• Vitamins & Supplements
  • Food & Drink
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Free From
  • Natural Beauty
  • Weight Management
  • Offers
  • Summer Shop
  • The Health Hub
  • Learn more Healthbox
  • Account
Track your order Delivery & Returns Help Centre My subscriptions

Customer Service

  • Contact us
  • Site map
  • Site map
  • Store locator

About us

  • Who are we
  • Working at Holland & Barrett
  • Press releases
  • Privacy & cookie policy
  • Terms & conditions
  • Holland & Barrett More
  • Holland & Barrett International
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Modern Slavery Statement

Connect with us

Store
0370 606 6606
My account
Rewards
  • Sign in
  • How do I join?
  • What are the benefits?
  • FAQs
Holland & Barrett :: the good life
  • Menu
  • Account
  • Store
  • Basket
    Search for
    • Vitamins & Supplements
    • Food & Drink
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Free From
    • Natural Beauty
    • Weight Management
    • Offers
    • The Health Hub
    • Healthbox

    Home / Conditions / Cholesterol / Upper body exercise routine to help manage cholesterol

    exercise lower cholesterol
    exercise lower cholesterol

    Upper body exercise routine to help manage cholesterol

    Exercise is one of the best ways you can manage your cholesterol levels.

    How does exercise lower cholesterol?

    Are you watching your cholesterol levels or been told to try and reduce them? Getting stronger with some resistance training can help! Exercise is critical for long term weight management, and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important lifestyle factors to help lower cholesterol levels.

    Did you know? Your muscles help take fatty acids out of your bloodstream to utilise as a fuel source. The more muscle you have, the better you are at burning fatty acids to fuel your body. Having more muscle is also associated with lower body fat %, better insulin sensitivity, better glucose uptake, improved bone density and a host of other health benefits.

    This workout has been designed by our nutritionist Alex. Its aim is to help reduce cholesterol through exercise. It will focus on training as many muscles as you can with limited equipment and in a shorter time frame.

    Equipment needed: Dumbbells x 2

    Exercise 1​: Overhead press

    Repetitions: 10
    Sets: 4

    How to​:

    • Stand up with your feet shoulder-width apart with the dumbbells at head level (see picture)
    • Squeeze your glutes and tense your abs then press the dumbbells above your head like you’re trying to push them up to the ceiling until your elbows are straight (but not locked), and then slowly return.

    Exercise 2​: Single arm Dumbbell Row

    Repetitions: 8
    Sets: 4

    How to: ​

    • Whilst standing with a straight back, bend forwards and place one hand on a chair seat/ low object that enables your spine to be as close to horizontal as possible
    • With your other arm, rest a dumbbell on the floor and pull it back up – keep your arm close to your body and try to get your elbow up as high as you can
    • You can try and go a bit heavier on this one because you are using the big muscles in your back

    Exercise 3​: Push-ups/ kneeling press-ups

    Repetitions: as many as possible
    Sets: 3

    How to​:

    • Get on all fours and place your hands just outside of shoulder width, or whatever is comfortable for you, and assume a plank position (like the top of a push up with your bum low) ensuring the weight is evenly distributed through your hand* Or rest your knees on the floor for an easier option
    • Keeping your elbows close to your sides, lower your chest as far to the floor as you can and then press up until your arms are fully locked out

    * you can go onto your fists, or use push up grips if you have wrist pain.

    Exercise 4: Superset: Bicep curl + bench press

    These are two separate exercise and should be performed straight after one another for maximum results.

    Repetitions: 10 (for both exercises)
    Sets: 3 (for both exercises)

    How to:

    • ​Stand up straight with both dumbbells near your hips, palms facing up
    • Keeping your elbows still, curl the dumbbell and imagine you are trying to touch your shoulder with it. Very slowly lower back to the start
    • After 10 reps, lie on the floor or bench holding the dumbbells in-line with your chest, with elbows tucked about 2 inches from your ribs
    • Extend both arms simultaneously until your arms are fully locked and return to the starting position

    And you’re finished!

    We hope you enjoyed that workout! Try and do this routine at least once per week. You can pair it with our lower body resistance training workout and full body workout too. Try to walk often and include some cardio like this for an all-round great routine to help fight off high cholesterol.

    Want to make sure what you’re eating isn’t raising your cholesterol levels? Try some of these healthy meals for people watching their cholesterol here.

    • Smashed Avocado on Wholegrain Rye with Spinach and Edamame Salad
    • Vegan 3 Bean Chilli
    • Fruit Salad with Fat-Free Greek Yoghurt

    Last updated: 23 September 2020

    Tweet
    Follow on Instagram
    Cholesterol Exercise

    You may also like

    5 of the best chest exercises

    Article

    5 of the best chest exercises

    Focusing on your chest when you exercise helps to sculpt the muscles and add definition...

    READ MORE...
    Different types of planks

    Article

    Different types of planks

    Planks are an excellent core workout. You don’t need any expensive gym equipment to do..

    READ MORE...
    Ankle strengthening exercises for you to try at home

    Article

    Ankle strengthening exercises for you to try at home

    If you have a muscle or joint problem which is affecting your ankle or your..

    READ MORE...

    Connect with us

    • Log in Register
    • rewards for life

    Customer service

    • Store locator
    • Contact us
    • Site feedback
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Delivery & returns
    • Site map
    • My account

    About us

    • Who we are
    • Working at Holland & Barrett
    • Press room
    • Privacy & cookie policy
    • Terms & conditions
    • Holland & Barrett More
    • Holland & Barrett International

    Brands

    • Holland & Barrett
    • Bootea
    • Dr Organic
    • Precision Engineered
    • Manuka Doctor
    • Good n Natural
    • Miaroma
    Register
    Click to verify if this website is operating legally

    Copyright © Holland & Barrett Retail Limited, 2017. All rights reserved. hollandandbarrett.com is a trading name of Holland & Barrett Retail Limited,. Registered office: Samuel Ryder House, Barling Way, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 7RH. Registered in England: company no. 2758955. Registered VAT no. 211727395.