This Core and Upper Body Workout Will Get You On and Off the Mat in 15 Minutes Flat

Ready to kick arm day up a couple notches... without adding any extra gym time? In this week's episode of Trainer of the Month Club, dancer and trainer Sydney Lotuaco leads us through an upper body and core sculpting workout that only takes 15 minutes. But don't let the short timeframe fool you—you'll be sweaty and feeling strong at the end. All you need is a mat and some two pound weights (or whatever you have on hand, like wine bottles, water bottles, or canned food).

The first part of the workout is a grueling few minutes of upper body movements with weights. They're done in a sequence without putting your arms down—which means there are no breaks and a solid amount of burn. You'll be breathing an audible sigh of relief when you finally get to shake out your arms. Then, it's down on the mat for the next series of movements, where arms are still the target with another non-stop series of movements that work your triceps.

When you're finished with that, there's a quick stretch reprieve before heading into what can best be described as either "a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare" depending on how you feel about combining a plank with tricep kickbacks. The workout finishes off with more arm/core combinations while either on your back or sitting. Since all the movements flow into one another, and there are short, strategic stretch breaks, it doesn't really give you a chance to think about the burn while you're working out. But when you're done, you'll look back and think, "Dang, I was working really hard, and I didn't even realize it." Watch the video to get the whole workout.

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