Upper Body Workout | 9 Routines You Can Do At Home

Looking for upper body workouts to improve your muscle strength? Check out these quick workouts you can easily do at home!

Quick Upper Body Workout Routines to Improve Muscle Strength

 

1. 3-Minute Fat-Blasting Workout

A solid way to burn upper body fat fast is through high-intensity interval training. Our three-minute, fat-blasting workout is the perfect routine to do just that. The goal of this routine is to complete each exercise as quickly and explosively as possible. The faster you do them, the better. However, do not sacrifice form for speed. Always observe proper posture and execution when doing each exercise.

How to:

• Burpees (10 reps)
• Mountain Climbers (10 reps)
• Planks (30 seconds)

2. 3-Minute Plank Workout

Plank routines are good upper body workouts to improve core strength and sculpt abdominal muscles. However, doing the same regular planks every day can get boring. Luckily, you can spice up your training session with this intense 3-minute plank variation routine.

It’s a good upper body workout regimen that utilizes the various plank styles. Your goal should be to complete these six plank exercises for 30 seconds each continuously for three minutes. You can add this to your weight training workouts or opt to perform it as a standalone routine.

How to:

• Regular Plank
• Plank With Leg Raises
• Side Plank (Left Side)
• Side Plank (Right Side)
• Regular Plank
• Spiderman Plank

3. 3-Minute Hourglass Workout for Women

Women looking for an upper body strength workout routine that targets their stomach can try the 3-minute hourglass workout. It consists of six high-intensity ab exercises to help female gym-goers sculpt a sexy hourglass figure.

How to:

• Heel Touches (30 seconds)
• Lying Leg Raise (30 seconds)
• Scissor Kicks (30 seconds)
• Plank Twists (30 seconds)
• Bicycle Crunch (30 seconds)
• Stomach Vacuum (30 seconds)

Tip: It’s best to perform this routine after you finish your regular weight-training exercises. Combining weight lifting exercises with bodyweight workouts is a great way to shed belly fat fast.

4. 6-Minute Lean Arms Workout

Do you want to build leaner, stronger arms without going to the gym? Then this strength-training workout routine is for you. It consists of the best upper body exercises that specifically target your triceps, shoulders, biceps, and forearms.

Try to go through these upper body strength exercises as many times as you can in 6 minutes. You can take a few seconds of rest in between circuits, but try to keep it under 20 seconds.

How to:

• Triceps chair dips (10 reps)
• Up and down planks (10 reps)
• Diamond push-ups (10 reps)
• Decline push-ups (10 reps)
• Close-grip bicep pull-ups (10 reps)

Tip: On average, most gym-goers go through the circuit three to four times in 6 minutes.

5. 8-Minute No-Equipment Upper Body Workout for Men

Active men who want to strengthen their upper body muscles should definitely try this 8-minute, no-equipment circuit program. It consists of multiple high-intensity exercises to help you shed unwanted body fat and replace it with lean, strong muscles.

Try to perform these compound upper body exercises as precise as you can. With each rep, remember to contract the muscles you’re targeting.

How to:

• Diamond push-ups (10 reps)
• Superman holds with squeeze (10 reps)
• Inchworm to push-ups (10 reps)
• Dive bomber push-up (10 reps)
• Triceps chair dips (10 reps)
• Burpees (15 reps)

Tip: Are these push-ups too easy for you? Kick them up a notch by using resistance bands.

6. 10-Minute Core Crush

The 10-minute core crush routine is one of the best upper body workouts that targets your abs from all angles. It consists of 14 quick upper body exercises for men and women to build stronger abdominal muscles.

Plus, you can opt to go through this list of upper body exercises anytime you want. In fact, if your office has some free space, you can squeeze in this quick core workout during office hours. Try to bust out as many high-quality reps as you can within the suggested time frame.

How to:

• High Plank (30 seconds)
• Reverse Crunch (30 seconds)
• Flutter Kicks (30 seconds)
• Full Sit-ups (30 seconds)
• Single Leg Toe Touches (right leg, 30 seconds)
• Single Leg Toe Touches (left leg, 30 seconds)
• Reverse Crunch (30 seconds)
• Double Leg Toe Touches (30 seconds)
• Single Leg Sit Up (right knee bent, 30 seconds)
• Single Leg Sit Up (left knee bent, 30 seconds)
• Plank Saws (50 seconds)
• Reverse Crunch (30 seconds)
• Sit-up Twist (30 seconds)
• Up Dog (20 seconds)

7. 10-Minute Full Upper Body Workout

Shed upper body fat and build lean muscle fast with this 10-minute full upper body workout. It’s a complete routine you can incorporate at the end of your upper body weight training day. Similarly, fitness buffs also use this as a standalone exercise when they’re at home, on vacation, or even in the office.

Perform each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest in between. Aim to pump out as many high-quality reps as you can within the specified time frame.

How to:

• Push-ups
• Reverse snow angels
• Up and down planks
• Lying bicep leg curls
• Spiderman push-ups
• Skullcrushers
• Pulse rows
• Wrist curls
• Angled downward shoulder push-ups
• Superman hold

8. 15-Minute 3-Circuit Program

You don’t need the gym to work on your upper body strength. Fitness buffs can use bodyweight circuit training programs to work on their physique and athletic prowess. This 15-minute routine is a full upper body workout. It consists of different exercises to target specific muscle groups in your upper body.

If you can’t finish the three circuits in 15 minutes, don’t worry. What’s important is to go through all the exercises and perform them properly.

How to:

Circuit 1: 3 sets

• Push-ups (10 reps)
• Shoulder taps (20 reps)
• Plank (30 seconds)

Circuit 2: 3 sets

• Bench dips
• Air fly with hold
• Supermans

Circuit 3: 3 sets

• Russian twists
• Diamond push-ups

9. Insane 30-Minute Mass-Building Routine

There are plenty of strength training exercises to help you build muscle mass without using dumbbells and barbells. For example, this 30-minute program contains some of the best upper body workouts that help you build and sustain lean muscle mass through high-volume exercises.

The goal of this upper body workout routine is to bust out as many reps as you can in 30 minutes. It’s up to you to take a break when you need one. Do these three upper body exercises in order repeatedly for 30 minutes. As you get stronger, you’ll need less rest in between sets.

How to:

• Pull-ups (5 reps)
• Push-ups (10 reps)
• Triceps chair dips (10 reps)

 

These are just some of the upper body workout routines you can use to improve your health and physique. Remember: the only way to build upper body strength is to combine resistance training exercises with a healthy diet. While there are so many quick upper body workouts to try, it’s best to follow a regimen that aligns with your needs, goals, and lifestyle.

What’s your favorite upper body workout routine? Share it with us in the comments section below!

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