April Arms (& more) Challenge

Here’s a very scalable challenge for you: five exercises, three days a week, using dumbbells or alternative light weights.

Ok: winks. Each exercise has a certain number of repetitions. And you’ll do each set of exercise x repetitions two or three times. But just three times a week winks again.

Please forgive the amature photography - the downside of working from home, solo!

The Four Week Challenge

Three times a week, complete the specified number of repetitions of each exercise in the Mini Circuit, then move on to the next exercise. Complete one round of the circuit, take a 45-60 second breather, and then complete the circuit again.

The mini circuits alternate through the week; so one week you’ll do circuit 1 twice, and circuit 2 once. The next week, it’s circuit 2 twice, circuit 1 once.

You can add a fourth “arm day” on Day 6 each week, so that you will always complete each circuit two days a week. You also have optional squat and plank challenges on the interval days, bringing all of our recent challenges together!

The dumbbell workouts rise from approximately 7 minutes to 15 minutes over our four weeks. In the first two weeks, we complete each exercise set twice; weeks three and four we’re doing three sets.

The Mini Circuits

Circuit 1

• Outer Biceps Curl.

• Split Stance Triceps Kickback

• Rear Deltoid Fly

• Split Stance Upright Row

• Dumbwaiter

Circuit 2

• Floor Chest Press

• Floor Triceps Press

• Skull Crusher

• Chest Flies

• Triceps Dips

General form tips:

People tend to try to speed through repetitions, but you’ll get greater benefits from the workouts if your take your time. Engage your abdominal muscles, drawing your navel towards your spine. Staying - lightly - actively engaged throughout each exercise will help to develop stronger abs. Working from a strong centre will also ensure that you don’t put stress on your lower back.

In all of these exercises, whether standing or supine on the mat, keep your spine neutral and long. And smile! All of my challenges are meant to make you happy!

Circuit 1: Standing sets

Outer Biceps Curl

Stand with feet hip-width apart and parallel, toes pointing forward. Hold the dumbbells at your sides in an underhand grip: palms face forward, knuckles face back. Your back is straight and chest upright. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows to bring the weights up towards shoulders and out, so that your hands are wider than your shoulders. Slowly and with control lower the dumbbells back to starting position, paying out the muscles.

Split Stance Triceps Kickback

Stand with one foot a stride’s length in front of the other – as though you have paused mid-walk while taking a step forward – and hip-width apart. Lean your upper body very slightly forward from the hips, b

ut keep the chest high and the back neutral.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand in a hammer grip, palms facing in, and elbows at 90-degree bend at your sides. Straighten elbows to push dumbbells back and up, and as you straighten arms, squeeze triceps. Keep your upper arms still. Return to start.

Rear Deltoid Fly

Stand with feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent/soft. Hinge at the hips and push your tailbone back slightly. Keep your spine neutral, drawing in your abs to work from a strong centre and preventing your back from rounding. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders, with your elbows slightly bent, and palms facing your body. As you raise both dumbbells out to the sides, maintain the slight bend in your elbows, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Return your hands to start position, with control.

Split Stance Upright Row

Standing with feet in a split stance, one foot a stride’s length in front of the other – as though you have paused while taking a step forward – and hip-width apart. Keep your back straight and your chest high. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your knuckles facing out, and your arms resting in front of your thighs. Lift the dumbbells by bending your elbows, and raising your elbows until they reach shoulder height. Your hands stay in front of your body, and come no higher than chest height: elbows always raise higher than hands. Slowly lower your arms until your hands rest in front of the thighs, returning to the starting position.

Dumbwaiter

Standing with your feet hip-width apart, hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing in, elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Tuck your elbows into your waist with a little squeeze; your going to maintain this connection throughout this exercise. Pull the dumbbells apart to bring your bent arms out to your sides, rotating your arms in the shoulder socket and squeezing your shoulder blades towards each other. Keep the back neutral, do not allow it to arch. Draw the dumbbells back in front of your waist, bringing your forearms parallel to each other and keeping your elbows tucked into your waist.

Circuit 2: Mat sets

Floor Chest Press

Lie on your mat, bend your knees to place feet on the mat as close to your but as you are comfortable to have them. Lie with a neutral spine and pelvis. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and straighten arms up above shoulders, with your palms facing each other. From this starting position, and with control, bend your arms to lower them wide to your sides. As the back of your arms touch the floor, you elbows should be level with your shoulders, forming a 45 degree angle with your body, and your forearms still raised towards the ceiling. Slowly and with control, straighten the elbows to push your dumbbells back above shoulders, and return to starting position.

Floor Triceps Press

Lying on your mat with your knees bent to place both feet flat, and close to your butt. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other. Bend your elbows, placing the back of your arms on the mat at your sides, and your forearms up towards ceiling, weights above your wrists. From this starting position, and with control, straighten your elbows to extend your arms above your chest. Reverse the movement with control to bring the backs of your upper arms back to the mat, elbows bent and dumbbells above your wrists.

Skull Crushers

On your back with your knees bent and feet placed flat, hold a dumbbell in each hand with the palms facing each other. Straighten your arms to extend them up above shoulders. From this starting position, slowly bend your elbows and bring the dumbbells either side of your head, near to your ears. With control, slowly straighten your elbows to extend the dumbbells back above your shoulders towards the ceiling.

Chest flies

Lying on your back with your feet flat and near your butt, hold the dumbbells with your palms facing towards each other. Extend your arms straight above your shoulders, keeping your wrists straight but with a slight bend in your elbow. Slowly and with control, lower your dumbbells to the floor at shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent, so that the backs of your upper arms touch the mat, but your forearms and hands stay off the ground. Slowly raise the dumbbells to return to your starting position, keeping your elbows lightly bent.

Triceps Dips

Sit on the floor with legs extended in front of you, heels resting onto the mat, knees slightly bent. Place one dumbbells on the floor either side of your hips, and slightly behind you. Grip your dumbbells with knuckles facing out to side. Straighten your arms to lift your butt slightly off the mat: this is your starting position. Lower your body down to gently touch your butt to the mat, and then lift by straightening your arms again. Squeeze the back of your arms as you lift back to your start position.

Alternatively, use an upright chair, grip the front edges with both hands, and scoot forward until your butt is hovering off the seat and your knees are bent to a 90-degree angle.

If you enjoyed this challenge, and are local to Eastburn near Steeton in West Yorkshire, come and join an in-person class!

Online classes will be returning in February 2022 - keep checking in for our new schedule.