Get ready to sculpt and strengthen your upper body with this fun “elimination rounds” workout!
Today you will be working out with Coach Neesha from Team Betty Rocker – one of our amazing trainers!
Coach Neesha is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and a Team Betty Rocker Coach.
Elimination rounds means you’ll be eliminating moves as you progress through the rounds. I find this style of training is really fun and makes the workout feel like it just flies by!
This workout will sculpt your shoulders, back, and arms, supporting a strong core and excellent posture. And remember, it’s the actions we take AROUND our workouts that help make them effective, including how we eat, how we rest and recover, and how we manage our stress.
Be sure you’re eating enough protein in all your main meals, and for a convenient and clean protein smoothie to boost your overall intake for the day check out my tasty, organic I Chocolate or I Vanilla Protein powders!
Grab some items for resistance – like water bottles, laundry jugs or dumbbells, and an elevated surface and join Coach Neesha to rock your workout!
One of my Rock Your Life members recently asked me if I could create a “workout bundle” that included protein powder, collagen and aminos – so I did! The BEST PART? You can get a FREE bottle of protein (your choice of flavor) included in this bundle!
The Workout Bundle contains the spectrum of what your body needs before, during and after your workout to support lean muscle and optimize recovery. Combine with a healthy whole food diet and balanced Betty Rocker training plan for best results.
Enjoy a FREE bottle of protein with every order (your flavor choice!).
Upper Body Eliminations
Click to expand and see all workout move descriptions
Equipment: Weighted Objects (water bottles, dumbbells, household objects), optional high backed chair or wall
Format: Perform round 1 (moves 1-9) for 0:30 each, round 2 (moves 1-7) for 0:45 each and round 3 (moves 1-5) for 1:00 each.
Move 1: Down Dog to Cobra
- Begin in a tall plank position on your mat with shoulders stacked over wrists, braced core, a flat back and neutral gaze (not looking up or down).
- Send your hips up and back, keeping your head in line with your arms as you come into a down dog. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your palms, and your heels should reach toward the mat (bending at the knees is helpful for tight hamstrings).
- Shift back into a tall plank and lower yourself with control down to your belly on the mat, untucking your toes so that the tops of your feet are on the mat.
- Keeping your palms on the mat underneath your shoulders, use the strength of your back to lift your torso off of the mat, being mindful of not shrugging your shoulders (your pelvis, lower ribcage and abdomen will remain on the mat)
- With control, lower your torso back to the mat, tuck your toes and press yourself back up to a tall plank position.
- Repeat this sequence for allotted time.
- MOD: Perform the pushup portions of this sequence with your knees on the mat.
Move 2: 3 Way Biceps Curls
- Begin standing with weighted objects in both hands and palms facing forward at your thighs.
With a braced core and shoulders back and down (as if they were against a wall), bend at the elbows to curl the weights up to shoulder height. - With control, lower the weights to the starting position.
- Rotate at the shoulders so that your palms are now facing out, right and left, and curl the weights up to shoulder height.
- Lower the weights with control to starting position, rotate your arms so that your palms are facing your sides and curl the weights up to shoulder height.
- Be mindful that you’re keeping your elbows in at your ribcage for the duration of the curls.
- Repeat sequence for allotted time.
Move 3: Alternating Overhead Press to Knee Raise
- Begin standing with feet hip distance apart, core braced, shoulders back and down (as if they were against a wall) and with one weight in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing each other.
- Maintaining a braced core, press the weight in your right hand straight up overhead, keeping your shoulder in its engaged position back and down and not allowing it to rotate forward.
- As you press your right weight up, simultaneously stabilize through your right foot on the mat as you drive your left knee up to hip height.
- Lower the weight and lifted leg with control back to the starting position and switch sides.
- Continue alternating sides for allotted time.
- MOD: Perform the overhead press and knee raises separately, first pressing both weights overhead and then alternating raising each knee.
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Move 4: Hand Release Push Ups
- Begin in a tall plank position on your mat with shoulders stacked over wrists, braced core, back flat and neutral gaze (not looking up or down).
- Bend your arms and lower your body to the mat while keeping your shoulders away from your ears. Be mindful that your hips and torso are moving in one line.
- Maintaining a prone position on your belly, use the muscles of your upper back to lift your palms away from the mat, squeezing in-between your shoulder blades.
- Plant your palms back beneath your shoulders and press yourself back up to a tall plank position.
- Repeat sequence for allotted time.
- MOD: Perform the pushup portions of this sequence with your knees on the mat.
Move 5: Triceps Kickback
- Stand with your core braced, chest up, shoulders back and down (as if they were against a wall), and weighted objects in both hands.
- Hinge forward at the hips at a 45 degree angle with your body with a flat back, and engage between your shoulders, so they’re not rounding forward. Allow your dumbbells to hang beneath your chest and keep your head and neck in a neutral position.
- Draw your elbows up and back beside your ribcage and perform tricep kickback by kicking your arms straight back and contracting your triceps.
- Keep your elbows beside your ribcage as you bend your arms and repeat the kickback from a hinged position for allotted time.
Move 6: Jumping Jacks
- Start by standing with feet together and arms by your sides, core braced and shoulders back and down.
- Simultaneously jump your feet out wide as you bring your arms out and above your head, being mindful of now shrugging your shoulders.
- Jump your feet back together and bring arms back down to your sides, returning to your starting position and repeat for allotted time.
- MOD: Remove the jump and alternate stepping your feet out one at a time while bringing your arms over head.
Move 7: High Pull Row
- With weighted objects in both hands, palms facing your body, begin by standing with feet hip width apart, core braced, and shoulders back and down (as if they were against a wall).
- Push your hips back and hinge forward while maintaining a flat back, slightly bending your knees and keeping the weighted objects close to your shins.
- As you drive through your feet and squeeze your glutes to come back to standing, draw your weighted objects up and back evenly for a high pull row, leading with your elbows. Notice the muscles working between your shoulder blades.
- Repeat sequence for allotted time.
Move 8: Side Knee Drive R
- Begin by standing with your core braced, right foot extended to the side, and arms overhead.
- Powerfully drive your right knee out and up for an oblique crunch as you swiftly bring your arms down on either side of the knee, rotating your torso to face the raised knee.
- Return to the starting position with control.
- Repeat for the allotted time and be mindful that you are maintaining an elevated chest and braced core throughout this move.
- MOD: Hold on to the back of a chair or with your hand on a wall to assist with balance throughout this sequence.
Move 9: Side Knee Drive L
- Begin by standing with your core braced, left foot extended to the side, and arms overhead.
- Powerfully drive your left knee out and up for an oblique crunch as you swiftly bring your arms down on either side of the knee, rotating your torso to face the raised knee.
- Return to the starting position with control.
- Repeat for the allotted time and be mindful that you are maintaining an elevated chest and braced core throughout this move.
- MOD: Hold on to the back of a chair or with your hand on a wall to assist with balance throughout this sequence.
Amazing job Rockstar! I am so proud of you for showing up today! Check in with me and Coach Neesha and let us know how you liked the workout and anything else you want to share – we love hearing from you.
Check out this awesome progress Denise, a Rock Your Life member, shared over the course of JUST 2 MONTHS and 2 challenges!
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