Okay, ladies…this is a call to arms. Just because its fall and sleeves are getting longer doesn’t mean we should end the war on arm jiggle. No, maam—we will fight for sculpted arms and shapely shoulders! You in?
Over the next several weeks, we’ll share a BONUS EXERCISE from our October issue’s Get ARMed For Fall feature with IFBB Bikini Pro Juliana Daniell. You can incorporate these exercises into your upper body training for a new challenge, or, for the full workout, you can pick up the latest issue of FitnessRx For Women.
This week’s exercise is the UPRIGHT ROW TO CLEAN & PRESS. This is a great finishing exercise to give your shoulders a final blast at the end of a workout.
NOTE: If you don’t regularly perform either Upright Rows or Shoulder Presses, begin doing 4 sets of each individual exercise for a few weeks before trying this more advanced combination exercise.
How To…
1. Hold a barbell at about shoulder width with an overhand grip. The weight should be resting on your thighs. Your back should also be straight and your core should be tight. This is your starting position.
2. Keeping your traps pressed down, raise your elbows up and to the side. Think about lifting from the deltoid muscles, not the traps or arms.
3. Lower the bar back down slowly to the starting position and then immediately begin a second row. At the top of the row, flip the elbows down and the weight up such that you are in the “start” position for a shoulder press.
4. Immediately press the weight up into a shoulder press. Lower the weight down and perform two more shoulder presses, for a total of three. These presses should be done in a brisk, but controlled pace.
5. Lower the weight back down to the starting position and repeat.
Complete 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps.
TIPS
– Choose a weight much lighter than what you are use to doing for a row or press, as this combination exercise will quickly exhaust your shoulders.
– You’re shoulders will be burning by about the 8th rep. Be sure to keep perfect form to minimize injury potential and maximize results.
Check back next week for MORE Get ARMed For FALL exercises, and pick up the October issue of FitnessRx for Women magazine (on sale now) for the entire program!
