I’ll be honest, I often prioritize my core and lower body in my training—I just prefer those types of workouts.
But exercising the upper body is just as important, especially because strong arms and shoulders can improve posture and make daily activities feel easier. A strong upper body can also improve your running speed.
You don’t have to abandon your favorite kettlebell leg workout, either, just add this quick nine-minute workout on the end. It’s from certified personal trainer Angie Haviland-Wyer, who runs the HomeFit program for busy women, and it’s a fun and effective way to build upper-body strength.
“Quick workouts like these can be easier to stick to when you’re short on time,” Haviland-Wyer tells Fit&Well. “We’re all busy and in my opinion it doesn’t matter how long you train, just be consistent, progressively overload, and explore different training styles and exercises to see results.”
How to do the workout
The moves
- Biceps curl
- Triceps extension
- Clean and press
- Front raise
- Alternating lateral raise
Complete three rounds, resting for 30 seconds between rounds. Perform each exercise for 20 seconds in the first round, 30 seconds in the second round and 40 seconds in the final round.
The clean and press is the most difficult exercise here, so it’s worth spending some time online making sure you’re confident with the movement if you haven’t come across it before.
It’s worth investing the time to master it. “In my opinion, the clean and press gives more bang for your buck than a simple shoulder press and should mean that you can lift a little heavier than a standard press,” says Haviland-Wyer.
Here’s another look at how to do it.
You’ll see that Haviland-Wyer switches to using one dumbbell held in both hands for the front raise. That’s because it trains the shoulders, which typically can’t handle as much weight as other upper-body muscles.
It’s fine to use two dumbbells if you need that extra challenge, but Haviland-Wyer points out that you shouldn’t be swinging your hips to help lift the dumbbells. That’s a sure sign you should lift a lighter weight.
You’ll also notice that Haviland-Wyer performs the lateral raise one arm at a time. Why? “I always do lateral raises with alternate arms because I carry a lot of stress and tension through my shoulders and traps (the muscles in the upper back and neck).
“Doing the exercise one arm at a time allows me to focus on proper technique, without putting unnecessary pressure on the weaker parts of my body.”
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