In my experience, the traditional arm exercises, like bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, and side raises, don’t bring big results quickly. They are important and valuable movements, for sure, but they don’t change you fast.
I’ve coined the term “pressurized workouts” to describe when the exercises require a specific body area to stay under tension for a prolonged time. The longer the amount of time that a muscle group spends under tension, the greater the propensity for change. And I find that this style works particularly well for arms. Ever notice that you arms look incredible the day after a yoga class? Thank up-dog and down-dog for that. This workout was created with the same mechanism in mind. I’ve put together my favorite “pressurized” movements to create the ultimate arm transformer workout.
I’ve specifically chosen exercises that will require you to tolerate some discomfort and hang in there during the movements. In general, the slower you perform a movement, the more your muscles have to work. Therefore, I want you to slow down a bit and perform these exercises very deliberately, with absolutely no momentum. With all of them, be sure to keep your shoulders drawn back, your shoulder blades together and depressed so that they press downward toward your hips and away from your ears. This position makes your joints the most stable and places the effort onto your muscles, instead of onto the shoulder-stabilizing ligaments.
The Workout: Complete two sets of each exercise below for the reps noted under each exercise. You’ll be doing “straight sets” with 30 seconds of rest in between each set, which means that you’ll complete both sets of each exercise before moving on to the next.
Check out a preview of the workout in this handy, printable, pin-able infographic. Below it, you'll find step-by-step instructions for each move.
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1. Cobra Pushup
Begin in a plank with your hands under your shoulders and your feet hip-distance apart. From there, take small little steps and walk your feet toward your hands, bending and raising your hips upward. When you have equal pressure on your hands and feet, stop (A), then bend your elbows to lower down as if you were doing a pushup (B). When you chest is a few inches away from the floor, push upward, lifting your chest and straightening your arms. Simultaneously lower your hips, squeeze your butt and thighs, and hold when your hips nearly touch the floor. Push into your hands so that your chest and head extend upward toward the sky (C). Then, reverse the movement to return to the starting position in plank. That’s one rep; do 10.
2. Unilateral Pulsing Pushup
Begin in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your feet hip-distance apart. Brace your core as if you were preparing for someone to punch you in the tummy. Bend your elbows and slowly lower down until you are four inches from the floor. Hold this position and “pulse” with micro movements up and down for three seconds (A). Push back up to the starting position and cross your right hand over your left (B). Then move your left hand out to the left and repeat the movement, lowering down and pulsing for three seconds. Push back up. That’s one rep. Immediately cross your left hand over your right hand and move your right hand out to the right to lower down and repeat the movement again. Complete a total of 10 reps.
3. T-stabilizer
Start in plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet together. Brace your core as if you were preparing for someone to punch you in the tummy (A). Shift your weight to your left hand and rotate your body. Keep your feet together and allow them to rotate with your body; end on the outside edge of your left foot. Simultaneously, sweep your right arm up upward toward the sky, ending with it straight up over your right shoulder. Hold this position for two seconds (B), then rotate back to the starting position. That’s one rep. Complete the same movement, rotating onto your right hand. Do a total of 10 reps.
4. Take A Walk
Sit on top of a BOSU Ball with your feet separated four inches apart. Place your hands just under your butt, with your fingers pointing toward your legs and your palms down. Press upward with your arms to lift your hips off of the BOSU Ball (A). From here, simultaneously lift your right hand and your left foot up two to four inches. Hold for two seconds (B), then lower your hand and foot. That’s one rep. Immediately complete the movement on the other hand and foot, and continue alternating for a total of 20 reps.
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5. Balancing Pushup And Barbell Rollout
For this exercise you’ll need a barbell with plates. You can either use a pre-loaded barbell that is around 20 pounds, or you can add five-pound plates to a standard Olympic bar. If you're using a standard bar, be sure to use clips to keep the plates secure. Kneel and place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart on the bar. Keep your knees together and feet lifted off of the floor. Roll the bar so that you are at the top of a pushup position, with the bar under your chest (A). From here, bend your arms and lower down into a pushup, ending when your chest touches the bar (B). Push back up and immediately roll the bar forward. Keep your arms straight, and pivot on your knees to allow your hips to lower toward the floor. Roll out to a position where you still feel strong, have a straight back, and feel tension on your upper body (C). Then use your core to pull and roll the bar back to the starting position. That’s one rep; do 10.
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Holly Perkins is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, founder of Women’s Strength Nation, and author of Lift to Get Lean.
