July 28th Upper Body Circuit

Equipment for the Day - 5 to 12 lb dumbbells, depending on your level

1) Shoulder Raises - Hold weights down at your sides with your thumbs by your hips, palms facing back. Keeping your arms straight, raise them until they are parallel with the floor, then back down. Repeat 10-15 times.

2) Overhead Press - Hold weights just above shoulders, thumbs pointing towards ears. Raise weights above head and let weights meet at the top point, then return to starting position. Repeat 10-15 times.

3) Concentration Curl - Start with weights at hip level, palms facing out. Keeping upper arms in place, bend elbows and raise weights to shoulders, then return. Repeat 10-15 times.

4) Hammer Curl - Same as a concentration curl, but palms are facing inward with thumbs up. Repeat 10-15 times.

5) Skull Crushers - Lay down on back holding weights above chest with arms straight. Keeping upper arms straight, bend at the elbow until weights are just above your head. Return to starting position. Repeat 15 times.

6) Tricep Kickback - Kneeling on all fours on floor or sitting in chair leaning slightly forward, hold weight with palm facing hip, upper arm even with torso and bent at elbow. Pull weight up to just above lower back while keeping your upper arm still. Repeat 15 times each side.

7) Dumbbell Pullover - Lay on back on floor or mat, hold both weights just above bellybutton with arms straight. While keeping arms straight, move weights in a semi-circle motion from bellybutton to just above head. Return to starting postion. Repeat 15 times.

8) Internal Deltoid Raise - Lay on floor one your side. Place arm closest to mat under your head. Hold weight in opposite arm, straight out from chest. While keeping arm straight, move weight from one inch above floor to directly above shoulder. Return and repeat 15 times each side.

9) Plank Rows :) - While grasping one weight in each hand, go into a plank position with feet shoulder width apart, back straight, and shoulders directly above weights and hands. Put weight on one side of your body, and pull weight up from floor to just below shoulder, keeping elbow tucked in next to torso. Return weight to floor, repeat on opposite side. Repeat 10 times (20 each side)

For those of you with stability balls at home.....

10) Incline Row on Ball - With feet against wall or stable surface, place stomach on stability ball just below ribcage with arms out. Holding weights in each hand, extend arms out straight in front of you. Flex ab muscles and lift chest up from ball, at the same time pulling arms back in a rowing movement. Relax down and repeat 15-20 times.

Repeat entire circuit one time.