The Traveling Professional's Arm Workout

A powerful arm workout that will hit every visible muscle, providing you with that quick pump for when you're on the road and still need to look and feel your most confident.

You've been working hard to maintain a consistent training regimen, and your nutrition has been... good enough. You're happy with the way you feel and look, but know that once business travel season starts back up in the fall you're likely to regress in your goals. Traveling is the best time to stick to a workout regimen, not only to continue progressing toward your goals, but also to stay confident and performing at your best under high stress. And at the end of the day, feeling and looking your best will always help you to perform at your best. 

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“Confidence isn’t walking into a room with your nose in the air, and thinking you are better than everyone else, It’s walking into a room and not having to compare yourself in the first place. ”

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I do not travel regularly for work, so when I was backpacking around Europe I took an opportunity to throw together a great arm pump workout that I know many of my clients will benefit from. I hope you can work this routine into your away-from-home-gym workouts this travel season. Everything listed here should be adaptable to any hotel gym, but don't act like there are no accessible gyms in the area you are visiting. If your hotel does not have a suitable gym, take it upon yourself to find a nearby facility that can serve you well during your stay. 

INCLINE DUMBBELL CHEST PRESS

3 Sets of 12 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

SEATED MACHINE LOW ROW

3 Sets of 12 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

STANDING LATERAL SHOULDER RAISE

4 Sets, 20-15-15-12 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

SEATED SHOULDER PRESS

4 Sets, 15-12-12-10 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

WIDE GRIP PULL-UP

50 repetitions in as few sets as possible.

CHEST DIP

4 Sets of 10 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

CLOSE GRIP PULL-UP

10 Sets of 5 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

The Workout: Horrizontal Unloading = Do every rep and every set of each exercise before moving onto the next exercise. This is a great way to train for Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth).

1. Incline DB Chest Press (Dumbbells or Barbell) - 3x12

2. Seated Low Row (Machine or Cable) - 3x12

3. Standing Lateral Shoulder Raise (Dumbbells) - 4x(20,15,15,12)

4. Seated Shoulder Press (Dumbbells, Barbell or Bands) - 4x(15,12,12,10)

5. Wide Grip Pull-up - 50x(as many sets as it takes)

6. Chest Dips - 4x10

7. Close Grip Pull-up - 5x10

SAUL SOLIS

Boise man loses nearly 50 pounds in 7 months despite demanding work life. Wait til you see what he looks like now!

"I'm back at my weight from  high school. I feel great and I look great!”

Wait til you see him now!

“I constantly found myself making excuses as to why I wasn't sticking to my fitness and nutrition plans. However, even though I struggled, I never gave up. I kept working at it and struggled with things day after day.” Saul admitted humbly, “ I finally started seeing results. I started feeling great about myself as the pounds started shedding off and I really liked the compliments I was receiving from people. That was the hook I needed to push myself even harder.”

Saul Solis started training with Kevin at Encore Fitness Boise back in October of 2017. He began Kevin’s Born Again Athlete Program (BAA) designed for men over the age of 30 who were once athletic, and have since become sedentary but would like an overhaul on their body. When Saul joined the program, he had already been thinking about making a change, but wasn’t sure where to start.

He lost 45 pounds

In only seven months!

“I was tired of never having energy, feeling fatigued all the time, and I could tell my weight was taking its toll on me. In late September, Kevin reached out to me asking if I wanted to participate in the Born Again Athlete program he was running at Encore. I knew this was my shot to finally tackle my fitness goals. And, the best part was that I wouldn't have to do this alone. I would have somebody coach me through this difficult journey.”

Saul is the perfect example of a success story at Encore Fitness. It’s in our mission statement, 

“Our mission is to educate and motivate individuals to become a healthier, more fit version of themselves and to direct each client into making fitness a way of life.”

— Encore Fitness, LLC.

All he needed was a launching platform, somewhere to start from that could help him to establish the exercise foundations he would need to ride his fitness journey out for along time.

Saul around October, just after beginning training.

“When I started working out with Kevin at Encore fitness on October 1st of 2017, my initial weight was 230 lbs. Today, April 2018, I weigh 185 lbs. I am back at my weight from when I graduated high school. I feel great and I look great!”

Most importantly Saul Said, “I have developed confidence to tackle my fitness like I never thought possible for myself.”

At Encore, we understand that fitness - like parenthood, religion or a career - is a lifestyle. One does not just adopt a new lifestyle overnight. There is a process of learning and adapting that takes place at a different pace with each individual. Once a client demonstrates the desire to seek answers on their own to continue their path, we know they have successfully integrated into a healthy fitness lifestyle.

Saul achieved just that.

Beginning of fitness journey (Left), Present (Right).

“The gym and nutrition goals have become my favorite hobby!  I love learning new workouts and meals to incorporate into my diet.  I even enjoy exercising when I travel now.”

Saul recently ran the Southern California Rebok Ragnar Relay (A ragnar is a relay race consisting of several long distances). He completed 16 miles over 3 legs of the Rebok Ragnar Relay. Saul ran more in the months leading up to the race than he thought he could ever run in his life, 10-12 miles a day sometimes 3-4 days a week.

Saul Gears up for the race.

“I have developed a passion for fitness and nutrition. I've even started motivating family members and friends to get started with their goals and offer my support to them. I am so happy I said yes to the invitation to work on myself again. It has paid off in more ways than I imagined and I look forward to learning more and improving myself continually as I help others as well.”

"I even enjoy exercise when I travel now.”

-Saul Solis

We at Encore Fitness Boise are so proud of Saul for not only losing the weight that has haunted him the last few years, but for taking charge of his schedule and bringing balance back into his busy life. Congratulations for all you have accomplished, and all you will continue to accomplish as you reach toward becoming the best possible version of yourself.

“I have developed confidence to tackle my fitness like I never thought possible for myself.”

- A New Saul

Want a chest exercise that isolates the pec major? Here it is....the Cable Chest Fly is an isolated movement becuase it utilized only one joint at a time.

Begin this exercises by grabbing your handles and stepping forward slightly. 
You may use a split stance for balance.
Keep your chest up and elbows straight with a soft bend.
Bring your hands backward and then forward, bringing your hands together in the front and squeeze the pecks.
* No bending and extending the elbows during this movement
* Keep chest up

Begin this exercises by grabbing your handles and stepping forward slightly. You may use a split stance for balance. Keep your chest up and elbows straight with a soft bend. Bring your hands backward and then forward, bringing your hands together in the front and squeeze the pecks.

The Lunge Pulse is a sure way to fire up your quads. Apply the basic principals of a lunge to start this movement: One knee is bent at ninety degrees in front of your body and the other is bent at ninety degrees underneath you, knee resting directly under the head. From this position, you simply lift the knee on the ground to about 6-12" off the ground and return it to the ground over and over for any given duration of time. You perform one leg entirely, and then the other. 

BARBELL SHOULDER PRESS

Begin this exercise with a barbell standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands (palms down) just outside of shoulder width.Tuck your tail bone creating a flat back, suck the core in tight. Start the movement with the bar just under the chin and begin to press upward over the head toward the ceiling and then back down to starting position. * DO NOT lean back during this movement

Begin this exercise with a barbell standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands (palms down) just outside of shoulder width.Tuck your tail bone creating a flat back, suck the core in tight. Start the movement with the bar just under the chin and begin to press upward over the head toward the ceiling and then back down to starting position.