A 20-minute standing arms and abs workout for women over 40. No repeat circuits and no floor work. Heavy dumbbells for arms, lighter for abs. Works as a standalone or finisher. 🔥
A Standing Arms and Abs Workout That Surprised Me
I’ll be honest, this one surprised me. I filmed it thinking it would be a solid little 20-minute session and it ended up being one of my favourite upper body and ab workouts I’ve done. It’s already on repeat in my house.
Here’s why: two circuits, no repeats, zero floor work. A heavy arms circuit that gives you a real pump, then a standing abs circuit that gets the heart rate up without a single crunch or plank. The whole thing is done in 20 minutes.
Use this standing arms and abs workout on its own when you’re short on time. Use it as a finisher after cardio. Either way, your arms and your abs will know about it.
This workout is a member exclusive. If you’re already in the Inner Circle, you’ll find it in your feed now. If you’re not yet a member, keep reading.
Workout Overview
| ⏱ Duration | 20 minutes |
| 🔥 Calories | Around 120 |
| 🏋️ Equipment | Two sets of dumbbells, heavier for arms and lighter for abs (I used 8kg/17.5 lbs and 5kg/10.5 lbs). No mat required |
| 💪 Focus | Biceps, triceps, shoulders and standing abs |
| 🎯 Format | 2 no repeat circuits, 40s work / 15s rest |
| 🔒 Access | Inner Circle members exclusive |
How This Workout Is Structured
Two no repeat circuits back to back. Every exercise is 40 seconds of work with 15 seconds rest.
Circuit 1, Arms: Nine exercises starting heavier and moving to lighter. Biceps, triceps, shoulders, the lot. The Squat to Curl is there deliberately. It drives the heart rate up and burns serious calories while keeping the focus on upper body strength.
Circuit 2, Abs: Ten standing exercises with lighter dumbbells. This is the circuit that always surprises people. No crunches, no planks. All standing, using rotation, lateral flexion and anti-rotation to work the entire core. Your heart rate climbs and your abs work harder than they would in a traditional floor circuit.
Why This Standing Arms and Abs Workout Works for Women Over 40
Arms respond well to variety. No repeat circuits keep the muscles guessing and prevent the kind of adaptation that makes training feel stale.
The weight progression is deliberate. Heavier exercises sit together at the start of the arms circuit when you’re freshest. Lighter exercises come after. This is the right way to programme arm work. Grouping by weight means you actually get to load each exercise properly.
Standing ab work is underrated. Woodchops, cross body drivers and snatch to windmill train the abs the way they actually function: bracing against rotation, resisting lateral forces, controlling movement through the whole body. They’re also significantly harder than they look.
It’s short enough to always fit in. Twenty minutes means there’s no excuse not to do it. And because the intensity is honest, you’re not shortchanging yourself by keeping it short.
The Full Standing Arms and Abs Workout
Warm Up
1️⃣ Arm Circles
2️⃣ Trunk Rotation
3️⃣ Twisting March
4️⃣ Windmill
No Repeat Arms Circuit · 40s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Bicep Curl | 8kg/17.5 lbs
2️⃣ Overhead Tricep Extension | 8kg/17.5 lbs
3️⃣ Arnold Press | 8kg/17.5 lbs
4️⃣ Squat to Curl | 8kg/17.5 lbs
5️⃣ Tricep Kickback | 5kg/10.5 lbs
6️⃣ Upright Row Combo | 5kg/10.5 lbs
7️⃣ Zottman Curl | 5kg/10.5 lbs
8️⃣ Alt Overhead Tricep Extension | 5kg/10.5 lbs
9️⃣ Front Raise Rotation | 5kg/10.5 lbs
30 secs rest
No Repeat Abs Circuit · 40s work / 15s rest
1️⃣ Cross Body Driver (L to R) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
2️⃣ Cross Body Driver (R to L) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
3️⃣ Side Bend (L) | 8kg/17.5 lbs
4️⃣ Side Bend (R) | 8kg/17.5 lbs
5️⃣ O’head March Crunch (L) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
6️⃣ O’head March Crunch (R) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
7️⃣ Woodchop (L) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
8️⃣ Woodchop (R) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
9️⃣ Snatch to Windmill (L) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
🔟 Snatch to Windmill (R) | 5kg/10.5 lbs
Workout Complete 🔥
I burned approximately 120 calories.
This Is a Member Exclusive: Here’s How to Join
This workout is only available to my Inner Circle members. Inner Circle members get:
- Ad-free, music-free versions of every public workout I post
- Exclusive sessions like this one: shorter, more targeted, perfect as finishers or standalone sessions
- A printable workout card with every video
What to Try Next
- 👉 35 Min Standing Knee Friendly Strength & Conditioning
- 👉 30 Minute Dumbbell Leg Day Workout
- 👉 35 Min Perimenopause Strength Workout
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this standing arms and abs workout suitable for perimenopause?
Yes. The standing format keeps cortisol lower than high-impact circuits, and the 20-minute duration means you can train effectively without overdoing it on lower-energy days.
What weights should I use?
Two sets work best: heavier for the arms circuit (I used 8kg), lighter for the abs circuit (I used 5kg).
Is this good if I hate floor ab work?
This is exactly what this standing arms and abs workout is for. Every single ab exercise is standing. No crunches, no planks, no getting up and down.
Can I use this as a finisher?
Yes, it’s designed to work that way. After a strength session or a run, 20 minutes of arms and abs is a clean, effective add-on.
Do I need to be a member to do this workout?
Yes, this one is exclusive to Inner Circle members. Public workouts are always free on the channel, and this is what membership adds on top.
If this sounds like your kind of session, come and join us in the Inner Circle. This is exactly the kind of workout that goes up in there every month.
See you in there.
Penny x
