Hey Team SELF, who’s still with us?! We hope you’re feeling strong and motivated. Today we’ve got an upper-body and core strength workout in store for you, loaded with moves focused on working your shoulders, back, and core.
In some of today’s exercises, we’ll be toying around with two types of movements: pushing and pulling. Pushing exercises, like push-ups, involve you pushing weight away from your body and generally strengthen your chest, shoulders, and triceps. In pulling exercises, like bicep curls (or in our case today, a superman with arm pulldown), you pull weight toward your body, targeting your back, biceps, and forearms. Using them both together, like we are in today’s upper-body and core strength workout, helps us ensure we’re really strengthening our entire upper body—and often, our core in the process.
These two types of movements don’t require external weight, either. Today you’ll see just how using your bodyweight alone can be a tough enough challenge when pushing and pulling. Once you finish the circuit, take a stab at today’s EMOM finisher too. It’ll crunch your core and get your heart racing for a bit of a final cardio boost. Remember, you can do this!
The upper-body strength workout below is for Day 18 of the SELF Better Together Challenge. Check out the full month of workouts right here. Or go to the workout calendar here. If you haven’t signed up to receive daily emails, do that here.
WORKOUT DIRECTIONS
Do each move below for your selected interval of work and rest. At the end of all the moves, rest for 60 seconds. That’s 1 circuit. Do the circuit 3–5 times. Then try the EMOM finisher.
-
Option 1: 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest
-
Option 2: 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest
-
Option 3: 50 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest
EXERCISES
-
Superman With Arm Pulldown
-
Kneel-to-Stand Lunge (Alternating Sides)
-
Single-Leg Jackknife (Right Side)
-
Single-Leg Jackknife (Left Side)
-
Push-Up
10-10-10 EMOM FINISHER
Do each move below for 10 reps as fast as you can. If you finish in under 60 seconds, rest. At the start of the next minute, repeat the circuit again. Continue in this way for 4 minutes. Note: Each side equals 1 rep.
-
Rainbow Hop x 10 reps
-
Mountain Climber x 10 reps
-
Crab Toe Touch x 10 reps
-
Pinterest
Katie Thompson1 Superman With Arm Pulldown
-
Lie facedown on the floor with your arms at shoulder height and elbows bent to 90 degrees, so your shape roughly resembles a goalpost.
-
From this position, engage your core and upper back as you lift your shoulders and chest off the floor. Squeeze your glutes and lift your feet off the floor as well. Be mindful to not crunch your low back as you lift. This move is not about flexibility; it’s a strength move.
-
From this lifted position, gaze down toward the floor to keep your neck in a neutral position with your spine. Extend both of your hands overhead (so you’re flying like Superman!), then engage your shoulders to pull your arms back to their goalpost position.
-
Exhale as you lower everything back to the floor.
-
Make it easier: Do not lift your feet off the floor, just focus on your upper body.
-
Pinterest
Katie Thompson2 Kneel-to-Stand Lunge
-
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged, and hands either on your hips or clasped at your chest.
-
Step back with your right foot and sink into a lunge by bending both knees, and allow your right knee to come all the way down and gently rest on the floor so you finish in a kneeling position.
-
Now step your left foot back so you are kneeling on both knees.
-
Reverse the movement by stepping forward with your right foot, coming into a kneeling position on your left knee.
-
Then step forward with your left foot, keeping both knees bent so you finish in a squat position.
-
Do not stand all the way up, but instead step back this time with your left foot first and begin your next rep immediately.
-
Continue to alternate the foot you step back with first.
-
Pinterest
Katie Thompson3 Single-Leg Jackknife
-
Lie faceup with your legs extended and hands overhead so all limbs are resting on the floor. Engage your core so your lower back gently presses against the floor.
-
Simultaneously lift your right leg and left hand to meet in the middle above your hips. Keep your core engaged as you lower to return to starting position.
-
Continue on the same side, doing all reps on one side, then repeating on the other.
-
Pinterest
Katie Thompson4 Push-Up
-
Start in a high plank position, with your wrists directly under your shoulders, core engaged, hips level, and legs extended straight behind you.
-
Bend your elbows and lower your body to the floor. Drop to your knees if needed.
-
Push through the palms of your hands to straighten your arms.
-
Pinterest
Remi Pyrdol5 Rainbow Hop
-
Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
-
Squat and lean toward the right so that more of your weight is on the right side of your body and fingertips tap the floor on your right side.
-
Spring up, raise arms overhead, and land lightly, shifting weight to the left side. Tap fingertips to the left.
-
Continue to jump and land on alternating sides.
Most Popular
- 5 Less Obvious Signs of Seasonal Depression You Should Definitely Pay Attention To
By Maggie O’Neill
- 42 Creative Valentine’s Day Gifts for Guys
By Sarah Madaus
- Just Some Fun Sex Toys You and Your Partner Will Love
By Gabrielle Kassel
-
Pinterest
Katie Thompson6 Mountain Climber
-
Start in a high plank position, with your wrists directly under your shoulders, core engaged, hips level, and legs extended straight behind you.
-
Engage your core and draw your right knee to your chest.
-
Return to your starting position and immediately draw your left knee to your chest.
-
Return to your starting position.
-
Continue to alternate, moving quickly.
-
Pinterest
Katie Thompson7 Crab Toe Touch
-
Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hands behind you with your fingers facing forward.
-
Lift your hips and engage your core.
-
Kick up your right foot and tap your left hand to your right foot.
-
Lower your leg and arm back to starting position and, without lowering your hips, repeat on the other side.
-
Continue alternating sides.
