10 Minute Upper Body Workout For Hemiplegia & Stroke Recovery

Hi guys, my name is Anthony Bryan and I'm a personal trainer with a hemiplegia and in today's video we're going to be doing a 10 minute upper body workout for hemiplegia and stroke recovery. So every exercise we're going to do is going to be working on the upper body. So you're going to need a chair and we're going to be doing every exercise for one minute. So let's get ready and started for our very first exercise. One minute on the clock, our first exercise is going to be punching those arms out in front of you. The main thing I want you to focus on is really punching that weaker arm in and out. So let's get ready. One minute on the clock, let's go. So sit tall, punch those arms out in front of you. Now if you want to make it harder, I just want you to go a bit quicker. Punch those arms, especially that weaker arm, get that shoulder and chest muscle really firing and working. Put a bit of power in those punches now. Power, power, power, punch, punch, punch. Keep it going. We have just over 30 seconds to go. Keep punching those arms. Make sure you're doing this with me, not just watching me. Let's go. Punch those arms, 25 seconds. Keep punching those arms. Good, good, good. Should be getting slightly out of breath now, if you're not, let's put a bit more speed into those punches. Just over 10 seconds to go. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, relax. Next, we're going to be doing seated uppercut punches. So you're going to swing and punch on the right, swing and punch on the left. So swing, swing. I want you to start low and finish up facing the ceiling. Get ready, one minute on the clock, 3, 2, 1. Uppercut punches, swing and punch, swing and punch, right, left, right, left. Want to make it harder? Right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left. Give me as many as you can. If you need to slow it down, slow it down, but really focus on punching that weaker side. Drive those arms up, give me some bigger swings. Fist goes low, finish it facing the ceiling, up, up, up. Keep going, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 15 seconds. Keep it going, uppercut punches all the way up, 1, 2, 1, 2. Keep going, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, relax. Next, we're going to work on our biceps. So arms by your sides, sit tall and curl those arms up and down. Now both arms working, really focusing on that weaker side. If you struggle to do it on its own, clasp your hands together and do assisted bicep curls. So it's either assisted curls or individual curls, but either way, get that weaker side working. One minute on the clock, 3, 2, 1, let's go. So curl those arms in and down. So my weaker arm can't curl as well as my right arm, but as long as I'm getting that movement in, those biceps are engaging. So we're looking for those muscles to engage. Now, if you want to make this exercise even harder, you do this holding weights or a bit of resistance, just to make those muscles work that bit harder. Keep getting those bicep curls in. If you want to make it harder, give me some quicker biceps, 1, 2, 1, 2, keep going, 1, 25 seconds, 1, 2, 1, 2, curl them up, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 10 seconds, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, relax. Next, we're going to sit tall and arms by your sides. Raise those arms out to the side and then bring them back in as high as you can away from the body. It doesn't matter if you can't get straight out. As long as that arm is away from the body, you are working those shoulder muscles. Let's get ready, 3, 2, 1, let's go. So, arms out away from the body and then back in, out, in. Now, if you want to make it harder, let's do it a bit quicker, 1, 2. Now, this is working the outside of those shoulders. Make sure you're sitting tall and get that weaker arm away from the body, up as high as you can until you feel those shoulders engaging. Now, you might start to feel those arms are getting heavier and heavier. You want to push through that fatigue and keep getting those arms up. We have 20 seconds to go. Keep getting those arms up and down. You want to make it harder, let's speed it up even more. Just imagine you're flapping those wings as big and as fast as you can, but really focus on that weaker side, getting that arm away from the center of the body. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, relax. Next, we're going to sit tall. Now, we're going to work on the front part of your shoulder. I want you to raise your arms in front this time and down, front and down. Again, if you need some assistance, hands together and raise them in front together and down. Either assisted or individual. Let's get ready. 3, 2, 1, let's go. Raise your arms in front. Get those fists in line with those shoulders in front, down. Now, if you want to make it harder, let's get some more speed going. 1, 2, 1, 2. Now, again, don't worry too much about the arm. I really want the arm up around at shoulder height away from the body. Doesn't matter if it's straight or not. I want that arm away from the body, engaging these shoulder muscles. We have 30 seconds. Lift those arms up or do it assisted. Either way, keep going. Now, again, you might feel those arms starting to get tired again. Those arms are getting heavier. Keep picking them up. Nice and high, nice and high. Got 15 seconds to go. Keep picking those arms up. Feel those shoulders starting to work. Good, keep picking them up. 4, 3, 2, 1, relax. Good. You get those shoulders a bit of rest when you work on the traps. Now, so arms by your sides. I want you to shrug those shoulders up towards your ears, really focusing on moving this weaker side. Down, up and down. Get ready. 3, 2, 1, shrug those shoulders up nice and high and drop them down nice and low. Up high, down low. Really focus on that weaker side. Even a small bit of movement is still engaging those muscles. Up nice and high and down. All the way up and down. 30 seconds to go. Lift those shoulders down. Keep going. Up, down, up, down, up, down. 15 seconds. Lift those shoulders. Keep it going. This is activating those trapeze muscles which help our posture. Stand tall and lift those shoulders up and relax. Next, I want those arms out wide and then I want you to cross them over. Bring them out and then switch and cross them under. So it's out, over, out, under. Switching each time. We're going to get these chest muscles and upper back muscles engaging. Let's get ready. Three, two, one, go. So wide, crossover, wide, under, wide, over, wide, under. Keep switching every time. Get as wide as you can to really stretch those chest muscles out and then use those chest muscles to pull those arms in. Again, if you want to make this harder, you could hold some dumbbells. Make it a lot more tougher. Good. Keep those arms going over and under. Make sure you stay nice and wide and make sure you are using that weaker arm. We have 20 seconds to go. Keep it going. Sit nice and tall, engaging that core. Arms out, over, out, under, out, over, out, under. 10 more seconds. Keep it going all the way. Good work. We're nearly there and relax. Next, I want your hands clasped together. You're going to start low and we're going to go wide, up, round, low. So I want you to draw the biggest circle you can with those hands. Now, if you want to make it tougher, you would have hands next to each other, not holding on and try and get that biggest circle. Get ready. 3, 2, 1. 1 minute. Let's go. Down low. Draw the biggest circle you can, going up and over, round, down, wide, up and over, round, low as you can, round, up and over, down, round, up and over. We have 30 seconds to go. This is getting those core muscles working, those lower back muscles working, and we're also working these lats and arms as we're holding our arms up. 20 seconds. Keep it going all the way around. Nice big circles. Last 10 seconds. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Relax. Last exercise. So, tough one for you guys. So, arms out into a T-shape. Get that weaker arm away from the body and as high as you can. We need to hold those arms there. Now, you're going to march on the spot at the same time. If you don't want to march at the same time, I just want you to hold your arms up, but do not let them sink or drop. It's going to work the outside of these shoulders. We're going to hold for one minute. Let's get ready. Last exercise. 3, 2, 1. Hold those arms up. Keep it there. Now, you can either hold it there or if you want to make it harder, march those legs at the same time. Keep those arms up nice and straight. Get this arm, this weaker arm up nice and high in line with that shoulder. As long as that arm is away from the body, you are engaging those shoulder muscles. Now, we're at almost 30 seconds in. Those arms are going to feel heavy. Those shoulders are going to start to burn. Do not let those arms sink or drop. Keep them up, especially that weaker side. We have 20 seconds. Do not drop those arms just yet. Keep them up. Fight against that burn. Lift them up. Do not let them drop. We only have 10 seconds left. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Relax. Shake those arms out. Roll those shoulders out. That is my 10-minute upper body strength workout for hemiplegia and stroke recovery. Hopefully, you enjoyed that. If you did, make sure you give it a thumbs up or a comment. Make sure you subscribe. I'll see you in the next workout. See you soon.