Activating two muscles groups at once is a great way to cut down on gym time while still staying active. If you’re looking for a good way to tighten and tone both the arms and the core, give this quick and effective workout a try.
Plank with elbow tap (3 sets of 8 reps—remember, form is more important than quantity)
- Come into a plank position with your arms and legs straight and your shoulders stacked above your wrists
- Gently tap each hand to the opposing elbow for one rep
Plank 3 sets of 30-second holds)
- Start with your hands directly under your shoulders in a push-up position
- Position your feet hip-distance apart, push your toes into the floor and squeeze your glutes to help stabilize your body
- Keep your neck, head and spine in a neutral position as you breathe deeply and hold the position
Dumbbell bench press (3 sets of 8 to 10 reps)
- Lie back on a bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand so that your hands are directly beside your shoulder joints and your palms are facing your feet
- Extend your arms and press the weight above your chest in a steady and controlled manner, bringing the dumbbells a close together
- Pause briefly at the top of this movement before slowly lowering the weight back down to the starting point for one rep
Half-kneeling single-arm barbell press (3 sets of 8 to 10 reps)
- Place a barbell in a landmine unit
- Get into a half-kneeling stance facing the landmine unit
- Hold the barbell at shoulder height with whatever hand is closest to your back leg
- Press the barbell up at 45-degree angle
- Pause briefly at the top of this movement before slowly lowering the barbell back down to the starting position for one rep
Pull up (Do as many reps as you can with proper form until fatigue)
- Grab a pull up bar with your hands shoulder-width apart in an overhand grip
- Lift your legs off the floor and cross your feet behind your body
- Pull yourself upward, keeping your elbows pointed toward the floor
- Slowly lower yourself back down to starting position for one rep
