SEC-s20w5: Fitness Training - Arms/Shoulder Sculpturing Exercises

Hi Fitness Friends!!

I trust you're great 😃, I couldn't be better over here and it's my delight to share my exercise program for this week with you. The focus was on my arms and shoulders to improve my overall strength. The series of exercises I embarked on this week targeted my arms, and they included Front Raises, Plank Shoulder Taps, and Plank Ups and Downs; I performed each for 3 sets of 8 repetitions. I kicked off my workout with a 5-minute cardio warm-up, and I followed a proper cool-down stretch at the end.

Here is the breakdown of my experience and execution of my exercises, I will also tell you how I felt throughout the week.

I began this week's program with a 5-minute light cardio session, the warm-up raised my heart and prepared my muscles for the main workout ahead. For this I was alternating between brisk walking, and jumping jacks these really boosted my energy levels and ensured that my muscles were indeed warmed up, this reducing the risk of injury.

Main Exercises:

Once I completed cardio session I started the main workout. I chose four Exercises from the program and each of it specifically targeted my arms to build a core strength. I started with front raises:*

1. Front Raises (3x8):

For this, I hold a pair of dumbbells, I stood with my feet shoulder-width apart and lifted the weights straight in front of me to shoulder height before lowering them back down. This exercise targeted my deltoid muscles effectively while enhancing my shoulder stability. I tried to maintained a slow and controlled motion to maximize muscle engagement.

2. Plank Shoulder Taps (3x8):

The next was plank shoulder taps, to perform this, I went into plank position, and then tapped my right shoulder with my left hand and then switched to tapping my right shoulder with my right hand. This exercise worked my arms and it also engaged my core and improved my stability. I could feel my arms and shoulders working hard to keep my body balanced during this exercise.

3. Plank Ups and Downs (3x8):

I achieved this exercise from the plank position, I alternated lowering my forearms to the ground and then returned to my hands. This particular move challenged my arms, shoulders, and core collectively. But I focused on maintaining proper form, and ensuring that my body remained in a straight line throughout.

4. Side Raises (3x8):

I achieved this by standing shoulder width apart and raised my arms sideways simultaneously. I didn't use dumbbells at for now , but the exercise really work on my arms and it was burning 🥵

Rest and Hydration

I took a minute of rest between each set to allow my muscles to recover. During this interval, I remained hydrated, by sipping on water to replenish my lost fluids. I know the importance of Proper hydration, it is key when engaging in strength exercises, especially when focusing on building noticeable muscle tone.

Stretching and Cool Down:

After each workout I make sure that I dedicated a few minutes to stretching. Since I focus on my shoulders so I performed gently stretches to ease the tension and improve my flexibility. You know this helps to cool down and it's good for recovery and growth.

My Overall Experience:

Well, though the program was a bit challenging especially the Plank Ups and Downs but it was manageable. I worked out my arms this week and I was determined to complete my assignment for this week. Guess what? My motivation remains unwavering and I've seen noticeable improvement in my strength and endurance.

I tried to maintain a healthy diet which is very essential, my meals were balanced and I take in adequate protein to support my muscles growth. I also take in enough fruits and vegetables.

My Final Thoughts and Questions:

Overall, I felt accomplished and energized by the end of the week. I'm confident about my strength now. Do you have any tips for maintaining motivation throughout the week? This was it! It's was an amazing program!!

Thank you @genomil and @ngoenyi.