Day 13 does for arm scissors what Day 7 did for arm circles. 12 arm scissors, 12 scissor chops, 12 arm scissors, 12 alt chest expansions, 12 arm scissors, 12 arm circles - a circuit, 60 seconds rest, 3, 4 or 5 sets by level. The vertical scissor is the exercise that keeps coming back; between its rounds come the horizontal chop, the alternating overhead reach and the circles.
Arm scissors are deceptively small. Arms straight out in front, one above the other, swap - the movement is a few inches, the work is holding both arms out at shoulder height through 36 swaps per set across the three rounds. It is a front hold in disguise, with just enough movement to keep the shoulder honest. The chops between load the same position horizontally, the alt chest expansions send one arm overhead and the other down, the circles finish out to the sides - and every round, the arms return to the front to scissor again.
Straight arms, level arms, crisp swaps: one arm rises as the other lowers, and neither falls below shoulder height. In scissor chops, cross fully and alternate the top arm. In alt chest expansions, reach the top arm to a full stretch, 12 total meaning 6 per arm. Circles small and level. If the scissor starts to grow into a big swing, make it small again - the size of the movement is not where the work lives.
A few inches of movement, thirty-six times a set - the scissor is a small exercise made large by repetition.
Make it Harder: Hold the arms straight out in front for a 10-count after the final arm scissor of every set.
Make it Easier: Let the arms come down and rest for 5 seconds between exercises, then bring them back up.
