This 10-minute upper-body strength workout was developed for SELF by Cori Lefkowith, Orange County-based personal trainer and founder of Redefining Strength. The moves she selected work not only your arms and shoulders, but also your chest, core, and back. "The higher your intensity and the more muscles you work at once, the more bang for your buck you're going to get," she says.
"I like to make sure to include back exercises in as many upper-body workouts as possible as it helps improve our posture. Plus, the back is a big muscle group that, when worked, will help you burn more calories during your quick workouts." They also tend to target your arms anyway (your biceps in particular), she adds.
Here's how to do this 10-minute upper-body strength workout—all you need is a set of medium-resistance dumbbells.
For each of the following five moves, here's your mission:
- Do the exercise for 20 seconds
- Rest for 10 seconds
- Repeat 4x
Then, move on to the next move.
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This set-up is similar to a Tabata workout, which involves exercising with intense effort for 20 seconds then recovering for 10 seconds, and repeating that for eight rounds. The key here is to keep up your intensity. "It is very important during the 20 seconds of work that you do not rest," stresses Lefkowith. "Regress or modify the movement as needed to keep moving." Feel free to drop to your knees during the push-ups, or slow down your plank ups. Whatever you need to do without stopping entirely.
1. Push-Ups — 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
- Start in high plank with your hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your arms and lower your chest as close to the floor as you can.
- Push back up to a plank.
- Continue for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Repeat 4x.
2. Bent-Over Rows — 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides.
- Bend your knees slightly and tilt forward at your hips. Keep your back flat, arms straight, and let your hands hang directly under your shoulders.
- Bend your elbows and lift weights toward your chest, keeping your arms close to your body.
- Extend your arms back out.
- Continue for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Repeat 4x.
3. Plank Ups — 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
- Start in high plank. Bend one arm to bring your elbow and forearm to the floor.
- Bring the other arm down so you are in a forearm plank.
- Push back up to the start position, placing each hand where your elbows were.
- Repeat this movement, alternating which side you lower first with each rep.
- Continue for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Repeat 4x.
4. Renegade Rows — 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
- Start in high plank, each hand holding on to a dumbbell that is resting on the floor.
- Pull your right elbow back, raising dumbbell toward your chest and keeping your right elbow close to torso, abs tight, and hips facing down.
- Lower the weight and repeat on the opposite side.
- Continue for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Repeat 4x.
5. Down Dog To Plank — 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off
- Start in high plank with your hands and wrists stacked directly under your shoulders, your body in one straight line.
- Keep both hands and feet on the ground, shift back into downward dog so your butt is in the air and your heels are closer to the floor.
- Shift forward into high plank.
- Continue for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Repeat 4x.
While exercises that work your butt and abs tend to get a lot of lovin' in fitness classes and regular gym routines, focusing on your upper body can make you feel strong, powerful, and like you could lift a suitcase into the overhead bin no problem. Alexa Tucker from Self.com has great articles and I had to share this one as well.
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