Five Move Upper Body Burn

Hi friends!

Today I have a new workout for you that I think your upper body will appreciate.

Links to the exercises:

• Renegade rows (you can use kettlebells or dumbbells)
• Weighted situps with overhead presses (you can use a kettlebell, bar, medicine ball, or dumbbell, and you can also do this on a flat or decline surface)
• Dumbbell chest flies
• Slow mountain climbers (I like to alternate sides and hold for 3 counts at the top of each rep)
• Dynamic blackburns

The rep schemes I provided in the workout graphic are just a guide. I recommend heavier weights for the first three moves, but you may need to decrease the number of reps depending on how heavy you go. Make sure to do a dynamic warmup before jumping into the circuit, and modify as needed. A warmup + three rounds of this should take you about 30 minutes! If you do four total rounds, it might take a little longer, but it’s something to work up to.

If you give this one a whirl, I want to know about it. Post your upper body burn pics on social media and tag me @fitnessandfeta. I would love to see you guys in action!

–Let’s chat–
What’s upper body exercise always leaves you feeling the burn?

Don’t forget to enter my New Balance giveaway for new sneakers and a fitness bag if you haven’t already!

35 Minute Upper Body Blast

Hello and TGIF!

I feel like I’ve said this a LOT lately, but Monday of this week was one of the days where I really didn’t feel like going to the gym.  I hope these Monday workout blues don’t become a pattern.  But I literally had to talk to myself (out loud, mind you) on the way home from work to feel even slightly motivated.  I made a deal with myself that I would go to the gym for about a half hour, do a quick upper body workout, and be on my way.

Well, that “quick upper body workout” ended up leaving me sore until Wednesday night.

I’m not sure if was the 15 minutes total on the row machine (my body is definitely not used to that) or the heavier weights I used, but whatever it was, I definitely was feeling it for days after.  Like serious DOMS style.  Or maybe it was just that I was really pushing myself to WORK in those 30 (okay, 35) minutes.  Who knows.  It’s just funny that these moves (pretty standard to me) left me that sore.  That being said, I recommend this one!  You could also substitute the row for 5 minutes of your cardio of choice.  Let me know how it goes!

Friday Housekeeping

I also wanted to mention a couple of other things before I check out for the weekend…

–First, I can’t believe we’re almost at the end of Fall Into Fitness Week 4.  Where did this month go!?

–Second, next week I have a super exciting giveaway for my local readers.  Make sure to tune in!

–This weekend should be another fun fall weekend.  Tonight I am meeting up with Slesh and Katrina and hopefully Bridget for some girl time, and then tomorrow Tim and I are heading to Portsmouth, NH for the night to use up a free Marriott night.  We go every fall, and I’m excited for some quality time together (we barely had any this week).  Nevermind being excited for a weekend away that isn’t for a wedding!

Us last year:

–The next one is also for my local readers.  Sorry, out-of-staters.  I’m totally not trying to hate, even though it probably seems like I’m excluding you this week.  Anyways, my peeps at Ultimate Bootcamp are hosting a “Trick or Treat” workout this Saturday 10/26 at 9am at Arsenal Park in Watertown.  It’s $25 to register, but there will be fitness challenge “tricks” and they will be providing “treats” like gift cards and swag to the challenge winners.  You can also work out in costume for a chance to win prizes as well.  I so want to go but since I’ll be away I hope some of you will go in my absence!

–Finally, this one is a totally shameless self promotion.  I would LOVE if you guys could take a few moments to vote for F&F as your favorite blog in the Around the Plate 2013 Blog Awards.  I’m eligible for Best Recipe Guru and Best Blog of 2013.  I really appreciate all of your support — it’s worth a shot, right?

What’s up for the weekend? Going out? Going away? Staying in?

Whatever you choose, enjoy it!

Upper Body Tabata Strength Workout {and a new playlist}

Woohoo, it’s like my Friday!  I’m so happy about that I could do a little dance:

Side note:  Whenever I hear a song I like, my shoulders are the first thing to start moving.  Some people might tap their foot, some might bob their head, but not me.  I start shaking my shoulders like nobody’s business.

Speaking of songs I like, I really enjoy ALL the songs on my new workout playlist:

Especially number one.  I don’t think you can download it on iTunes, but you can find it on SoundCloud.  The original version of No Diggity is already good enough.  I seriously think the biggest decision of my day yesterday was whether to play this song as my 6am class intro or wait to play it somewhere in the middle.

I have problems.

For class I had two requests for an upper body and core focused workout (from Kaylin and Jen, my half marathon superstars!), so I busted out one of my favorite upper body strength workouts:

This is a Tabata style strength workout.  I do need to give credit to Best Body Bootcamp since many of these moves were taken from a workout in one of the earlier rounds.  I changed a couple of exercises from the original workout based on equipment available, and I also added 45 seconds of cardio between each set.  We did 45 seconds of toe taps after set 1, 45 seconds of [CrossFit style] burpees after set 2, and then continued alternating in that pattern.

This continues to be one of my favorite upper body workouts because I am always sore afterwards.  It takes about 45 minutes total, warm-up included.  Since there was about 15 minutes to fill before class ended this morning, I finished with some floor stuff: inner and outer thigh exercises, side planks, and stretching.

Tomorrow morning I’m going to start my day off with some cardio and give a whirl at some heavier strength for quads and hamstrings, so it was a good day to request upper body, ladies!

Do you prefer working your upper or lower body?  Do you have a favorite “go to” workout?

I used to prefer lower, but am starting to love upper body strength more and more!