A Complete 30-Minute Upper-Body Workout You’ll Want to Do
Week After Week
Repeating the
same routine on a regular basis is a great way to track progress toward your fitness
goals. And we have an awesome 30-minute upper-body workout that you can keep
coming back to each week as a way to benchmark your arm, back, chest, and
shoulder strength.
One reason this
routine is worth repeating? It’s super comprehensive, and hits pretty much
every muscle in that upper-body area, certified personal trainer Alicia Jamison at Bodyspace Fitness in New York City tells SELF. This includes your deltoids
and rotator cuff muscles (shoulder muscles); pec minor and pec major (chest muscles); lats and rhomboids (back muscles); and biceps and triceps (arms
muscles).
The below
dumbbell routine, which Jamison created for SELF, targets all of those key
players with moves like the bent-over row, overhead press, pullover, and
single-arm chest press. It also delivers bonus work to your rear deltoids—the
small muscles on the back of your shoulders that many people tend to forget
about when lifting—with a rear delt raise.
Upper-body
strength is important for a whole host of reasons, including making everyday
movements easier, but there’s another benefit that’s important too: It’s
critical for good posture, Jamison says. Many of us spend much of the day
sitting in a hunched posture, and this forward-leaning position leaves our
chest muscles tight and overworked and our back and shoulder muscles weak and
overstretched. Focusing on building balanced strength in your upper body can
help improve both these issues.
“By working your
upper body, one, you’re mobilizing your chest,” says Jamison. “And then you're
strengthening your upper back.” This combo of strength and mobility will allow
you to stand up taller and generally just feel less achy, she explains.
So a workout
that not only hits all these muscle groups but also encourages you to continue
building upon your strength can be just what you need to add to your strength
training routine.
This upper-body
workout is straightforward: There are just five moves, and you do each for the
same number of reps. It’s also easy to progress as your strength improves. You
can either add more reps, increase the weight you’re holding (a technique known
as progressive overload), or follow the tips beneath each move below on how to ramp up
the difficulty.
If you choose to
amp up the weight, do so in small increments to reduce your risk of injury,
Jamison says. Dumbbells usually come in increments of five pounds, so if you
make the next step up, you’d be increasing your exercise by 10 pounds total.
(Some dumbells at gyms and at-home adjustable go up in 2.5-pound increments,
which can be helpful especially for exercises in which you’d use lighter
weights to begin with, like the rear delt raise.) After you make your increase,
you may want to lower your reps so you can complete your set with good form at
your new weight.
If you choose to
do this workout once a week, you can keep track of your progress to see how
your strength is improving. For instance, if you can do the recommended number
of reps for your first workout, maybe the next time you can add one or two
more. Then if you want to increase your weight, you may want to track the
number of reps you do with it—it’ll likely be lower at first, but with each
workout, you may be able to gradually increase!
Ready to get
started with this benchmark 30-minute upper-body workout? Before you dive in,
take a few minutes to warm up so you don’t start the workout with cold, stiff
muscles. Simple moves like gentle stretching, foam rolling your upper back, and
resistance band pull-aparts can help warm your body and activate your muscles. You can
also try this five-move warm-up
routine designed to prep you; be sure to
do some upper-body stretches to cool down after!
The Workout
What you
need: A set of light dumbbells (3–10 pounds)
for the rear deltoid raise, and a set of medium dumbbells (10–25 pounds) for
the other four moves. (Here are some awesome
at-home dumbbells to try.) You may
also want an exercise
mat for comfort.
Of course, the
“right” amount of weight will vary based on your fitness level and other
factors, but you can use these ranges as a jumping off point. You’ll know you
have the right weight when you complete the prescribed number of reps and feel
like you may only be able to crank out one or two more while maintaining proper
form.
Exercises
- Bent-over row
- Kneeling overhead press
- Pullover
- Single-arm chest press
- Side-lying rear deltoid raise
Directions
- Aim for 15 reps each move. Rest minimally
in between moves (think less than 30 seconds), though of course take
breaks if you feel like you can’t catch your breath or your form starts to
falter.
- Complete 4 rounds total, resting 1–2
minutes in between rounds, for a total routine that’ll take about 30
minutes. (On days when you’re strapped for time, you can do 2 or 3 rounds
total for a quick-but-effective 15- or 20-minute workout.)
1
This move works the back of your body (including your lats and
rhomboids) as well as your biceps. As you perform reps, make sure to squeeze
your glutes and keep you back neutral (not arched or rounded), says Jamison.
Make it harder or easier by adjusting the amount of weight.
2
- Get into a kneeling position with your
knees hip-distance apart and torso tall. Hold a medium dumbbell in each
hand and rest them at shoulder height, with your palms facing each other
and your elbows bent. This is the starting position.
- Press the dumbbells overhead,
straightening your elbows completely. Make sure to keep your core engaged
and hips tucked under to avoid arching your lower back as you lift your
arms.
- Slowly bend your elbows to lower the
weight back down to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
- Complete 15 reps.
The kneeling
stance in this shoulder-focused exercise makes it more challenging on your core
than if you were doing it from a standing position, says Jamison. Make it
easier by performing reps from a half-kneeling position. Make it harder by
doing a single-arm press.
3
- Lie on your side on a mat with a medium
dumbbell in front of you. Grab the weight with both hands, hold it to your
chest, and turn flat on your back. Keep your feet hip-width apart.
- Grip the dumbbell securely at both ends
with each hand. (If your dumbbell is larger, it might feel safer to hold
it vertically, with both hands around one end as pictured.) Lift it into
the air directly above your chest, keeping your arms straight.
- Slowly bring the dumbbell over your head
and gently touch it to the floor.
- Bring the weight back to the starting
position, engaging your core as you move the weight. This is 1 rep.
- Complete 15 reps.
The supine (on
your back) position of this move, which works your chest, lats, and triceps,
makes it lower-risk for injury, says Jamison. That’s because in that position,
your low back doesn't need to take on the force of the external load or gravity
quite as much as if you were standing or kneeling, Jamison explains. Make it
easier or harder by adjusting the weight.
4
The unilateral aspect of this move, which works your chest and
triceps, delivers an extra core challenge. Make it easier by working both arms
at the same time. Make it harder by doing reps from a glute bridge position, or
by alternating sides with each rep, says Jamison.
5
- Lie on a mat on your right side, holding a
light dumbbell in your left hand. Support your head with your right hand
for comfort. Keep your body in a straight line, bending your knees for
stability.
- Bring the weight straight up in the air
over your shoulder. Slowly lower the weight straight down so it hovers a
few inches above the floor. In a controlled motion, bring the weight back
up to starting position. This is 1 rep.
- Continue for 15 reps, then switch sides
and repeat.
This exercise
isolates the rear delts, an important postural muscle. Make it easier by using
a lighter weight. Make it harder by performing reps from a bent-over stance.
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