This upper body workout will target the chest and back so that you will have a well-rounded toned upper body and strong back.
It will also include two exercises that will specifically target your grip strength so that you can have the strength to continuously hold weight to do all your exercises without letting go.
All you need is about 40 minutes of your day and dumbbells to do this work out. So, whenever you are ready, scroll down for the complete workout to get started.
***Scroll to the bottom of the post for the complete written workout and graphics.
Equipment Needed
You will need dumbbells.
Structure of Workout
In this workout, you will be counting reps and doing supersets. This means you will do each exercise in each superset immediately after one another. Once you complete a set for each superset then you can rest.
This workout has a total of five supersets. The first 4 supersets consist of a chest exercise paired with a back exercise. Do the first 4 supersets 3 times. The chest exercises will be done for 12 reps per set while the back exercises will be done for 10 reps per set.
We will finish off this workout with superset 5, which consists of wrist curls. Superset 5 will only be done twice with 15 reps in both sets for each exercise.
After completing each superset, rest 15-30 seconds before moving on to the next set.
Exercise Descriptions
Chest press
Laying on the floor or a bench, hold dumbbells with an overhand grip and place dumbbells wide apart to your sides with 90-degree bent arms. Make sure bent elbows are aligned with your shoulders. Push the dumbbells up, straightening out the arms. Lower dumbbells back down slowly, bending elbows back to a 90-degree angle. That is one rep.
Straight Leg Deadlift
Keeping your legs straight (can have a very small bend at the knee if needed), hold dumbbells or a barbell in front of your thighs. Hinge at the waist, push the glutes out, and bend over to lower the dumbbells or barbell down until they are a bit over your toes. Using your glutes, push back up with the force of your feet to bring weight back to thigh height. That is one rep.
Pullover
Laying on your back, hold two dumbbells or one single dumbbell by the handle(s) above your ribcage. Lift the dumbbells(s) straight up. This is your starting position. From here, lower the dumbbell(s) over your head until it is behind your head and almost touching the floor. Always keeping the arms straight, lift the weight back up and bring back above ribcage. That is one rep.
One dumbbell row
Starting in an upright position, hold one dumbbell with both hands by the handle. Hold the dumbbell in front of and below your ribcage. Hinge at the waist and bend over slightly. With the dumbbell still close to the ribcage, lower the dumbbell, fully straightening out the arms. This is your starting position. From here, while still remaining at a slight bend over, pull the dumbbell back towards the ribcage, squeeze the shoulder blades, and lower back down. That is on rep.
Standing chest fly
In an upright position, hold two lightweight dumbbells together in front of your chest. Straighten the arms out until you are holding the dumbbells above the floor while maintaining them at chest height and together. This is your starting position. From here, spread the dumbbells apart, bringing them all the way back until your arms are a bit behind your back and you are able to squeeze the shoulder blades. Bring dumbbells back to center to complete one standing chest fly.
Wide back row
Holding dumbbells with an overhand grip hanging in front of you, bend at the waist slightly while keeping a neutral spine. Keep the dumbbells slightly away from your legs once you are in a bent position. With a strong grip, pull the dumbbells up and outward until they are about chest height. Squeeze the shoulder blades at the top of the motion and lower back down with control.
Inclined Svend press
Sitting on the floor with knees bent at a 90-degree angle in front of you, hold two dumbbells together in front of and close to your chest. Slightly lower your upper body towards the floor to form an incline with your body. Once in this position, straighten out the arms to press the dumbbells out in front of you. Then, bend at the elbows to bring dumbbells back to chest. That is one rep. Make sure to always keep the dumbbells touching each other throughout the entire motion; do not allow them to come apart.
Swimmers
Lay on the floor, belly down with arms straight out in front of you and legs straight behind with both arms and legs at shoulder-length apart. From here, lift one arm up above your head and the opposite leg up above the back, squeeze the back, and lower both arm and leg back down. Repeat the same motion on the other arm and opposite leg to complete one whole rep Do this motion in a fast controlled pace to mimic swimming.
Overhand wrist curls
In either a sitting or upright position, hold light dumbbells with an overhand grip. Hold the dumbbells close to your ribcage with bent elbows to the sides. The top part of your hand and elbows should be aligned. Once in this starting position, bend the wrist upwards as far as you can possibly bend with safety and comfortability. Next, bend the wrist downwards. Finally, bend the wrist back to starting position, aligning the top of the hand with elbows once again. That is one overhand wrist curl rep.
Underhand wrist curls
In either a sitting or upright position, hold light dumbbells with an underhand grip. Hold the dumbbells close to your ribcage with bent elbows to the sides. The bottom of your hands/palms and elbows should be aligned. Once in this starting position, bend the wrist upwards as far as you can possibly bend with safety and comfortability. Next, bend the wrist downwards. Finally, bend the wrist back to starting position, aligning the bottom of your hands/palms with elbows once again. That is one underhand wrist curl rep.
Chest and Back Workout w/Grip Strength Superset
Duration: 40 minutes
Structure: Sets and rep counting; e.g. 3×10 = 3 sets of 10 reps in each set
Chest – 3×12
Back – 3×10
Wrists– 2×15
Workout:
Superset 1:
Chest press
Straight Leg Deadlift
Superset 2:
Pullover
One dumbbell row
Superset 3:
Standing chest fly
Wide back row
Superset 4:
Inclined Svend press
Swimmers
Superset 5:
Overhand wrist curls
Underhand wrist curls
For a full upper body workout this week, target the arms with this Triceps and Biceps with Shoulder Burnout.
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