If you thought picking up a pair of dumbbells was the only way to strengthen and tone (build muscle) in your arms, think again. This four-move Pilates workout ticks both these boxes using nothing but your body weight, so you can smash this session practically anywhere. What’s even better is that it will only take you 20 minutes. Get ready to feel the burn!
A study in the Strength and Conditioning Journal found that doing two one-hour Pilates sessions a week can significantly improve upper-body muscle endurance. This is where you use a muscle consistently or repetitively over a period of time and, according to the American Council on Exercise, it can enhance your ability to perform everyday tasks, improve the aerobic capacity of your muscles, and help you to maintain better posture for longer periods of time.
This workout comes from Lottie Anderson, founder of Bondi Rise Pilates, and it primarily focuses on the triceps as it's this muscle makes up two-thirds of your arm. Perform each exercise below for three rounds of 10-15 reps, taking your time while focusing on your breathing and really trying to connect with the muscle that you’re working. Rest for 30 seconds between each round and then for a minute before moving on to the next exercise. Here’s your workout:
1. Mermaid push ups
How to:
- Sit on the floor with your legs crossed
- Keeping your right bent leg in front of you, swivel your left leg towards the back of your body (make sure you keep a bend in this leg too)
- Place your hands in a push up position with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders
- Lower yourself into a push up with your elbows pointing out toward the sides
- Hold for a second, then return to the starting position and repeat for your desired reps
2. Tricep press
How to:
- Begin on all fours with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders (not directly underneath) and a neutral spine
- Brace your core and lower your body towards the floor, whilst trying to keep your elbows pointing backward and grazing your ribs
- Hold for a second before pushing back up and repeating
Tip: If you want to make this more challenging move from your knees up onto your toes
3. Staggered tricep press
How to:
- Begin on all fours with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders (not directly underneath) and a neutral spine
- You then want to move one hand slightly more forward than your other hand to create a staggered hand position
- Brace your core and lower your body towards the floor, whilst trying to keep your elbows pointing backward
- Hold for a second before pushing back up and repeating
- Don't forget to switch sides!
4. Single tricep press
How to:
- Lay on your side with your bottom arm extended above your head and your top arm out in front of you
- Lift your knees in slightly in towards your chest
- Place your hand of the arm that's extended above your head and rest it on your opposite shoulder
- Place your hand of the arm extended out in front of you in front of the shoulder that's closest to the floor (your arm will now be slightly staggered)
- Push through your hand on the floor until the arm is fully extended, hold for a second, then lower back to the floor
- Repeat for the desired reps and then swap sides
Enjoyed that? We’ve got plenty more Pilates-inspired workouts here at T3. If you want to do some core-focused work a Pilates expert has shared her top three exercises for beginners (again no equipment required). Alternatively, if you’re pushed for time you may want to focus on a workout that targets everything at once, and this 8-move full-body Pilates workout is perfect.
