FAST AMINOS WELLNESS
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Home workout

Arms

Biceps and triceps with a chair and whatever weight you have.

Exercises
5
Total sets
15
Time
20–30 min
Equipment
Chair + backpack or dumbbells

The workout

Warm up first: 3–5 minutes of marching in place, arm circles and a few easy bodyweight squats.

  1. Close-Grip Push-Up

    3 sets8–15 repsRest 90 sec

    Hands under your shoulders, elbows brushing your sides as you lower.

    Level up: Hands touching in a diamond shape.

    Close-Grip Push-Up, start position
    Start
    Close-Grip Push-Up, finish position
    Finish

  2. Chair Dip

    3 sets8–15 repsRest 60 sec

    Hands on the edge of a sturdy chair, fingers forward. Lower until your elbows reach about 90°.

    Level up: Straighten your legs or put your feet up on another chair.

    Chair Dip, start position
    Start
    Chair Dip, finish position
    Finish

  3. Biceps Curl

    3 sets10–15 repsRest 60 sec

    Dumbbells or a backpack held by the top handle. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides.

    Level up: Lower for a slow 3 count.

    Biceps Curl, start position
    Start
    Biceps Curl, finish position
    Finish

  4. Hammer Curl

    3 sets12 repsRest 60 sec

    Palms facing each other. Dumbbells, water jugs or a backpack all work.

    Level up: Alternate arms and pause at the top.

    Hammer Curl, start position
    Start
    Hammer Curl, finish position
    Finish

  5. Triceps Kickback

    3 sets12–15 repsRest 60 sec

    Hinge forward, upper arm against your side. Straighten your elbow fully and squeeze.

    Level up: Hold the straight-arm squeeze for 2 seconds.

    Triceps Kickback, start position
    Start
    Triceps Kickback, finish position
    Finish
The 45/30 rule

Lift for 45. Then 30 minutes of Zone 2.

45min

Resistance training

Builds and preserves lean muscle, so more of the weight you lose comes from fat, not muscle.

30min

Zone 2 cardio (LISS)

Low-intensity steady state at about 60–70% of your max heart rate: a brisk walk or incline treadmill. This is the intensity range where your body's fat burning peaks.

Why the order matters: resistance training draws down muscle glycogen and releases stored fat into your bloodstream. Research shows steady cardio started within about 20 minutes of lifting burns more fat than the same cardio done on its own. And because Zone 2 is low-stress, it burns extra fat and calories without the recovery cost of high-intensity cardio, so your muscles keep the energy they need to recover and grow.

Find your Zone 2: about 60–70% of your max heart rate. At age 40 that's roughly 108–126 bpm for men and 102–120 bpm for women. No watch? Use the talk test: you can speak in full sentences, but you couldn't sing. Calculate your Zone 2 →

Fat loss still comes down to your daily calories and protein, so get your numbers. Research: Goto et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2007.

Pick the right version

Choose a version you can do for the listed reps with 1–2 good reps left. Too easy? Use the Level up.

Progress each week

Add reps, slow down the lowering, or move to the Level up version when the top of the range feels easy.

Protect your muscle

Especially while dieting or on a GLP-1: train 2–4 days a week and hit your daily protein target.

Know your protein number?

Training builds the signal; protein supplies the material. Get your daily calories and protein target in about 2 minutes.

Find my numbers →
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