LOUISE'S UPPER-BODY SCULPT
Ready to build cover model-grade guns? Course you are. Perform three sets of 8-12 reps of each exercise twice a week, with a 60-second rest between sets. Start with 2kg dumbbells and work your way up BICEP CURL
Targets: Biceps
(a) Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms down by your hips and close to your body, palms facing forward.
(b) Tuck your elbows tightly into the sides of your body, exhale and curl the weights up until they reach shoulder level. Pause briefly at the top to squeeze your biceps before slowly lowering the dumbbells so that your arms are fully extended without locking your elbows. Come on, you’ve got this. OVERHEAD TRICEP EXTENSION
Targets: Triceps
(a) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your hands. Raise the weight over your head until both arms are fully extended.
(b) Keeping your upper arms close to your head with your elbows in, lower the dumbbell behind you until your forearms touch your biceps. Keep your upper arms stationary, only engaging your biceps.
(c) Use your triceps to straighten your arms and raise the dumbbell while breathing out. FRONT RAISE
Targets: Shoulders
(a) Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. Palms should be facing backwards. (b) Without swinging your torso and with a slight bend in the elbow, slowly raise the dumbbells until your arms are parallel to the floor, exhaling as you reach the top. Pause for a second to feel the contraction. In a controlled motion, lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position while exhaling. WIDE-ANGLE BICEP CURL Targets: Biceps
(a) With a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing forward, move your arms out wide to each side.
(b) Tucking your elbows into your sides, exhale and curl the dumbbells until they reach shoulder level. Pause briefly at the top to feel the squeeze before slowly lowering the dumbbells, fully extending your arms again. TRICEP DIP
Targets: Triceps
(a) Sit on the edge of a bench with your legs extended in front of you, heels on the floor. Place your hands shoulder-width apart behind you and move forward until your bum is off the bench.
(b) Slowly lower your body until your elbows are at a 90° angle, keeping your back close to the bench. Pause at the bottom of the movement before driving back up without fully locking your elbows at the top – a slight bend will make your triceps work harder, and that’s what we want, no? PRESS-UP
Targets: Chest, triceps, shoulders, abs
(a) Start in a high plank position. Bracing your abs, slowly lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor, inhaling on the way down. Maintain a straight line from head to toe – don’t let your back dip.
(b) Pause at the bottom before driving up explosively by fully extending your arms to return to the starting position, exhaling as you do. Too tough? No sweat – do the move on your knees. SHOULDER PRESS
Targets: Shoulders, triceps (a) Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees soft, take a dumbbell in each hand. Raise the dumbbells to head height with your arms out and elbows bent at 90°.
(b) Without leaning back, extend your arms through the elbows to raise the dumbbells directly above your head, exhaling as you push up. Pause, picture your future guns, then bend your elbows to 90° again. REVERSE FLY
Targets: Shoulders, upper back
(a) Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other and with a slight bend in your elbows. Hinge forward at the hips until your torso is parallel with the floor.
(b) Keeping your torso still and back flat, raise your arms, bringing the weights up to shoulder height, while exhaling. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your shoulder blades, before slowly lowering the weights back to the starting position. LATERAL RAISE
Targets: Shoulders, traps (a) With your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a dumbbell in each hand at the sides of your thighs. Palms should be facing in. (b) Keeping your core engaged and without swinging your torso, exhale as you slowly raise the weights with a slight bend in your elbows until your arms are parallel with the floor. Pause for a second at the top before lowering the dumbbells slowly to the starting position as you inhale. We didn’t say it would be easy.