Day 1: Arm Strength Workout with Dumbbells / HR12WEEK 4.0

Arm Strength Workout with Dumbbells is Day 1 in Heather Robertson‘s 12 Week 4.0 program. Since this is the first workout in this program the intro is longer and Heather talks about why she created this program. She says it is for selfish reasons. She wanted to do a more progressive program and lift heavier weights. She said this program is more strength focused than her other programs. She gives an overview of what to expect over the next 12 weeks.

This was a tough arm workout. My biceps, triceps and shoulders were well worked. I especially like the mix of exercises within each circuit. Each circuit focuses on one muscle group and Heather hits each muscle group with exercises that you can heavy up with as well as endurance lighter weight exercises. By the end of each circuit she burned out whatever muscle group we were focusing on.

This workout contains 3 circuits; each circuit contains 4 exercises. You will do each circuit twice. The exercises are done interval style: 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of recovery. 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. At the bottom of the screen during the preview, there is a small graphic with a weight recommendation–light, medium or heavy.

Arm Strength Workout with Dumbbells is 36:22 minutes; 3:20 minute intro, 4:25 minute warm up and 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: light, medium and heavy dumbbells. Heather is using 5, 10 and 15 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

Circuit 1:

1. Alternating bicep curls (supination curls, DBs start at side w/ palm facing thigh, as you curl, rotate DB so palm faces the ceiling) (20# DBs)
2. In & out curls (alternate wide curls with narrow curls) (16.5# DBs)
3. Isometric curls (raise halfway into hammer curl with elbows bent at 90 degrees and hold isometrically for entire interval) (15# DBs)
4. Bicep burn out (fast alternating bicep curls w/ light DBs) (5# DBs)
5. Repeat #1-4

30 second rest

Circuit 2:

1. Skull crushers (lay on back with legs raised and knees bent at 90 degrees, do skull crushers in this position) (15# DBs)
2. Diamond push up (tricep push up, hands are together underneath chest so thumb and forefinger form a diamond, arms are kept close to sides)
3. Overhead press (in high kneeling hold one DB in both hands, do an overhead tricep extension/French press) (one 25# DB)
4. Alternating tricep kickbacks (13# DBs)
5. Repeat #1-4

30 second rest

Circuit 3:

1. Lateral flys (standing lateral side raises) (9# DBs)
2. Military press (high kneeling overhead shoulder press, arms in goal post at bottom of move) (20# DBs)
3. Bent over rear delt flys (9# DBs)
4. Front pulse (arms are raised in front of you to shoulder level with elbows bent at 90 degrees, palms face you, pulse DBs upward in this position) (15# DBs)
5. Repeat #1-4

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