15-Minute Upper Body Workout At Home

When you think of a toned upper body, you might conjure up a vision of an intense group fitness class swinging kettlebells while the instructor yells to “push harder”. However, what most of us actually want is more simple: a 15-minute upper body workout at home. In this post we share a workout routine you can do at home that’s efficient, effective, and will give you great results!

15 Minute Upper Body Workout Routine

If you’re able, get yourself a pair of medium dumbbells (anywhere from 3-15 pound weights depending on your capability), but it isn’t necessary if you don’t have them. Just do the moves without weights or grab whatever objects you have lying around, like a couple heavy books or some canned goods. 

Moving through this workout, you’ll get a great combination of strengthening the upper body muscles and increasing your heart rate with bodyweight moves that help burn calories and fat. 

Upper Body Workout At Home Instructions 

• Follow the number of reps listed for each strength move, then do each cardio move for one minute.
• Rest 20 seconds in between the moves.

Start your timer – and get ready for an effective 15-minute workout at home!

Warm-Up: Inchworm – 4-5 reps

How to do inchworm:

1. Stand tall and roll down until your hands reach the floor.
2. Walk your hands forward until you’re one long line in a plank position.
3. Take tiny steps walking your feet forward until they reach your hands.
4. Walk hands out to plank again, and feet back to hands.  Continue repeating this several times.

Push-Ups – 12 Reps (on knees to modify) 

This 15-minute workout at home takes advantage of your own body weight. Push-ups are always available to increase your heart rate and provide serious resistance for an upper body workout routine.

How to do push-ups: 

1.  Begin in a plank position with hands below shoulders, legs long behind you, and body contracted to hold your spine in a straight line.
2. With elbows pointing slightly back, bend elbows and slowly begin to lower your body until you are just above the ground. Keep your gaze over your fingertips and body in a straight line.
3. As you exhale, tighten your belly and push yourself back up to a plank position. That is one repetition.

Lateral shuffle – 1 Minute

How to do lateral shuffle: 

1. Start standing with feet hip distance apart and sink into a deep knee bend. Bring both hands in front of the chest in guard position.
2.  Start with the right foot moving right and left foot following.  Shuffle right for four right-left steps, then move left for four left-right steps.  Continue shuffling right and left for the desired amount of time.

Overhead Pull – 12 reps 

How to do overhead pull:

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Arms are extended above the chest to start. Engage your abdominals.
2. Lower dumbbells past your head keeping arms mostly straight with elbows slightly bent. Keeping abdominals tight, raise dumbbells back to start. The low back should stay firm against the floor throughout.

Burpees – 1 minute

If there was one move to master in a 15-minute workout at home, it’s the burpee. It works the entire body and can be done anywhere. Don’t worry, it works for your upper body, core, and lower body!

How to do burpees: 

1. Start in a plank position with arms and legs long, hands shoulder distance apart.
2. Walk or jump both feet between your hands, coming into a low squat. Jump straight up as high as possible, land, and come back to your plank position.

Tricep Overhead Extensions – 12 reps 

No upper body workout routine would be complete without triceps exercises. Your triceps are so important to balance out your arms, especially in women.

How to do tricep overhead extensions: 

1. Standing with feet hip distance apart, holding dumbbells straight overhead, and keeping your spine long and abs tight.
2. Bend elbows lowering dumbbells behind the base of the head. Keep your elbows hugging in towards your head and pointing forward. Then extend your arms long, returning to your starting position, working the triceps.

Punching – 1 Minute

This 15-minute workout at home can fit in a small space but still amps up the cardio. How? It uses moves like punching, which can be done anywhere!

How to do punching:

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and bend knees slightly. Tighten the core to keep your center still.
2. Punch out one arm at a time at a steady pace.

Side Plank with Arm Extension – 10 reps per side

How to do side plank with arm extension:

1. Bring your body into one straight line on the floor, stacking legs, hips, and your shoulder directly over your elbow into a forearm plank. Lift hips with dumbbell resting hovering over the floor. (You can modify this plank by bending your lower knee if necessary)
2. Raise the dumbbell directly over your shoulder, keeping abdominals engaged and lower with control working your arms, and entire core.

Skaters – 1 minute

How to do skaters:

1. Start with your legs slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and arms at the sides.
2. Bring one leg behind at a slight angle into a reverse lunge. The front knee will come to a 90-degree angle.
3. Swing the arms in front of that bent knee and leap the back leg forward to switch sides in a skating motion. Arms alternate as you switch sides like a speed skater

Bicep Curls: 12 reps 

How to do bicep curls:

1. Stand with feet hip distance apart. Start by holding the dumbbells down next to the sides of your legs with arms fully extended, a slight bend in the elbow, and palms facing forward.
2. Bend your elbows and curl your dumbbells up to your shoulders; make sure you curl all the way to the top.
3. Lower the weights back down making sure to straighten your arms until they are next to your legs where you started.

Jumping Jacks – 1 minute 

Don’t write off the jumping jack! We included this move in our 15-minute workout at home because it’s such a good way to increase the heart rate!

How to do jumping jacks:

1. Start standing up with your legs together, a slight bend in your knees, and hands resting on your thighs.
2. Keeping the knees bent, open the arms and legs out to the sides. Arms come above the head and legs wider than the shoulders.
3. Close your arms and legs back to your sides, returning to your start.

Shoulder Presses  – 12 reps 

How to do shoulder presses:

1.  Start with feet hip distance apart. Bring elbows to the side, creating a goal post position with arms, dumbbells at the head’s side, and tight abdominals.
2. Press dumbbells slowly up until arms are straight. Slowly return to starting position with control. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Loved this upper body workout routine? For more variety of quick workouts, you can do at home, check out some of our free 10-minute workouts.

NOTE: Strength training and cardio are very important for your health, but your diet is another crucial factor. For more results with your upper body workouts, try cleaning up your diet where you can.

For a healthy diet, exchange extra sugars and processed foods for muscle-building lean protein, veggies, fruits, and healthy fats. Here are 9 tips for eating healthy on a budget.

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