HEALTH: Day 6: A Super Quick and Effective Workout to Tone Your Arms and Shoulders

jueves, 4 de noviembre de 2021

Day 6: A Super Quick and Effective Workout to Tone Your Arms and Shoulders

It's day 6 of the Verywell Fit 7-Day No Equipment Challenge, and today we'll focus on strengthening your arms and shoulders. These seven exercises will not only help you to look great, but will help you feel great when you're carrying groceries, traveling with luggage, lifting boxes, and other everyday activities that require strong arms and shoulders.

Let's get started!

Tara's Tip

“Upper body strength is crucial for your full body, but also makes you feel more confident in tank tops.” — Tara Laferrara, CPT, of the Verywell Fit Review Board

Warm-Up: Shoulder Rolls

Start today's workout with slow, easy shoulder rolls. Shrug your shoulders up to your ears and then slowly roll them back. Make big circles for about 30 seconds and then do the circles in the other direction for 30 seconds. Repeat as many times as you like.

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Classic Push-Ups

Push-ups are a classic exercise to build upper-body strength. Done properly, it's a compound exercise that uses muscles in the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs, and even the legs.

To target your arms and shoulders (rather than your chest), place your hands on the floor directly below your shoulders. You can modify this exercise by dropping your knees to the floor if you need to.

Aim to do 10 reps. Then take a short rest, and do 1 more set.

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Triceps Dips

The triceps dip is a great bodyweight exercise that builds arm and shoulder strength. This simple exercise can be done almost anywhere, and has many variations to match your fitness level. One variation is doing this exercise with both your feet and hands on the ground—no chair/equipment needed.

Aim to do 10 reps. Then take a short rest, and do 1 more set.

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The Plank

The plank is an excellent equipment-free exercise that's not only great for your core, but also works your shoulders.

Get into your plank position and hold it for 30 seconds.

For an extra challenge: Work your way up to holding the plank for one minute as you become more advanced.

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Downward Dog

Downward dog is another equipment-free total body move that includes benefits for your arms and shoulders.

Hold this pose for 30 seconds, and work your way up to holding it for one minute.

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Pilates Push-Ups

The Pilates push-up combines several of the prior moves into a sequence that strengthens your arms and shoulders—in addition to your abs, legs, and whole body. The Pilates push-up helps you develop strong muscles to improve your everyday quality of life.

Start by doing 5 reps, and work your way up to doing 10 reps in a row.

Advanced: Take a short rest and add another set of 10 reps.

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Cool Down: Anterior Shoulder Stretch

This behind-your-back shoulder stretch will stretch the front of your shoulder and your chest (the anterior deltoid and the pectoralis minor muscles).

Hold this stretch for 20 seconds, and repeat as desired.

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