This routine requires dumbbells or at least some kind of weighted object that you can easily hold in your hand. When selecting the weight to use for each exercise, be sure to start light your first time through. With some of these exercises you may be able to use very heavy dumbbells but others you may only be able to start with just arm weight, it all depends on your own strength in each position.

Workout Structure:
8 Exercises, One Minute Each, Twice Through

Exercises:
Slow Cross Punches – This exercise focuses on the deltoid (outer shoulder) primarily but also uses the biceps, and the forearms and triceps to a lesser degree. Be sure to move slowly to get more of a muscle burn.

Bicep Curl Extensions – This motion primarily and equally taxes the deltoid and the biceps. Be extra careful not to fully extend your arms, as it can put too much stress on that joint especially when you are using higher amounts of weight.

High Low Extensions – In this motion the deltoid is again the main focus but the bicep and tricep both have to work as well. The bicep is engaged when the arm is extended downward and the tricep is targeted when extending the arm upward.

Ventral Lateral Raise Combo – When using a muscle that is capable of a very large range of motion it is important to train that muscle in various positions. Combining a lateral raise (to the sides) and a ventral raise (to the front), both target the deltoid but in very different ways.

External Shoulder Rotations – Most shoulder motions target the larger rhomboid muscle, however, in this exercise you also focus on the smaller rotator cuff muscles. This specific motion is designed to hit those small rotator cuff muscles in one of the most common ways they are taxed in daily activity to help increase strength and endurance.

Rhomboid Squeezes – The Rhomboid is predominantly responsible for pulling the shoulders back and is often dominated by the chest muscles causing poor posture. This motion helps increase tone and strength to pull the shoulders back, giving you better posture.

Double Cross Extensions – With a similar motion to the slow cross punch this exercise instead uses both arms simultaneously which engages the chest muscles on top of the shoulder, and a little bit of the tricep and bicep.

Plyometric Push Up – This chest exercise when done against the wall or the floor (depending on your level of ability) is a great way to quickly build strength. When done against the wall with a high number of repetitions it serves to tone, firm, and shape the chest.

Calorie Burn Estimates
We estimate that this routine burns 4-7 calories a minute. You can increase the burn by lifting a weight that is very challenging, though as mentioned before, you should start light until your body is used to the exercises. This routine goes well with any of our many cardio workout videos.