Workout 17 — Dumbbell Home Workout Journal – Habit Nest

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    Workout 17 — Dumbbell Home Workout Journal

    Workout 17: Chest & Abs


    Chest Exercises

    1. Floor Press

    1. Lie down on the floor (or flat bench) with a dumbbell in each hand resting perpendicular, on top of your thighs, palms facing one another.
    2. Then, using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them in front of you at shoulder-width.
    3. Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. The dumbbells should be just to the sides of your chest, with your upper arm and forearm creating a 90 degree angle. 
    4. Use your chest to push the dumbbells up. Lock your arms at the top of the lift and squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then begin coming down slowly.


    2. Decline Floor Press

    1. Lie on your back with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing away from you.
    2. Lift your hips off of the floor, engaging your glutes and hamstrings to form a “bridge.”
    3. Push the dumbbells upward. Squeeze your pectoral muscles at the top of the movement.
    4. Lower the dumbbells back toward the ground, but maintain your glute bridge for the entire set.


    3. In and Out Push Up

    1. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and place your toes on the floor while face down.
    2. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your feet and keep your abs and butt engaged.
    3. Lower yourself by bending your elbows until your chest almost touches the floor.
    4. Forcefully drive through the palms of your hands to push yourself back up off the ground landing in the starting position with your hands wider than shoulder width.
    5. Lower yourself by bending your elbows until your chest almost touches the floor.
    6. Forcefully drive through the palms of your hands to push yourslf back up off the ground landing with your hands in the starting positio.
    7. Repeat steps 3 - 6.

    3. Incline Dumbbell Press

    1. Position yourself on an exercise ball so that your mid-back is supported by the ball and your legs and thighs make a 90 degree angle to the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and place it atop your thighs. The palms of your hands will be facing each other.
    2. Then, using your thighs to help push the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder-width.
    3. Once you have the dumbbells raised to shoulder-width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
    4. Be sure to keep full control of the dumbbells at all times. Then, breathe out and push the dumbbells up with your chest.
    5. Lock your arms at the top, hold for a second, and then start slowly lowering the weight. Note: Ideally, lowering the weights should take about twice as long as raising them.
    6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed number of repetitions.
    7. When you are done, place the dumbbells back on your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to release the dumbbells.

    5. Prayers

    1. Stand upright with your knees slightly bent.
    2. Place your hands together in a praying position in front of your chest. Your elbows should be pointing out to your sides and your fingers pointing ahead of you while pushing tightly against each other.
    3. Slowly move your hands outward away from your body so that your arms fully extend while still positioned together and pushing tightly against each other.
    4. To feel this movement to its highest extent, you want to be pushing your hands together as tightly as you possible. You can try putting a 5 or 10 pound weighted plate between your hands to increase the difficulty.
    5. Bring your wrists back in toward your chest.

    Abs Exercises

    1. Spider-Man Plank Crunch 

    1. Get in plank position by placing your elbows and toes on the floor. Hold your body up off the floor in this position.
    2. Bring your right knee on the outside of your body to your right elbow. 
    3. Straighten your right leg back to the floor.
    4. Complete the same movement with your left leg and keep alternating sides.


    2. Leg Lift 

    1. Lie with your back flat on the floor (or on a bench) with your legs extended in front of you.
    2. Place your hands to your sides with your palms facing down. To keep your hands down for support, you can place them under your glutes.
    3. Keep your legs fully extended and as straight as possible (it’s okay if your knees slightly bend). Hold the contraction at the top for a second.
    4. Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.

    3. Starfish Crunch

    1. Lie on your back with your arms and legs stretched out into an 'X' position. 
    2. In one movement, bring one arm straight up across your body while simultaneously lifting your opposing leg and lifting your head. 
    3. Attempt to touch one arm to your opposite ankle, or try to come as close as you can.
    4. Alternate sides.

    4. Plank

    1. Place your forearms on the ground with your elbows aligned beneath your shoulders. Keep your arms parallel to your body at about shoulder-width distance. (You should be in a push up position, only on your forearms rather than your hands).
    2. Ground your toes into the floor and squeeze your glutes to stabilize your body. Be careful to not to lock or hyperextend your knees.
    3. Neutralize your neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot in front of your hands. Your head should be in line with your back. Contract your abdominals to keep yourself up and prevent your booty from sticking up.
    4. Keep your back flat and hold the position for as long as possible without compromising form.
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