I am currently taking a break from lifting weights due to shoulder problems but I do not want to totally neglect working my upper body. It has been hard to find workouts that are at the perfect level–not so advanced they mess up my shoulders the same way dumbbells would yet not so easy they are pointless. Most of Caroline’s upper body bodyweight workouts are pretty advanced and require me to make modifications for my shoulders but I came across this one on her YouTube channel and it seemed to the perfect level for my shoulders right now.
Caroline has a lot of programs on her YouTube channel (as well as on her CGX app) but she only has 2 beginner programs (that I am aware of, at least)–one on YouTube and one on her app. And since it was created by Caroline, it was not easy, despite the fact it is beginner level (at least for Caroline). My upper body feels well worked. Plus this is a fantastic travel workout–all you need is a mat (or towel or carpeted floor) and a chair or other stable surface for one exercise.
This workout has a staple exercise–cobra push ups. This means that you will return to this exercise frequently; in fact, it is every 3rd exercise done. You will do it 10 times in the course of this workout. Having encountered Caroline’s cobra push ups in her advanced workouts, I was worried my triceps would be fried. But you get 2 minutes of rest between each one, so it was not as grueling as I expected. The only area where my triceps were getting seriously fatigued is #3-6 below. All tricep work, one exercise right after the other. In fact, two tricep exercises sandwiched by two cobra push ups, which hit the triceps hard. My triceps were definitely feeling it after that block, but after that your triceps get 2 minutes of rest between cobra push ups.
This workout is done interval style: each exercise is done for 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest. There is a timer in the upper left hand side of the screen, counting down the intervals and recoveries. During the recovery Caroline previews the next exercise. There is also a little bar at the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.
No Equipment Upper Body Workout is 33:59 minutes; 1:11 minute intro, no warm up and 2:25 minute stretch. Equipment: chair and fitness mat.
- Push up lower to on knee rise (start in straight arm plank, lower as if doing a regular push up and when you get to close to mat, drop knees to mat and push up while on knees then raise knees so you are back in plank)
- Shoulder taps (in wide leg plank, alternate tapping one hand to opposite shoulder)
- Cobra push up (lay on stomach with hands on mat under shoulders, do push ups cobra-style keeping arms close to sides and thighs on mat)
- Tricep dips (hands on edges of chair, legs extended straight)
- Slow tricep push up lower (start in straight arm plank with hands under shoulders, slowly lower body until you are laying on mat while keeping arms close to sides, push back up to plank cobra style)
- Repeat #3
- Plank hips up and down (start in forearm plank, push glutes back into dolphin pose then return to forearm plank)
- Plank walk out (start standing at end of mat, hinge forward and walk hands out until you are in plank, walk hands back to feet but do not raise back to standing, walk hands back out to plank)
- Repeat #3
- Side plank hold (start in forearm plank, rotate into side plank reaching one arm to ceiling, hold briefly then return to forearm plank)
- Repeat #10 on other side of body
- Repeat #3
- Downward dog to pike (start in downward dog with heels on mat, shift body forward raising onto toes then lower heels returning to downdog)
- Lat pull down (lay on stomach on mat, extend arms straight in front of you, pull elbows down toward ribs keeping arms out to sides)
- Repeat #3
- Dolphin hold (hold dolphin pose)
- Plank up & down (start in wide leg straight arm plank, lower to forearm plank then return to straight arm plank)
- Repeat #3
- Plank row (like a renegade row w/out DBs, in straight arm plank, pull one elbow up behind you, alternate arms keeping arms close to sides)
- Plank lean (in straight arm plank, shift body forward and back using shoulders to initiate the move)
- Repeat #3
- Reverse snow angels (lay on stomach on mat, extend arms in front of you with palms facing ground, sweep arms out to sides bringing hands to small of back w/ palms facing ceiling)
- Rear fly (palms facing away) (still laying on stomach, arms are extended to sides in a T, raise and lower arms)
- Repeat #3
- Superman (lay on stomach on mat, arms extended in front of you, raise and lower arms and legs together)
- Gorilla push ups (start in a deep yogi squat, body falls forward and is caught with hands on mat, using hands/arms, push body back to deep squat)
- Repeat #3
- Side plank (start in forearm plank, rotate into side plank, keeping top arm bent, raise arm and pull elbow behind you, alternate side)
- Scapular push ups (in wide leg straight arm plank, keeping arms straight and stiff, lower chest, drawing shoulder blades together–arms do not move)
- Repeat #3
For more info on Caroline Girvan’s workouts and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.
