After welcoming my first baby, one of the biggest surprises of pregnancy was just how much strength I lost. Even though I stuck with a consistent gym routine throughout all nine months, once I returned to exercise postpartum, I felt clear weaknesses in my upper body and core.
With a newborn at home, carving out time to work out has been tough. Most of my sessions now happen at home during naps or after bedtime. One evening, while scrolling through YouTube for ideas, I came across certified trainer Lindsey Bomgren, also known as Nourishmovelove, and her 25-minute standing arms and abs workout.
The phrase “no push-ups” jumped out immediately. Since push-ups have been especially difficult for me after pregnancy, leaving them out was a major draw. I grabbed my dumbbells and decided to give the routine a try.
What the 25-Minute Standing Arms and Abs Workout Includes
Bomgren uses a range of dumbbells, typically between 15 and 25 pounds. My options were more limited, so I worked with 10- and 15-pound dumbbells, and later swapped in 3-pound weights when fatigue set in.
The session opens with a four-minute warm-up, followed by five supersets. Each superset pairs one arm exercise with one core movement. Every move is performed for 40 seconds, with 15 seconds of rest. Each superset is repeated twice before moving on, and the workout ends with a two-minute cool down.
Exercises Included
- 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 before in the interest of saving time. That said, many warm-ups feel generic and unfocused.
This one was different. Bomgren includes targeted mobility drills that prepare the shoulders, chest, obliques, and forearms—all areas heavily used during the workout. Since my shoulders tend to be tight, taking time to warm them up made a noticeable difference. I experienced better range of motion and avoided the pinching or discomfort I sometimes feel during flyes and raises.
If time is limited, this is one warm-up that’s worth keeping.
Clear Verbal Guidance and Built-In Modifications
Many online workouts rely on music rather than instruction, which can be fine if you already know the movements. For beginners, though, that approach can make it harder to follow safely.
Bomgren provides clear verbal cues throughout the workout, along with a second instructor demonstrating modified versions of each exercise. Even though I was familiar with all the movements, her cues helped me adjust and refine my form more than once.
That combination makes the workout accessible to a wider range of fitness levels. While it may not be ideal for complete beginners or those with specific mobility limitations, it should work well for most people.
Switching to Lighter Weights Was Necessary
Bomgren points out that moves like lateral raises become more challenging when the weight moves farther from the body, and that definitely held true.
Because flyes and lateral raises were programmed back-to-back, my shoulders fatigued quickly. By the second round, my neck was tightening and my shoulders were spent, so I swapped my 10-pound dumbbells for 3-pound weights.
Even though the lighter weights seemed minimal, I still felt a strong burn by the end of the superset. Having multiple weight options on hand can be helpful.
Repeating Supersets Worked Well
Many YouTube workouts advertise “no repeats” to keep things interesting, but repetition didn’t bother me here.
Completing each superset twice felt intentional. The first round helped me learn the movement, while the second allowed me to clean up my form and reach fatigue. That level of muscle engagement is something I rarely feel during no-repeat routines.
Even for those who tend to get bored easily, the pace stays steady and the structure doesn’t feel excessive or repetitive.
