Objective: On Day 11, you’ll continue to build on the upper body strength you’ve been developing. This session is designed to introduce progression in your upper body workouts by either increasing the number of repetitions, adding more challenging variations, or incorporating longer holds to push your strength further. The focus is on arms, shoulders, chest, and back.
Warm-Up (5 Minutes):
- Arm Circles: Start with small circles that gradually get larger to warm up your shoulders. Do 30 seconds forward and then 30 seconds backward.
- Inchworms: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hinge at your hips to touch the ground, and walk your hands forward into a high plank position. Walk your hands back and return to standing. Repeat for 2 minutes.
- Side Arm Raises: With a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms from your sides to shoulder height and lower them back down. Repeat for 1 minute to engage the deltoids.
Upper Body Strength Training (25-30 Minutes): Progress the difficulty of your exercises from the previous upper body session. Aim for 2-3 sets of each exercise, increasing the reps to 15-20 if you’re comfortable or adding more challenging variations.
- Push-Up Variation: Add a rotation at the top of each push-up, extending one arm towards the ceiling and opening up the chest before switching sides.
- Tricep Dips Progression: Elevate your feet on another chair or a step to increase the intensity of the dips.
- Plank Shoulder Taps: From a high plank position, tap your left shoulder with your right hand and then your right shoulder with your left hand. Keep your core engaged and hips stable to prevent rocking.
- Superman with Arm Pulses: After lifting your arms and legs in the superman position, pulse your arms up and down for an added challenge to the back and shoulders.
- Side Plank with a Twist: Hold a side plank and then rotate your torso to thread your top arm underneath your body and back up to the starting position. This works the obliques and shoulders more intensely.
Cool Down (5-10 Minutes):
- Doorway Chest Stretch: Stand in a doorway with your arms on the door frame in a “goal post” position, and gently step through the doorway to stretch your chest.
- Neck Stretch: Tilt your head to one side, gently pulling it with your hand to deepen the stretch. Switch sides.
- Wrist Flexor and Extensor Stretches: Extend one arm out with your palm facing down, gently pull back on your fingers with your other hand, and then push them forward. Switch arms.
- Child’s Pose: Sit back on your heels with your arms extended in front to stretch your back, shoulders, and arms.
Tips for Success:
- Adjust Intensity: If a progression feels too challenging, it’s perfectly okay to stick with the base exercise or a lighter variation. The goal is continuous improvement, not perfection.
- Controlled Movements: Focus on the quality of each movement rather than the quantity, especially with added variations to ensure you’re maximizing muscle engagement and minimizing risk of injury.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout your workout to stay hydrated, especially as you increase intensity.
Completing Day 11’s workout adds another layer of strength and resilience to your upper body, crucial for both everyday activities and overall fitness. Remember, progress comes in many forms, and every step forward is an achievement. Prepare for Day 12, where we will progress with our core and stability exercises.
