Home Workout #15 – Upper Body BLAST

Circuit Time!

Work smarter, not harder, by combining your strength training and cardio session into one short but intense muscle-building and fat-blasting workout.

Today we are doing a 25-minute UPPER BODY metabolic workout. It alternates strength training with jump rope. You can do this at home because you only need dumbbells and a jump rope! Do this workout in your pyjamas. I did!

Notice I selected compound exercises. Compound exercises (unlike isolation exercises) involve multi-joint movements and work several muscle groups at once.

• compound exercises:
  • eg. squats (targets your core, glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, lower back)
  • Burns more calories (because more muscles are used)
  • More functional (simulates real-world activities)
  • Allows for a time-efficient full body workout
  • Keeps your heart rate up
• isolation exercises:
  • eg. biceps curl
  • Great for correcting a specific muscle weakness or imbalance

 Always a Must!

• Read my workout rules before you begin!

Drink your BCAAs!

Stay hydrated with water.

• I like to add BCAAs. Click here to read why.

Equipment Required:

1. A Gymboss Interval Timer
2. A laptop, smart phone, or tablet (to play this workout video)
3. Shock-absorbing surface, such as interlocking floor mats or a plush carpet.
4. Dumbbells: I used 15 pound and  8 pound dumbbells
5. A Dr. Sara Solomon Cross Speed Jump Rope by Buddy Lee Jump Ropes. It’s portable and inexpensive. I always travel with mine! 

Video Workout:

Set your gymboss timer for: 50 seconds WORK, 10 seconds REST. This circuit consists of 6 different exercises. Perform the circuit 4 times, which takes ~25 minutes. Note: I use the timer from tabatatimer.com in my videos.

1. Arnold Dumbbell Preses – (I used 15 lb dumbbells)
2. Jump Rope - Twister
3. Dumbbell Push-up with Alternating Row - (I used 15 lb dumbbells)
4. Jump Rope: High Step
5. Alternating Shoulder Raises (shoulder abduction <–> shoulder flexion) - (I used 8-lb dumbbells)
6. Jump Rope: Skier's Jump

Do the workout with me! Just click on this video. Candice Kay filmed me! Thanks Candice!

Note: Remember to “pick up the pace”. Keep it intense. I am guilty of slowing down in this video when I talk. I also didn’t hustle fast enough between exercises. Make sure you do a better job than I did!

*Always Stretch and Foam Roll after your workouts to prevent injury!