Chest & Back Dumbbell Workout (Push & Pull) is Day 13 in Heather Robertson‘s 12 Week 4.0 program. This was a solid upper body strength workout that focuses on the chest and the back. Other muscle groups will get some work, too, but I definitely felt it in my back and chest. In addition to exercises that focus on the chest or the back, she included some unique compound exercises that work both the chest and the back in the same exercise, which I really enjoyed. I especially liked the pullover press (Circuit 2 #5).
This workout contains 2 circuits and each circuit is done 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.
Chest & Back Dumbbell Workout (Push & Pull) is 33:19 minutes; one minute intro, 3 minute warm up and 4 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and a fitness mat. The weights listed below are what I used. I also used a resistance band for the Super V Squeeze (Circuit 1 #6) to work my upper back more.
Circuit 1:
- Chest press bridge (lay on mat with knees bent and feet close to glutes, as you push DBs to the ceiling, also raise hips into bridge) (barbell @ 73#)
- Double arm bent over row (30# DBs)
- Chest fly (legs are raised and knees bent at 90 degrees, legs remain in this position while doing a chest fly) (25# DBs)
- Bent over rear delt fly (8# DBs)
- Lay down push up (in straight arm plank, lower body to mat keeping body in a straight line from head to heels, once on mat do one superman, place hands under shoulders and push back up to plank keeping body in a straight line)
- Super V squeeze (lay on stomach with arms extended in front of you, raise arms and legs in superman, hold and pull elbows behind back, push arms in front of you again then lower hands/legs) (I used a medium resistance band)
- Repeat #1-6
30 second rest
Circuit 2:
- V-press (lay on back with one DB in each hand and arms close to sides, palms face each other, push DBs upward, opening arms into a V then return to start) (20# DBs)
- Bent over double arm underhand row (palms face forward) (30# DBs)
- Upward chest fly (stand with arms at sides but held away from body at approximately 30 degrees, with arms straight and palms facing forward, lift straight arms in front of you bringing ends of DBs together so they form a V–you’re also drawing an upside down V or pyramid with the DBs when raising them) (8# DBs)
- Scapular squeeze (extend arms out to sides in a T with palms facing ceiling, pull elbows behind ribs then push elbows back out to a T) (8# DBs)
- Pullover press (legs are raised and knees bent at 90 degrees, legs remain in this position, hold one DB in both hands, keeping arms close to sides push DB to ceiling then do one pullover) (one 30# DB)
- Renegade push up (do one plank row with each arm then do one push up) (30# DBs)
- Repeat #1-6
For more info on Heather Robertson’s workouts and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.
