I recently welcomed my first baby, and one of the biggest surprises of pregnancy was how much strength I lost. Even though I kept up a consistent gym routine throughout all nine months, I noticed significant weakness in my upper body and core once I returned to exercise after giving birth.
With a newborn at home, finding time to work out hasn’t been easy. Most of my training now happens at home during nap times or after bedtime. While scrolling through YouTube one evening for ideas, I came across certified trainer Lindsey Bomgren, also known as Nourishmovelove, and her 25-minute standing arms and abs workout.
The workout title proudly highlights “no push-ups,” which immediately caught my attention. Push-ups have been particularly tough for me since pregnancy, so skipping them felt like a major plus. I grabbed my dumbbells and decided to give Bomgren’s routine a try.
How to do Lindsey Bomgren’s 25-minute standing arms and abs workout
Bomgren demonstrates the workout using several sets of dumbbells, ranging from 15 to 25 pounds. My options were more limited, so I worked with 10- and 15-pound dumbbells, and later switched to 3-pound weights when needed.
The session starts with a four-minute warm-up, followed by five supersets. Each superset pairs one arm exercise with one abdominal movement. Exercises are performed for 40 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. Each superset is completed twice before moving on. The workout finishes with a two-minute cool-down.
Exercises included in the workout
- Back flye
- Single-arm row
- Lateral raises
- Dumbbell chop
- Bicep curls
- Squat with standing crunch
- Standing chest fly
- Dumbbell press out
My experience with the standing arms and abs routine
The warm-up felt purposeful and effective
I appreciate when workouts include a proper warm-up, especially since I’ve skipped them in the past to save time. Many warm-ups tend to feel generic, but this one was different.
Bomgren uses targeted mobility movements that prepare the shoulders, chest, obliques, and forearms, all of which are heavily involved throughout the workout. My shoulders are usually very tight, and taking the time to warm them up made a noticeable difference. I avoided my usual discomfort and felt I had better range of motion during the flyes and lateral raises.
If you’re short on time, this is one warm-up that’s worth sticking with.
Clear cues and exercise modifications stood out
Many online workouts rely solely on music, with little verbal guidance from the instructor. While that works for experienced exercisers, it can be challenging for beginners.
Bomgren provides consistent verbal cues throughout the session and includes a second instructor demonstrating modified versions of the exercises. Even though I was familiar with the movements, her cues helped me adjust my form at several points.
This combination of guidance and modifications makes the workout approachable for a wide range of fitness levels. While complete beginners or those with specific mobility limitations may need to be cautious, most people should find it manageable.
I needed to reduce my dumbbell weight
Bomgren mentions that moves like lateral raises become harder as the weight moves farther from the body. That advice proved accurate.
With flyes and lateral raises programmed back-to-back, fatigue set in quickly during the second round. My shoulders were burning and my neck started to tighten, so I swapped my 10-pound dumbbells for a much lighter 3-pound set.
Even with lighter weights, the burn was still there by the end of the superset. Having a few lighter options on hand can be helpful.
Repeating supersets worked well
There are plenty of no-repeat workouts designed to keep things feeling fresh, but I don’t mind repeating exercises.
Completing each superset twice felt ideal. The first round helped me get comfortable with the movements, and the second allowed me to refine my form and really push toward muscle fatigue. That’s something I rarely experience in workouts that constantly switch exercises.
Despite the repetition, the workout maintains a steady pace and never feels overly repetitive.
