Upper Body Resistance Training and Cardio Workout
A complete home workout fitness routine must include working your muscles and cardio training. The following Upper Body Resistance Training and Cardio Workout is just what you need to ensure you are building muscles and burning calories in the same home fitness workout. Your time is valuable and when you can achieve two goals at the same time your home fitness just got easier and more productive. Each of the following supersets contain a muscle activation/isolation exercise with resistance bands followed with a cardio component to spike your heart rate and burn calories. Sometimes the cardio exercise also has some strength training included. This approach will make your workouts interesting and confuse your muscles. This workout uses the Fusion Cable Home Training System, Speed Jump Rope, KB Duo and the Victory Ropes. This equipment is what your need to build your own home gym without buying expensive and bulky gym equipment. These exercises hit the upper body muscle groups using 4 supersets. Each superset will be 4-5 sets to failure with a 20-30 second break between the supersets.
Speed Jump Rope and Bicep Curl
The first superset is the Speed Jump Rope and Bicep Curl. Attach the KB Duo on any overhead mount, squat rack, or even a high wall mount. Set the heights of the handle off the floor to challenge your resistance. Step out from the mount and keep a straight body and pull your hands toward your chest, squeezing the biceps throughout the motion and keeping a flat back. Perform 10-12 Bicep Curls before switching to the Speed Jump Rope. Push your pace on the Speed Rope and challenge yourself to spike your heart rate. Perform double jumps, single leg hops, or any other footwork technique to spike your heart rate for 30-40 seconds. After completing both exercises in this home fitness workout take a 20-30 second break.
Push-Up Pike and Bicep Scrapes
For the next superset place the KB Duo on a high mount and position the handles about a foot above the floor. Slide the handles to the side so you can use the foot cradles. Place your feet in the cradles and move out from the mount. Perform a Push-Up Pike during this half of the super set. Perform a push-up and then go immediately into a pike position kicking your butt straight into the air. This is a great strength move but also gets your heart pumping providing a cardio workout at the same time.
If your wrists bother you during this movement adjust your hand positions to remove the strain on the wrist. A modification to the pike is to do a knee-in. The knee-in is slightly easier to perform but allows you to get the same benefits. The second exercise in this superset is the Bicep Scrapes. Place the appropriate amount of resistance on the low Fusion Mount and step out from the wall. Let your shoulders and arms slide back. Then curl your hands into your armpits and squeeze the bicep at the top of the movement. This motion isolates the biceps and causes them to perform while under tension. Take a 20-30 second rest break between sets.
Lateral Raises and Victory Rope Single Arm Slams
The next superset is the Lateral Raises and Victory Rope Single Arm Slams. Lateral Raises are good for your shoulder and trap development. Select the appropriate level of Fusion Cable and put handles on each end. Place your foot on the center and smoothly raise the handles to shoulder height. You should be under resistance throughout this upper body resistance workout. If necessary you can loop the resistance band on the floor to make it shorter and this will increase the resistance. Working your shoulders and traps will help with the torso “V” shape that guys strive to achieve.
The second exercise is the Victory Rope Single Arm Slams. Place the Victory Rope in one hand and slam it quickly for 10-12 reps on each arm. Make into a slight bent knee position and keep your shoulders back and down with a flat back. Mixing up your cardio moves using the slams is another great cardio home fitness exercise that jumps your heart rate. Take a 20-30 second break between supersets.
Bicep Scrapes and Push-Up Pike on the Floor
The final superset in this Upper Body Resistance Band and Cardio Workout is the Bicep Scrapes again and the Push-Up Pike on the Floor. Yes the Bicep Scrapes just like we performed earlier. Doing the same exercise again in the same workout routine helps to hit the muscle again after it is fatigued, forcing it to work even more.
The Push-Up Pike is another great cardio and strength move. Each set is 5 push-ups and then jump your feet in and out keeping your legs straight. Complete 10-12 of the Push-Up Pikes on the Floor before moving to the Bicep Scrapes. Remember to isolate the bicep throughout this movement to get maximum muscle activation. They will be tired but force them to work or step closer to the wall if you need to reduce the resistance to keep good form. Control the movement and make sure you squeeze the biceps at the top of the movement to get even more activation. Stand tall and keep your shoulders back and down. Also tighten your core as you challenge yourself to stand upright during the movement. Again take a 20-30 second break between supersets.
Final Thoughts on Upper Body Resistance Training with Cardio
At home fitness training doesn’t have to been monotonous or repetitive. As a matter of fact it is better if you continually mix it up and add new workouts. Working with resistance bands is a great way to challenge your strength, keep your muscles under constant tension throughout the workout and create muscle confusion using resistance bands. Performing supersets is also a great way to mix strength training and cardio in the same workout to maximize your benefits and your time. Strength training using resistance helps to stimulate the muscle and obtain greater gains. The cardio sets spike your heart rate to get your calories burning and while your heart rate is coming down you are still working your muscles during the opposing exercise in the superset.
Performing cardio and strength training in the same at home fitness workout keeps your workout fresh, confuses your muscles so they continue to respond and change, and helps with the after burn affect because you continually burn calories and get results long after the workout is completed. Keep working hard and perform other at home fitness exercise sets using resistance bands that will tone your muscles and help build the definition you want.