rebuild - Bodyweight

Day 5 - Upper Body

Warm Up

  1. Straight Arm Plank (2 x :45-1:00)
  2. Yoga Push-Ups (2 x 12)
  3. Shoulder Taps & Shoulder Reaches (2 x 20 Total Each)
  4. Bodyweight Bird Dogs (2 x 10 Each)

Core Movement

  1. Banded Push Press (3 x 10-12)
  2. Single Arm Row (3 x 10 Each)
  3. Banded Half Kneel Face Pull (3 x 12)
  4. Weighted Curls ... Band Curls (3 x 10 Each)
  5. Single Arm Overhead Carry (3 x 20 Yards)
  6. Banded Tricep Pushdown (3 x 10-15)

Finisher

  1. Hand Release Push Up’s (2 x Failure)
  2. Banded Side Plank Rows (2 x 10-12 Each)

straight arm plank

2 x 45-60 Seconds

Get into a straight arm plank position. Make sure your hands are in line with your shoulders. Place feet together and drive heels backward. Engage your core making your belly button disappear and maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement. Envision pushing your shoulder blades upward toward the ceiling. Control your breathing and don’t fidget!

yoga push ups

2 x 12 Reps

Get into a normal push up position. Make sure that your hands are in line with your shoulders. Perform one push up and on your way back up rock your body backwards into a downward dog stretch. Focus on full shoulder extension and holding a brief calf and hamstring stretch. Then repeat, push up to downward dog position etc.

shoulder taps And Shoulder reaches

2 x 20 Reps Total

Get into a straight arm plank position. Make sure that your hands are directly under your shoulders. The key is to limit hip sway while performing the exercise, so widen your legs out as much as needed in order to limit that. Release one hand from the ground and touch your opposite shoulder slowly, engaging your core the entire time. With shoulder reaches, release one hand and reach directly upward as far as you can without swaying the hips. Alternate sides on both exercises each rep.

bodyweight bird dogs

2 x 10 Reps Each

Get into an all fours position on your hands and knees. Make sure both are spaced shoulder width apart. Keeping your weight centered and core engaged the entire time, slowly extend one arm and the opposite leg to full extension for both. Drive the heel to the back wall and maintain a neutral spine, don’t lift your head up. After extension, come back in towards your body and touch that elbow to the opposite leg’s knee and then back to full extension of both limbs. Do all reps listed on one side first before switching sides.

Banded push press

3 x 10-12 Reps

Place both feet on top of the bottom part of the band. Place both hands underneath the upper portion of the band where the bottoms of your hands are facing the ceiling. Slowly hinge at the hips, sinking into a quarter squat and then fire the hips forward, driving your legs to full extension and pushing the band with both hands straight up directly overhead. Once at the top of the movement, make sure your chin remains neutral and that your lower back doesn’t go into extension. Slowly lower the band back down to your shoulders and repeat steps.

single arm row

3 x 10 Reps Each - Progression: Single Arm Plank Row

This exercise can be done with a dumbbell, a band or kettlebell. You only need one weight and find a bench or box to lean on. Place the weight between your shoulder width feet. Decide which arm you want to start with and grip weight with a neutral grip. Lean forward with your torso and hold onto the bench or box with the opposite arm. Spine should be neutral and you should have 3 points of contact with the ground and bench. Row the weight with your working arm, squeeze your lat and think thumb to nipple. Slowly lower weight back to starting position and repeat.

banded half kneel face pull

3 x 12 Reps

Wrap the band around a pole at head level while kneeling. Grip the band with an overhand grip. Keeping your elbows high, drive the band back to where the center point of the band almost hits the bridge of your nose. While pulling, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together. Get a brief hold at the top of the movement and then slowly return to the starting point and repeat.

weighted curls...band curls

3 x 10 Reps Each

For the band and dumbbells place both hands on the object in a neutral position. Place both elbows close to your hip, with your arms straight. Bend both elbows and curl the weight or band up towards your chest. Slowly lower the weight back down, unbending your elbows until both arms are back to straight and repeat. If you are using the bands, make sure the band is placed under both feet to create that resistance.

single arm overhead carry

3 x 20 Yards

This exercise can be done with a dumbbell or kettlebell. You only need one weight. Grip the weight and curl it up to your shoulder. Standing up straight, press that weight above your head and hold it there keeping your arm straight. Think bicep to ear form, engage your core, rib cage tucked and chin neutral. Slowly start to walk the desired yardage with the weight overhead, once you get to the end, slowly lower weight, switch arms and turn around and head back using the opposite arm.

banded tricep pushdown

3 x 10-15 Reps

Find a high place to tie off the band at home. Once anchored off, grip the sides of the band with both hands in a neutral grip position. Hinge at hips, pushing the butt backward, slightly bend at the knees and pull arms down to your sides into a locked position with your elbows fully bent. From there, while holding the band, slowly extend both elbows straight. Return to bent elbow position and repeat. Focus on moving the elbow joint only!

hand release push-ups

2 x Failure

Get into a push-up position lying chest down on the floor. Hands right in line with the nipples, legs straight back behind you. Perform a normal push-up, once you return to the floor, rest your chest on the ground and release both hands from the ground, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Return hands to starting position and repeat.

banded side plank rows

2 x 10-12 Reps Each

Find a place to tie a band off at home. Preferably on a pole at about waist high level. Scoot back from anchor point and get into a side plank position facing the anchor point. Grip the end of the band with whatever arm that isn’t down holding the plank. Get your body completely straight, stack your feet on top of each other and slowly raise into a side plank, keeping the hip high and squeezing that bottom oblique. If stacking your feet is too difficult, then stagger your feet with your top foot more forward than the back foot. Once in the side plank position, slowly begin rowing the band towards the body, think thumb to nipple on form. Slowly straighten your arm back to starting position and repeat, holding the plank the entire time! Do all reps listed on one side first before switching sides.

Day 4

Day 6

don't neglect leg day, ever!

It’s easy to fall into the routine of overworking your glamour muscle - the bi’s, tri’s, chest, or back. Keeping our legs, our biggest muscle groups, well worked in our routine is the most critical area of our strength that pays dividends not just on the mountain, but in everyday life.

Don't forget!

There's a full community of like-minded Wilderness Athletes taking action. Get in on the conversation for and help keep each other accountable.