Bridal Boot Camp: Sculpted Arms Exercise Program

BRIDAL BOOT CAMP: SCULPTED ARMS CIRCUIT EXERCISE PROGRAM (30-40 MINUTES)

Looking to show off your sculpted arms on your wedding day? Of course, you are, you saucy warrior! Your flex will be the gravy on the turkey. Actually, I have no idea what that means, but this program will get you ready for the holiday photoshoot. Simple and straightforward…..and pushing to failure is the theme of this no-nonsense traditional program. Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., hinging hips, etc.) and perform 12-15 reps for every exercise. Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout. Even when working with a Denver personal trainer, reflecting on your fitness sessions is always essential.

CIRCUIT 1: 8-10 REPS

1st: Bicep barbell curls standing on a bosu
2nd: Tricep skullcrushers on the bench while floating your feet
3rd: Straight arm plank on a stability ball (hold the ball with your hands for 45 seconds, keep your hips up)
4th: Bicep barbell curls standing on a bosu
5th: Tricep skullcrushers on the bench while floating your feet

Time to get wedding fit for my Denver personal training clients. / Photo: Tara Winstead

CIRCUIT 3: 10-12 reps

11th: Bicep single-handle cable curls
12th: Tricep rope pulldowns
13th: Straight arm cable choppers
14th: Bicep single-handle cable curls
15th: Tricep rope pulldowns

CIRCUIT 4: 12-15 reps

16th: Bicep dumbbell hammer curls sitting on an incline bench
17th: Tricep dumbbell kickbacks on a flat bench
18th: Straight arm cable choppers
19th: Bicep dumbbell hammer curls sitting on an incline bench
20th: Tricep dumbbell kickbacks on a flat bench

Bonus Circuit: Failure (Perform until you Drop)

21st: Explosive pushups
22nd: Assisted pullups

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Assessment Section

No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:

• How would you adapt this training program?

• Which exercises would you swap out?

• How could you make this fitness program more challenging?

• How would you change the order of the exercises?

• Would you include more breaks in between the sets?

• Would you include a different ratio of exercises instead?

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Your Fitness Game Plan for Your Colorado Wedding

Time to get ready for your wedding ceremony in Colorado! Here's the adaptable game plan for the next four-eight weeks and beyond (a lifetime of habits doesn’t change in a month, after all). Please note that many of the phases will overlap. Although I recommend checking off each line item before proceeding to the next, feel free to jump around as desired (but know that it was designed and ordered strategically :)).

Whole Food Diet / Photo: Ella Olsson

PHASE 1: Learn about Posture, Proper Form, and the Neutral Spine

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Part 1: Learn about Posture, Proper Form, and the Neutral Spine

Posture and movement: Review the posture and movement emails from your new favorite Denver personal trainer :)

Injury prevention for the lower back and posture: Review this article to learn about lower back injury prevention and proper posture.

• Article: How I've Prevented More Lower Back Pain in the Last 12 Years (After 2 Bulging Disks)

Proper sitting: Review this article about proper form while sitting and change the way you sit.

• Article: Why Your Office Desk Is Destroying Your Posture (And What You Need To Do)

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Part 2: Integrate Exercises for Injury Prevention

Continuum of corrective exercise to limit pain and discomfort:

• Article: A Guide to NASM’s Corrective Exercise Continuum

Daily Rotator cuff/anterior shoulders and lower back/hips Exercises: Watch these videos and incorporate these warm-up range of motion exercises into your routine.

• Video: Shoulder External Rotation in Neutral Position

• Video: Shoulder External Rotation at 90 Degrees

• Video: Alligators

• Video: Hip Stretches

• Video: Glute Bridges

• Restorative Yoga Videos: https://youtu.be/c56tAJ9KjRg or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtVrPUylxp8

Core stabilization exercises: Incorporate this proper form for your plank.

• Plank on the Elbows

Lumbar spine exercises to alleviate lower back discomfort:

• Exercises for lower back pain

• Video: Alligators

• Video: Glute Bridges (standard two foot bridge only without the bands)

Thoracic spine mobility exercises to alleviate shoulder and neck discomfort:

• Corrective Exercises for Optimizing Thoracic Spine Mobility

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Part 3: Foster Awareness

• Book: Read Introduction in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody

• Book: Read Chapter 1: You Are Not Alone in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody

• Book: Read Chapter 2: Practice Mindfulness in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody

• Book: Read Chapter 3: Listen to Your Inner Voice in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody

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Part 4: Review Additional Resources

• Book: Real Movement: Perspective on Integrated Motion & Motor Control by Gary Gray

• Book: Athletic Body in Balance by Gray Cook

• Book: Becoming A Supple Leopard 2nd Edition (The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance) by Kelly Starrett

Finding a new awareness with your pup at your side. / Photo: Cottonbro

PHASE 2: Examine the Mental, Emotional, and Environmental Obstacles to Your Success and Adapt

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Part 1: Examine the Environment's Influences on Your Success

• Book: Read Chapter 12: Change Your Environment in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody and make a list of external influences on your behaviors and choices.

• Podcast: Listen to the podcast episode #24-Exploring the Psychology of our At-Home Environment with Dr. Preston

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Part 2: Examine the Underlying Influences on your Behavior

Learn how to manage your stress and anxiety:

• Article: What Being a Parent Taught Me About Managing Stress

• Article: How to Overcome Your Anxiety at Work

• Podcast: Listen to episode #16 - The Examination of Personal and Collective Trauma with Dr. Bakalar

Learn how insecurity and fears influence your behavior:

• Book: Read Chapter 4: Face Your Fears in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine how fear influences your behavior.

• Book: Read Chapter 5: Extinguish Your Insecurities in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine how insecurities influence your behavior and how to change your perspective.

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Part 3: Examine your Decision-Making Process and Problem-Solving Approach

• Book: Read Chapter 10: Change the Way You Decide in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine your decision-making process and how it influences your behavior.

• Book: Read Chapter 13: Approach New Problems with Confidence in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine your problem-solving approach and how it influences your behavior.

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Part 4: Find Inspiration

Find motivation through the wisdom of others by reviewing these articles and posting one quote on your closet wall to be seen daily:

• Article: 4 Quotes That Steer My Approach to Life Right Now

• Article: 12 Inspirational Quotes that Have Shaped My Life Over the Last Year

• Article: My 10 Favorite Life-Guiding Quotes from the Stoic, Marcus Aurelius

• Article: My Favorite James Clear Quotes and Thoughts (Set 1)

Reexamine the perspective on your daily life and approach:

• Article: The 1 Article that Will Make You Rethink Your Day-to-Day Approach

Rethink your professional (and personal) approach:

• Article: 6 Principles That Will Transform Your Professional Approach

Design a new mindset:

• Podcast: Listen to episode #26 - Designing the Mind in a New Year | Author Ryan A. Bush

No longer limit yourself and literally travel outside of your boundaries:

• Article: The Detailed Itinerary You Need for a Journey to Lisbon, Porto, and Madrid and the Best Restaurants in Each

• Article: The Detailed Itinerary You Need for a Long Weekend in London and a List of 141 of their Best Restaurants

• Article: The Detailed Itinerary You Need for an Adventure in Australia (You’ll Need to Save This)

Setting new goals and creating new habits are often a chess match. / Photo: Pixabay

PHASE 3: Set New Goals and Create a Supporting Structure of New Habits

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Part 1: Purpose and Goals

• Book: Read Chapter 18: Define Your Purpose in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to guide your reflection on your life’s intent.

Learn how to set sustainable goals:

• Article: How to Set Sustainable Goals

• Read Chapter 19: Create Goals to Maintain Your Positive Focus in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine how to create goals and support a life of positivity and satisfaction.

Examples of goals to steer your short and long-term focus:

• Article: My List of New Year’s Resolutions (and How I’ll Achieve Each)

• Article: My List of Intents for 2020 (and How I’ll Achieve Each)

• Article: A List of My Intents for 2021 (Perhaps a Template for Yours)

• Article: A List of My Intents for 2022 (Perhaps a Template for You, Too)

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Part 2: Specifically Structure and Design Your Fitness, Diet, and Professional Paths

Build a business plan for optimal health :

• Article: Your Business Plan to Lose Weight (or Achieve Optimal Health)

Develop a specific fitness plan:

• Article: The Best All-In (Life Changing) Fitness Plan

• Article: How to Create a Weekly Fitness Plan

Being your diet game plan:

• Article: WEIGHT LOSS DIET INTRODUCTION: The Game Plan / Immersive Experience

Rethink your professional plan:

• Podcast: Listen to episode #35 - Designing Your New Work Life | Dave Evans

Create more time for your personal training sessions and other fitness efforts:

• Article: How to Create More Time Each Week (And It’s Easier Than You Think)

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Part 3: Creating Habits to Support Your Goals

Examine your current habits and create new habits to support your health and fitness goals:

• Article: 5 Morning Habits That Have Made Me More Successful (and Less Stressed)

• Book: Read Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Find new ways to create time for yourself and fitness:

• Article: How to Create More Time Each Week (And It’s Easier Than You Think)

Time to test new programs in LoHi and beyond! / Photo: LiSun

PHASE 4: Test New Fitness Programs and Activities

Part 1: Find new ways to amplify your current workouts

• 5 Easy Ways to Amp Up Your Workouts

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Part 2: Test new workouts

• Test Exercise Program: Lower/Upper/Core (30-40 Minutes)

• Test Exercise Program: Legs/Upper Body/Core (30-40 Minutes)

• Test Exercise Program: Legs/Shoulders/Core (30-40 Minutes)

• Test Exercise Program: Back/Triceps/Core (30-40 Minutes)

• Test Exercise Program: Chest Presses/Back Rows/Chest Flyes

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Part 3: Test new hikes (or something else active outside of the gym)

• Colorado Hikes near Denver: Nymph Lake, Lake Haiyaha Loop via Fire Trail (RMNP)

• Colorado Hikes near Denver: North Table Mountain West Loop (Golden)

• Colorado Hikes near Denver: Elk Falls Lookout and Elk Falls Pond (Staunton State Park)

• Colorado Hikes near Denver: Green Mountain Loop via Chautauqua Trail

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