A Standing Arm Workout That Surprised Me
If you think you need push-ups, planks or heavy weights to feel the burn in your arms, think again. I recently put a 10-minute dumbbell-only workout to the test to get desirable results for the biceps, triceps, and shoulders without going down on the floor. Oh and let me tell you, it did not take much time before my arms were on fire.
I have practiced many upper-body exercises, but I was interested in doing a practice which was faster, easier and at the same time wrist-friendly. This one was all that. It is also standing, so it is a good idea for people in small places or for those who don’t want to put pressure on their wrists or shoulders.
What You’ll Need
The only thing you will require is a pair of medium dumbbells—anywhere from 5 to 12 pounds, any weight within the range of your strength will be okay. I opted for 8-pound weights and that was more than sufficient to get a nice burn. No bench, no mat, and no push-ups required.
How It Works
The structure of the session is straightforward and efficient: – 45 seconds of work – 15 seconds of rest – 10 total minutes
Each minute a new exercise or a combination move comes up to challenge the arm muscles from different directions. The right tempo is the key to success in this workout. You are not keeping count of the reps; instead, you are racing with the clock. So whether you get 10 or 20 reps in each round, it is only about reaching your limit but still holding your form.
Targeting Every Inch of Your Arms
Here is the thing:
Each move is crafted to attack your upper body from various angles. Things like bicep curls, shoulder raises, upright rows, and tricep extensions are the sorts of exercises that are all performed along with good posture and core engagement. Of the bicep exercises, I did, a superset of the four full bicep curls followed by four half curls. I couldn’t feel my arms after the timer has stopped.
Key among them is the alternating front and lateral raises. These not only target different parts of your shoulders but also work on the efficiency of your body movement and your balance. It’s not just about building muscle instead you are training your arms to be more functional by way of your day.
Burn Without the Floor Work
It’s the best program that keeps away floor-based movements and makes it a perfect choice for your aching joints, limited mobility, or those who don’t like push-ups and planks at all. Also, only those exercises are not done that doesn’t mean that this routine will not give you a good deal. Lighter weights are my choice for performing this workout but I could feel the intensity increase within the first few minutes.
Tips to Maximize Your Results
Form is the most important part. You need to make sure your shoulders are not tense, keep your core concentrated, and the back is straight when doing every single motion. It is very tempting to work faster when the clock is running but you will see that you have better results by doing fewer but controlled movements. If you think you are not ready for the full load, don’t be afraid to reduce the weights or scale it up when you thrive on it—this workout is adaptable to you.
When using lighter weights, it is recommended that you do more reps that before in each round to test the endurance of the muscles. The author had experienced that high-rep, time-based sets are a way by which you can trigger growth and the weariness of the smallest muscle groups in the arms, forearms, biceps, and triceps.
Why This Workout Works
This workout really is an example of short-cut effectiveness. The inclusion of compound and single-joint movements in the workout makes your arms experience diversified stimulation. Complex exercises, for example, an upright row work on many muscles; then your biceps are stimulated by a single isolated exercise, such as a tricep kickback. The routine will even take care of your shoulder and upper-back region, and thus, it should not all be about your day of the biceps.
By training each arm separately, we can improve muscle symmetry and increase the overall strength. Moreover, such exercises can cause a phenomenon known as “cross-education” to occur, which is a very interesting process where the training of one side of the body can also benefit the other.
It’s a perfect workout when you are on the go, on a long journey, or as a conclusion to your usual workout. I really doubted, but 10 minutes later, I just knew that I had been wrong. It’s a fast, no-floor way for people to get more impressive arms—and I have already planned to do it once more.
So, if you are seeking a quick, effective, and an easy-on-your-joints upper body workout, give this one a try. You might be very surprised that you are sweating so much can happen without you doing a single push-up.
