For day three of Sweat's Two Weeks to Strong Workout Plan, it's all about the chest and triceps! NASM-certified personal trainer Kelsey Wells [1] will lead you through this 15-minute bodyweight workout, inspired by her PWR Zero Equipment Program, which is available exclusively on the Sweat app [2]. The exercises in this workout target your chest, your triceps, and the stabilizing muscles in your shoulders in order to build strength and help tone your upper body. Follow along with the full workout video above, and see below for a breakdown of the warmup, workout, and cooldown.
15-Minute Chest and Triceps Workout
Equipment needed: none
Directions: Begin with the warmup in the video, then complete two rounds of the superset, three rounds of the circuit, and one round of the burnout, then finish with the cooldown. You can also perform additional static stretching afterward.
Warmup: 1 Round
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Jumping Jacks | 30 seconds |
| Running in Place | 30 seconds |
| Arm Swings | 30 seconds |
| Calf Pump | 30 seconds |
Jumping Jacks:
- Stand with your feet together on the floor, arms by your sides. This is your starting position.
- Quickly jump both feet outward so they are wider than your hips. At the same time, raise your arms above you so your hands almost meet directly above your head.
- Quickly jump both feet inward, lower your arms, and return to the starting position.
- Keep going for 30 seconds.
Running in Place:
- Stand with both feet together with your arms extended by your sides.
- Inhale, and engage your core. Bend your right knee up toward your chest, then quickly switch legs, bringing your left knee up. Continue alternating legs for 30 seconds and swinging opposite arms. Land softly on the midsoles of your feet, and keep your knees slightly bent at all times.
Arm Swings:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart, arms by your sides.
- Inhale, and as you exhale, gently swing both arms forward and across your body.
- Continue alternating between forward and backward arm swings for 30 seconds.
Calf Pump:
- Come into a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists. Gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core.
- Lift your hips to create an upside-down "V" shape (downward facing dog [3]). With your knees slightly bent, press your heels into the mat and tilt your tailbone upward. This is your starting position.
- Bend your left knee to elevate your left heel slightly and press your right heel into the mat, stretching your right calf.
- Alternate legs to stretch your left calf. Continue alternating sides for 30 seconds.
Superset: 3 Rounds
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Inchworm | 30 seconds |
| Triceps Circles | 30 seconds |
| Rest | 30 seconds |
Inchworm:
- Stand with both feet shoulder-width distance apart. Bend at your hips, and while keeping your legs as straight as possible, place your hands on the floor directly in front of your feet. This is your starting position.
- On an inhale, without moving your feet, walk your hands forward until your body is in one straight line from your head to your heels (plank position). Rest on the balls of your feet, ensuring your legs remain as straight as possible.
- On an exhale, without moving your feet, walk your hands backward to return to the starting position, once again ensuring your legs remain as straight as possible.
- Continue for 30 seconds.
Triceps Circles:
- Begin on your hands and knees, with your hips stacked over your knees and your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Ensure your spine is in a neutral position, and relax your shoulder blades down your back. This is your starting position.
- On an inhale, bend your elbows to lower your forearms and chest toward the mat.
- On an exhale, sweep your torso forward along the mat to bring your nose past your hands. Press your hands into the mat to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
- Keep going for 30 seconds.
Circuit: 3 Rounds
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Push-Up and X Plank | 45 seconds |
| Rest | 10 seconds |
| Triceps Extension on Knees | 45 seconds |
| Rest | 10 seconds |
| Ab Bike | 45 seconds |
| Rest | 10 seconds |
| Rest Between Rounds | 60 seconds |
Push-Up and X Plank:
- Begin in a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists. Gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core. This is your starting position.
- Perform one push-up by inhaling to bend your elbows, lowering your chest toward the floor. Then exhale to straighten your arms, coming back to a plank position.
- Keeping your core strong and stable, elevate your hips and lift your left hand off the floor to reach toward your right foot (or as far as you can).
- Lower your hips, and place your left hand back on the mat to return to the starting position before repeating on the opposite side.
- Keep going for 45 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest.
Triceps Extension on Knees:
- Begin on your hands and knees, and lower your forearms to the floor, with your elbows underneath your shoulders. Gently draw your ribs toward your hips to engage your core. This is your starting position.
- On an inhale, push through your hands to lift your forearms off the floor, straightening your arms. Engage your abdominals, and ensure your spine remains in a neutral position. You should feel tension in your triceps, shoulders, and core throughout this movement.
- On an exhale, bend your elbows to lower your forearms back to the floor to return to the starting position.
- Keep going for 45 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest.
Ab Bike:
- Start by lying on your back with your legs extended in front of you. Bend your elbows, and place your hands behind your earlobes. Gently raise both legs and your head and shoulders off the floor. This is your starting position.
- While keeping your right leg extended, bend your left knee, and draw it in toward your chest. At the same time, rotate your torso to the left to bring your right elbow to your knee.
- Untwist your torso and extend your left knee to return to the starting position. Immediately bend your right knee, draw it in toward your chest, and rotate your torso to the right to bring your left elbow to your knee.
- Untwist your torso and extend your right knee to return to the starting position. Continue alternating between left and right for 45 seconds followed, by a 10-second rest.
Burnout: 1 Round
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Push-Up to Side Plank | 60 seconds |
- Come into a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists. Gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core. This is your starting position.
- On an inhale, while maintaining a straight back and engageing your abdominals, perform a push-up by bending your elbows and lowering your torso toward the floor until your arms form two 90-degree angles.
- On an exhale, straighten your arms, coming back to plank position.
- Lift your right hand off the floor, and extend your arm upward. At the same time, turn your torso to face the right, coming into a side plank on the left side, engageing your obliques (ab muscles on the sides of your torso) to keep your hips elevated.
- Lower your right hand, returning to plank position.
- Perform a push-up.
- From plank position, lift your left hand off the floor and raise your arm above you, coming into side plank on the right side.
- Lower your left hand, coming back to plank position.
- Continue alternating sides for 60 seconds.
Cooldown: 1 Round
| Exercise Name | Time |
|---|---|
| Deltoid Stretch | 60 seconds |
| Triceps Stretch | 60 seconds |
| Calves and Hamstrings | 60 seconds |
Deltoid Stretch:
- Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart, arms by your sides.
- Bring your right arm across your body, and place your left hand on your right forearm, gently pulling it toward your chest. Relax your shoulders away from your ears.
- Enjoy this stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat on the left side for another 30.
Triceps Stretch:
- Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart, arms by your sides.
- Inhale, and raise your right arm overhead, bending your elbow and placing your hand between your shoulder blades.
- Exhale, and gently push down your right elbow with your left hand.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds, breathing deeply throughout. Then switch sides for another 30 seconds.
Calves and Hamstrings:
- Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart. Take a large step out to the side with your left foot. Ensure that both feet are facing forward.
- Bending from your hips, turn your torso toward your left leg, and reach for your foot (or as far as you can), placing your hands on your foot, shin, or knee — whichever is most comfortable.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds, breathing deeply throughout. Each time you exhale, bring your torso closer toward your left leg to increase the stretch, ensuring you're bending from your hips and not rounding through your spine.
- Repeat on the other side for another 30 seconds.