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Right to Bare Arms: Upper-Body Workout
What you'll need: a pair of 3- to 5-pound dumbbells
This workout is a circuit; perform the first set of each move, then complete the remaining moves before doing the second set.
Targets: Back, biceps, abs, butt, and hamstrings
- Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a single dumbbell with both hands in front of hips, palms in.
- Keeping back flat, hinge forward from hips to lower dumbbell toward floor.
Weighted Jump Rope
Targets: Arms, abs, butt, and legs
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand.
- Bend elbows by ribs about 90 degrees so that forearms point out to sides, palms facing forward.
- Jump up and down a few inches off floor, drawing small circles with dumbbells as if twirling a jump rope.
- Do 2 sets of 16 jumps.
Targets: Arms, butt, and legs
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in right hand, arms by sides.
- Lunge forward with right leg, bending both knees 90 degrees, and pass dumbbell under right thigh from right hand to left hand.
- Return to start, then quickly lunge forward with left leg, passing dumbbell under left thigh from left hand to right hand, to complete 1 rep.
- Do 2 sets of 16 reps.
Targets: Shoulders, abs, butt, and legs
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by sides, holding a dumbbell in right hand.
- Lower into a squat.
Overhead Press Pulse
Targets: Shoulders and upper back
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand, with elbows bent 90 degrees out at shoulder level, palms facing forward (like a goalpost).