Fierce 14 Day 1: Arms & Shoulders // Upper Body Strength Workout

Arms & Shoulders // Upper Body Strength Workout is Day 1 in Heather Robertson‘s Fierce 14 series. During the intro to this workout Heather explains the focus of her Fierce 14 series (it is strength focused). This was a tough upper body strength workout. I suspect I will be very sore tomorrow–primarily in my triceps. This is definitely a different kind of workout for Heather. It is structured similar to her other workouts and it is still metabolic (she includes cardio bursts to burn some extra calories) but the thrust of this workout is strength so challenge yourself with the weight of your dumbbells. At least the first time through each set. You can always drop to lighter dumbbells in subsequent sets. I did! And Heather did, too. This is an excellent workout that hits the biceps, triceps and shoulders hard. By the stretch at the end my arm muscles were trembling.

This workout contains 3 circuits; each circuit contains 4 exercises. Each circuit is also focused on one muscle group to really fry that muscle group. You will do each circuit three times then, before moving on to the next circuit, you will do a one minute cardio interval. The exercises are done interval style: 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of recovery–except for the cardio intervals. Those are done for 60 seconds. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Heather previews the next exercise.

Arms & Shoulders // Upper Body Strength Workout is 49:09 minutes; 1:18 minute intro, 3 minute warm up and 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and fitness mat. Heather is using 5, 10 and 15 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

Circuit 1 (Biceps):

1. Press curls (bicep curls, palms face ceiling and elbows are pressed in close to sides, ends of DBs are touching) (16.5# DBs)
2. Negative curls (wide bicep curls, raise DBs normal speed and lower DBs very slow) (16.5# DBs)
3. Hammer curls (alternating hammer curls, palms face the body when curling) (16.5# DBs)
4. Bicep burn out (fast alternating bicep curls) (6# DBs)
5. Repeat #1-4 two more times
6. Shadow box for 60 seconds (alternating weighted front punches) (3# DBs)

30 second rest

Circuit 2 (Triceps):

1. Tricep push up
2. Skull crusher (11# DBs first 2 sets, 10# DBs last set)
3. Tricep press (overhead tricep extension/French press) (one 25# DB first 2 sets, one 20# DB last set)
4. Tricep kickback (alternate arms) (13# DBs)
5. Repeat #1-4 two more times
6. Weighted jacks for 60 seconds (jumping jack the legs while arms do an overhead press) (5# DBs)

30 second rest

Circuit 3 (Shoulders):

1. Lateral raise (straight arm side raise) (8# DBs)
2. Arnold press (in kneeling lunge, do a single arm Arnold press) (one 16.5 DB first 2 sets, one 15# DB last set)
3. Repeat #2 on other arm
4. Push press (holding DBs at shoulder level, squat and when you stand do an overhead press) (16.5# DBs first set, 15# DBs second set, 14# DBs last set)
5. Repeat #1-4 two more times
6. Half burpee for 60 seconds (plank burpee–no push up)

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