with each other, and in line with your shoulders horizontally. Hold a strong plank as you raise and lower yourself, dropping to your knees at any time.

4. Incline PUSH UP

8-10 Reps

• Place your hands on an elevated surface, bringing your body into a straight line. Push up and down from this position.
• Continue to maintain a strong plank position throughout the movement.
• Do this against a wall if you're working up to it. The farther your feet move away from the wall, the more challenging this will be.

 

5. Side Lateral Raise 8-10 Reps Hold your weighted objects and stand with feet hip distance apart, palms facing down. Engage your shoulders back and down slightly. Smoothly lift your arms out to your side. Bring them just below shoulder height (*the image above is not correct. His arms should be just slightly lower*). Lower them down. Raise them out to the sides, one at a time or together.

 

 

 

 

6. Front Lateral Raise

• 8-10 Reps

• Hold your weighted objects and stand with feet hip distance apart, palms facing down. Engage your shoulders back and down slightly.
• Smoothly lift your arms out straight in front of you just below shoulder height(*again, I would argue that the picture above is incorrect*). Lower them down. Raise them out to the sides, one at a time or together.

 

 

7. Pike PUSH UP 8-10 Reps Come into a downward facing dog. The farther your feet are from your hands the easier this move will become. The idea is to get your weight over your shoulders. Press up and down in this position, being mindful of your back not arching excessively.

 

 

Recovery

Here is a link to a great stretching routine:

https://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/stretching-yoga/stretching-exercises#the-bound-angle

No matter how you choose to stretch, be sure to include the legs and torso in your stretches.

The end stretch session should last around 10 minutes

Tips and Tricks

On the Second Round, try to do 2 sets of each exercise. So, instead of doing 8-10 reps and moving on, try to do 8-10 reps, rest for 30 seconds, then do another 8-10 reps.

To challenge yourself, do an extra set each round. 1st round: 1 set. 2nd round: 2 sets. Etc.

How To……

Do a Pike Push Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sposDXWEB0A

Do a Diamond Push Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0DnG1_S92I