When life gets busy, it can put a strain on your fitness — driving to the gym, working out for an hour and driving back home just isn’t possible. But instead of skipping exercise altogether, take 10 minutes out of your day to do an effective workout to help you feel a lot better.
If you want a lean and strong upper body, spend those 10 minutes targeting your shoulders, chest, arms, core, and back with our workout that strengthens them from every angle.
To get the most work in the least amount of time, we’ll use something called “clusters.” The reps are listed as “3,3,” which means you’ll do 3 reps, take a 5 – 10 second break, and do another three reps of the same exercise. This way, you can use a heavier weight and squeeze in a few extra reps for more strength and more calories burned.
YOUR 10-MINUTE, UPPER-BODY WORKOUT
Set a timer for 10 minutes and repeat this circuit for as many times as possible while following the rest periods.
1. OVERHEAD PRESS
3 reps, 30 seconds rest
This is the best exercise to build a strong and powerful upper-body. You have to use your entire body to stabilize as you drive a weight overhead — everything from your legs, core, shoulders, and traps work with each rep.
The move: Start holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your shoulders (or hold a barbell on your shoulders and grip it about shoulder-width apart). Drive the dumbbells straight up until you can lock out your elbows. Don’t excessively arch your lower back.
2. PULLUPS OR CHINUPS
3 reps, 30 seconds rest
Pullups and chinups are amazing exercises to build a strong back and sculpted arms. They strengthen your lats and even help you improve your grip, which carries over to other exercises. (If you can’t do a chinup, that’s OK — just use the lat-pulldown machine.)
The move: Grab a pullup bar with and overhand grip (your palms facing away from you) and start by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Pull yourself up and lead with your chest. To regress this move, hold the pullup bar with an underhand grip (palms facing toward you) and pull yourself up.
3. INVERTED ROW
3 reps, 30 seconds rest
The inverted row targets your back muscles to build a strong back and a healthy, confident posture. It also activates your abs so you can get more bang for your buck!
The move: Grab a bar from underneath with your feet in front. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull yourself up while keeping your body straight like a plank.
MORE 10-MINUTE WORKOUTS
> Total-Body Dumbbell Workout
> No-Equipment Core Workout
> 4-Move Kettlebell Workout
> No-Equipment, Total Body Workout
