Barlates: Chest & Shoulder Strength

Chest & Shoulder Strength is part of Linda Wooldridge‘s Strength Series workouts. They are all available for free on YouTube but she also has all 5 of her Strength Series workouts on a single DVD. In addition, you can purchase the individual workouts from Linda through her website via download or DVD.

This was a serious burnout workout. I felt it really hit your shoulders the hardest. Due to the fact this is a high rep/endurance level workout, you are using a lot of ancillary muscles, too. My bicep and triceps got plenty of work as well. The back not so much, but I felt serious shoulder burnout, my chest was worked well and my biceps and triceps were also well worked. Since it is only 40 minutes long and I work out for an hour in the mornings, I completed the hour of torture by finishing this workout with Linda’s 100 Rep Challenge Upper Body. OMG. I hope I can use my arms today (or tomorrow when DOMS sets in).

Chest & Shoulder Strength is 40 minutes long; 1 minute intro, 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: 2 sets of dumbbells and a pilates band. Linda uses 10 and 3 pound dumbbells. I used a wider variety of dumbbells–what I used is listed in the breakdown below.

1. Walking push ups on your knees (wide push up, walk to side, regular push up, walk to side, tricep/narrow push up–then just keep walking back and forth doing that trio)
2. Repeat #1 on toes
3. Single arm upright row each arm, double arm upright row but at shoulders push into overhead press then do a single arm overhead press each arm (10# DBs)
4. Pyramid: starts w/ one upright row + one overhead press, then 2 of each and so on until you are doing 5 of each, then go back down the pyramid (10# DBs)
5. Lying chest press (20# DBs)
6. Lying chest flys (20# DBs)
7. Lying narrow chest press (15# DBs)
8. Raise feet off ground and combine the 3 moves: chest press + chest fly + narrow chest press (15# DBs)
9. Repeat #8 in pyramid fashion up to 5 reps each then Linda stretches you out before going back down the pyramid (15# DBs)
10. Straight arm front raise bringing DBs overhead, then lower DBs into goal post and do scarecrow 2x then raise DBs overhead again and lower straight arms to front of thighs then do 2 straight arm side raises; this changes to doing one of each move in the combo (a little faster/more flowing) (5# DBs)
11. Front raises, 16 reps (5# DBs)
12. Scarecrows, 16 reps (5#DBs)
13. Side raises, 16 reps (5# DBs)
14. Stand on one end of band and hold the other at shoulder height, do 8 punching bag arm circles then straighten arm in front of you and do 8 fast front raises; keep alternating between the two moves (8 sets of this combo)
15. 5 push ups w/ band around back and hold an end in each hand then roll over and do a fast chest fly (20 reps), crossing arms over body with each fly; changes to fast chest press (20 reps); repeat this series 4x
16. Sit cross-legged, band still around back w/ an end in each hand, now also hold a light DB in each hand, do a sort of scooping chest press (palms facing the ceiling), crossing arms in front of you as you bring them up from sides (5# DBs); drop the DBs and do fast cross flys in front of body; changes to punching arms straight in front of you
17. Kneel w/ band under knees and an end in each hand, arms raised to side w/ elbows bent so hands are at shoulders–press one arm out to side while pressing one arm in front of you–keep alternating arms; changes to raising and lowering arms each time they are straight (so push out/to side and hold then raise and lower before bending elbows again)
18. Still kneeling on band w/ and end in each hand, raise arms straight in front of you, circle arms 4x then lower–change the direction of the circle each time (so you are alternating circle directions)

For more info on Barlates and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.