Lift, Move & Restore: Functional Upper Body

This workout is part of Cathe Friedrich’s Lift, Move & Restore program. This program contains workouts for people who are fit but aging and want to take things down a notch but also want to age well. She notes that these workouts can also be used as recovery workouts for advanced exercisers.

Functional Upper Body contains the main workout plus an upper body and core focused bonus that uses only the balance disks. Though there is a modifier showing the bonus exercises with only one balance disk, you need two to do the exercises like Cathe does them.

The first time I did this workout I did the premix that combines the main workout with the bonus and it was a very enjoyable workout. I previewed them both before doing them. The main workout was not as easy as I expected it to be and the bonus was not as hard as I expected. Cathe uses light weights for everything in the main program. I used heavier dumbbells than she did for all except one exercise (#24 below) so make sure you use the appropriate weight for your strength level rather than just using the same weight Cathe uses–including lighter weights if that is what you need! Make this workout your own. When I previewed the balance disk bonus I was dreading doing that workout, certain it would be brutal. It was not. It was challenging but not nearly as hard as I feared. It was the good kind of challenging that doesn’t kill you. I am already balance challenged due to having plates and screws in both of my heels. So I always appreciate balance challenges that do not require me to stand on one foot, which is impossible for me to do for an extended length of time. But workouts like the balance bonus allow me to work on my balance in a way that I am capable of. After finishing the full 68 minute workout (premix that combines the two workouts), my upper body felt well worked.

Functional Upper Body is 48:50 minutes; 5 minute warm up and 4 minute stretch. Equipment: medium tension resistance tube/band w/ handles, dumbbells, yoga block and fitness mat. Cathe is holding the resistance tube when the workout starts. It is used for the warm up. Below I listed both the weights Cathe used and the weights I used. If only the weight is listed, I used the same weight as Cathe.

1. Over the top push press (hold one DB bar with both hands, hold DB at one shoulder, do a partial squat and as you raise out of squat, arc the DB overhead to your other shoulder, alternate sides) (Cathe is using one 10# DB, I used one 18# DB)
2. Single arm push press (hold one DB in one hand at shoulder, lower into partial squat and as you raise out of squat do a single arm overhead shoulder press, done to a brisk pace) (Cathe is using one 8# DB, I used one 18# DB)
3. Rotational deadrow (hold one DB in each hand, bend knees and hinge forward at hips, extend arms down in front of legs with palms facing body, as you row DBs rotate DBs so palms face in front of you at top of row) (Cathe is using 8# DBs, I used 18# DBs)
4. Repeat #3 but alternate arms
5. One arm snatch (place one DB on floor in front of you, squat and grab DB w/ one hand, lift DB upright row fashion but continue raising DB overhead, lower DB and place on floor, alternate arms) (Cathe uses one 8# DB, I used one 16.5# DB)
6. Overhead press & march (hold one DB in one hand, extend arm straight overhead to ceiling, extend other arm out straight to side, hold both arms isometrically and march in place; slowly lower DB to shoulder and push back overhead) (Cathe is using one 8# DB, I used one 20# DB)
7. Repeat #6 on other arm
8. Single arm row switch (hold one DB in one hand, hinge forward w/ knees slightly bent, do a pulsing partial squat while also doing a partial single arm row, at bottom of row pass DB to other hand and repeat on that arm; do this 6x then stand up straight while doing a hammer curl into a single overhead press) (Cathe is using one 10# DB, I used one 20# DB)
9. Lateral arm circles (hold one handle of band in one hand, stand on other end of band, extend arm holding band out straight to side, pulse arm upward; changes to drawing small circles)
10. Repeat #9 on other arm
11. Pull aparts (hold band in both hands with about 18 inches between hands, raise arms to shoulder level, pull band open to sides; add alternating knee raises)
12. Lawn mower pull (stand in split stance w/ one end of band under front foot, hold handle in opposite side hand, torso hinges forward, do alternating rows with both arms; pulse arm holding band backward in row) (I looped the band under my foot and choked up on it, holding both sides of the band together in one hand below the handles for more resistance)
13. Repeat #12 w/ band in other hand
14. Sumo concentration curls (hold one DB in one hand, stand with legs wide and toes turned out, lower into squat and place tricep of arm holding DB against inner thigh and do one bicep curl, straighten and pass DB to other hand and repeat; changes to doing 3 bicep curls before changing hands) (Cathe is using one 12# DB, I used one 15# DB)
15. Step out rotational curl (stand holding one DB in each hand w/ palms facing thighs, keeping elbows close to sides, curl DBs in a circular fashion so palms first face each other then face ceiling and elbows are bent at 90 degrees; add taking one step out to side with each curl, alternate sides) (Cathe is using 8# DBs, I used 15# DBs)
16. 90 degree isolation step out curl (loop resistance band around one foot and hold both handles together in one hand, hold one DB in other hand, raise band arm so that elbow is bent at 90 degrees and hold isometrically, do wide W curls with other arm/DB, each time you curl, step out then back in with same side foot) (Cathe is using one 8# DB, I used one 15# DB)
17. Push ups
18. Bike maneuver close grip (lay on back holding one DB in each hand, raise legs and bend knees at 90 degrees, keeping arms close to sides do alternating narrow chest press, when arm/DB is pushed to ceiling extend opposite leg straight (Cathe us using 10# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
19. Tripod kickbacks (get into straight arm plank holding one DB in one hand, raise DB and do tricep kickbacks while in plank) (Cathe is using one 8# DB, I used one 10# DB)
20. Lying shoulder to shoulder press (lay on back w/ knees bent and feet on mat, hold one DB in both hands by bell and extend arms/DB to ceiling, lower to DB to one side tapping end to mat beside head, alternate sides) (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 20# DB)
21. Hip lift one arm pullover (lay on back w/ knees bent and feet on mat close to glutes, lift hips into bridge and hold, do alternating single arm pullovers for 4 reps then do 4 reps on one arm, do 4 more alternating single arm pullovers then do 4 reps on other arm) (Cathe is using 5# DBs, I used 15# DBs)
22. Side leaning lateral raise (kneel on one knee with other leg extended to side, one hand rests on yoga block beside you so you are on an angle, other arm holds one DB, do a straight arm side raise) (Cathe is using one 3# DB, I used one 6# DB)
23. Repeat #22 on other arm
24. Sit up thumb to thumb raise (lay on mat with legs extended straight holding one DB in each hand, arms close to sides with palms facing the ceiling, do a full sit up, as you sit up, open arms out to sides and overhead so that at top of sit up your thumbs come together) (3# DBs)
25. Seated oblique pulls (sit on mat w/ one leg extended straight, other knee is bent w/ insole of other foot against inner thigh of extended leg, wrap resistance tube around foot of extended leg and hold one handle in each hand, place on hand/handle on ground beside extended leg, raise other arm straight, rotate torso/arm/band to side)
26. Repeat #25 on other side of body
27. Modified bird dog (lay on stomach on mat with arms extended straight in front of you, thumbs facing ceiling, raise one arm and opposite leg, alternate sides)

Upper Body Balance Disc Bonus is 21:20 minutes; 1:10 stretch. Equipment: fitness mat and 2 balance disks. If you only have one disc there is a modifier showing you how to do the exercises with only one balance disk.

1. Push ups knees on disks (disks are under either your knees or your toes, depending on your fitness level)
2. Push ups with hands on disks
3. Bird dog knees on disks (get on hands and knees with knees on disks, lift one bent knee and do a tricep push up, alternate which leg is lifted)
4. Bird dog with hands on disks
5. Plank march (elbow/forearm plank w/ forearms on disks, alternate lifting legs)
6. Swimmer (still in forearm plank with forearms on disks, alternate bending knees and tapping them to mat)
7. Opposite hand to knee plank (straight arm plank with feet on disks, raise one leg off disk bringing knee under body and tapping it with opposite hand, alternate sides)
8. Seated elbow to knee crunch (sit on one disk with knees bent and feet on floor, lean torso back slightly, lift one knee and bring opposite elbow to knee, alternate sides)
9. Seated boat pose (still sitting on disk, place hands on mat behind hips, lift bent legs, hold briefly then lower; full version–lift legs and arms into bent leg boat pose)
10. Kneeling side plank (modified side plank w/ bottom hand on one disk and bottom knee on other disk, top leg is straight and top arm extended to ceiling; lift top leg off floor then lift toe of disk leg off floor)
11. Repeat #10 on other side of body
12. Reverse plank (sit on mat with hands on disks behind you, knees are bent and feet on floor, lift hips off mat and hold, alternate raising bent legs)
13. Same starting position as #12 but extend legs straight, hips are lifted so body is straight, hold reverse plank
14. Bear crawl walk (straight arm plank w/ feet on disks, step feet in under body into bear pose (knees bent at 90 degrees and elevated off mat), step feet back onto disks)
15. Bird dog slide (you are on hands and knees, one hand on mat and opposite knee on disk, other leg is extended straight behind you and other arm is extended straight in front of you, lift extended leg behind you and swing leg and arm out to side and back, while also lifting toe of balance disk leg off floor)
16. Repeat #15 on other side of body

Premixes:

Main program + Bonus Workout 68:43 minutes

Time Saver 1 32:32 minutes

Times Saver 2 37:03 minutes

Time Saver 3 – Bonus Express 14:53 minutes

Scrambled 48:15 minutes