20 minute upper body workout

The colder weather is on the horizon and that makes it hard to stay motivated to hit the club and get your workout in. So we’ve gone ahead and put together a short, 20-minute workout that will blast your chest, shoulders, back and arms, giving you a full upper body workout.

Push-ups (3 sets of 10 reps)

Starting with push-ups is great, they’re a classic upper-body exercise for a reason. This workout targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. If you’re not sure of the correct technique for a push-up, start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet together. Lower your body down to the ground while keeping your elbows close to your body. Push back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest and triceps as you go.

Bent-over rows (3 sets of 10 reps)

Bent-over rows really target your back and biceps. To do a bent-over row, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge forward at the hips until your upper body is almost parallel to the ground. Keeping your core engaged, pull the dumbbells up towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position and repeat.

Shoulder press (3 sets of 10 reps)

Shoulder presses do what it says on the box, they target your shoulders but you’ll also feel a burn in your upper back. To do a shoulder press, start by holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Press the dumbbells up above your head, fully extending your arms. Lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height and repeat.

Bicep curls (3 sets of 10 reps)

Bicep curls are another workout that does exactly what it says on the box, they burn your biceps. To do a bicep curl, start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms down by your sides. Keeping your elbows close to your body, curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement. Lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position and repeat.

Tricep dips (3 sets of 10 reps)

We’re starting to see a trend here - tricep dips target the back of your arms. To do a tricep dip, start by sitting on the edge of a bench with your hands placed behind you and your fingers facing forward. Slide your butt off the bench and lower your body down towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your body. Push back up to the starting position and repeat.

Chest fly (3 sets of 10 reps)

Chest flies… target your chest muscles. To do a chest fly, start by lying on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms up above your chest with your palms facing each other. Lower the dumbbells down towards the ground, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position and repeat.

Plank (hold for 30 seconds)

And to wrap up this 20-minute workout you’re going to do a 30-second plank. You don’t have to do a very long plank to get the benefit, 30 seconds at the end of this intense workout will still engage your corn extremely well. To do a plank, start in a push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart. Engage your core and hold this position for 30 seconds.

When done properly, this workout is going to give you a full body burn and you’ll reap the benefits you normally associate with longer workouts. If you don’t have the time up your sleeve, or the cold weather is dampening your motivation this circuit could be just what you need to get your fitness routine back on track. If you do have the time we also recommend warming up properly before starting your workout and cooling down and stretching afterwards to prevent injury.