Best Upper Body Hiit Workout You Can Try at Home

Think you need lots of time at the gym to get strong arms and chest? Nope! Try upper body HIIT workouts. They boost strength without taking it all day. Sure, regular strength training is important, but HIIT can make a big difference too.

In this article, we’ll explore the advantages of upper body HIIT and provide a 20-minute workout routine you can try at home or in the gym.

Benefits Of Doing Upper Body Hiit Workout:

Let’s talk about the awesome perks of doing upper body HIIT workouts! First off, HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a game-changer. It’s all about pushing yourself hard for short bursts, then taking it easy. When you apply this to your upper body, amazing things happen.

One major benefit is efficiency. You don’t need hours at the gym to get results. Just 20-30 minutes of intense upper body HIIT can leave you feeling like you’ve conquered the world.

Next up, strength gains. While traditional weightlifting definitely has its place, HIIT can also help you build serious upper body strength. Think stronger arms, chest, shoulders, and back. Plus, HIIT keeps your heart pumping, boosting cardiovascular health while torching calories.

And let’s not forget versatility. You can do upper body HIIT workouts practically anywhere – at home, in the park, or even in a hotel room. No fancy equipment required.

Lastly, there’s the post-workout buzz. HIIT releases feel-good endorphins, leaving you energized and ready to tackle whatever the day throws at you.

So, if you’re looking to level up your upper body strength, give HIIT a try. It’s efficient, effective, and oh-so rewarding!

Are HIIT Workout Enough For the Upper Body And Arms?

Incorporating upper body and arm HIIT exercises into your weekly routine offers numerous benefits. However, depending on your fitness goals, this may not suffice as your sole regimen.

If you aim to enhance strength, power, and speed while striving for a lean physique, upper body and arm HIIT workouts could be adequate. With just 30-40 minutes per day for workouts, HIIT ensures a robust upper body session.

Yet, if your objective is to bulk up your upper body and arms significantly, incorporating weight training is crucial. Weightlifting pushes muscles to fatigue, triggering growth and increasing muscle size.

Combining both forms of training enhances overall strength, fitness, and body composition. For instance, if you’re following an upper-lower body split, your routine might resemble this:

Day 1: upper body workout – weightlifting

Day 2: lower body workout – weightlifting

Day 3: upper body workout – HIIT

Day 4: lower body workout – HIIT

Tips For Creating An Upper Body HIIT Workout:

I’ve shared an upper body and arm HIIT workout to try below, but if you’re interested in creating your own workout then some tips to get you started are:

Select Complementary Exercises:

Opt for a blend of compound exercises to enhance strength, and cardio exercises to boost speed and endurance. Picking exercises that utilize the same gym equipment will streamline your workout. Some top upper body HIIT exercises to consider include push-ups, clean and press, tricep dips, battle ropes, and renegade rows.

Keep it Simple at the Start:

Target about 4-6 exercises with multiple circuits instead of doing lots of exercises in 1-2 rounds. This way, it’s easier to follow along, allowing you to focus all your energy on the exercises and make the most of your rest periods, without having to constantly remember what’s coming next.

Experiment With Various Timings:

There are numerous ways to structure your HIIT workout, so play around with different intervals to find your ideal setup. For exercises focused on strength, longer intervals can be beneficial, allowing for more repetitions. Conversely, for cardio-focused workouts, shorter but more intense periods of exercise and rest tend to be more effective.

Upper Body & Arm HIIT Workout – No Equipment

This upper body HIIT session lasts only 30 minutes, including warm-up and cool-down, and doesn’t need any gym gear. You can do it at home, on the go, or in the gym.

Warm Up:

• 3 minutes – moderate intensity cardio (e.g. walking, cross trainer, jumping jacks)

• 2 minutes – dynamic upper body exercises (e.g. arm circles, shoulder rolls, wrist flicks)

HIIT Workout:

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds back-to-back. Once all five exercises are completed, take a 2-minute rest. Repeat this four times.

1. Tricep Dips:

Find a Stable Surface: Look for a stable surface that can support your weight, like parallel bars, a bench, or even the edge of a sturdy chair or table

Position Yourself: Sit on the edge of the surface with your hands placed shoulder-width apart, gripping the edge. Your fingers should be pointing towards your body. Extend your legs out in front of you, keeping your heels on the ground and your knees slightly bent.

Lower Your Body: Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows. Keep your back close to the surface and your elbows pointing directly behind you. Lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the ground or your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.

Push Back Up: Push through your palms to straighten your arms and return to the starting position, keeping your back close to the surface throughout the movement.

2. Air Punches (straight forward)

Stand in a Stable Position: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body.

Form Your Fists: Make fists with both hands, keeping your wrists straight. Bring your fists up to about chest level, with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Your fists should be positioned in front of your shoulders, with your palms facing downwards.

Punch Alternately: Begin by extending your right arm straight out in front of you, keeping your fist tightly clenched. As you punch with your right arm, retract your left arm back to the starting position. Then, quickly switch sides, punching with your left arm while retracting your right arm.

Maintain a Quick Pace: Continue to alternate punches at a quick pace, focusing on maintaining proper form and keeping your core engaged throughout the exercise.

Breathe: Remember to breathe rhythmically as you perform the punches. Exhale as you punch and inhale as you retract your arms back to the starting position.

Continue for Desired Duration: Aim to perform air punches for 1-3 minutes continuously, or longer if you’re comfortable. You can increase the intensity by punching faster or incorporating variations, such as punching upwards or downwards.

3. Diamond push ups:

Start in a high plank position, with your hands forming a diamond shape directly under your chest. Tighten your core and glutes, then lower your chest until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Pause briefly before pushing back up to the starting position.

4. Chest Press With Dumbbell

The chest press with dumbbells is a fantastic exercise for strengthening the upper body. It primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s beneficial for improving overall body balance and support.

Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Here’re the steps to follow:

• Step 1: Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Step 2: Position the dumbbells at chest level with your palms facing forward.
• Step 3: Keep your feet flat on the floor and your back firmly against the bench.
• Step 4: Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended.
• Step 5: Pause briefly at the top, keeping the weights stable.
• Step 6: Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
• Step 7: Repeat for the recommended number of reps.

5. Dumbbell Shoulder Press:

This exercise is a powerhouse for building those strong, sculpted shoulders. It mainly targets your deltoids and also works your triceps and upper chest. Strengthening your upper body is crucial for overall balance and power, enhancing your performance in all workouts.

Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Here’re the steps to follow:

• Stand tall: Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Position the weights: Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
• Engage your core: Keep your back straight and your abs tight.
• Press up: Push the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
• Hold steady: Pause briefly at the top, keeping the weights controlled.
• Lower slowly: Bring the dumbbells back down to shoulder height slowly and with control.

6. Leg Rise:

This exercise is fantastic for targeting and strengthening your lower abdominal muscles. It also engages your hip flexors, helping to build a strong, stable core.

Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Steps:

1. Start position: Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
2. Engage your core: Keep your lower back pressed into the floor.
3. Lift your legs: Slowly raise your legs until they are perpendicular to the floor.
4. Pause briefly: Hold for a moment at the top, keeping your legs straight.
5. Lower slowly: Slowly lower your legs back down without letting them touch the floor.

7. Hammer Curl

This exercise is excellent for building and strengthening your biceps and forearms. It’s a slight variation of the traditional bicep curl, targeting different muscle fibers for balanced arm development.

Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Steps to follow:

1. Stand tall: Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Neutral grip: Position your palms facing your torso, thumbs pointing forward.
3. Engage your core: Keep your back straight and your abs tight.
4. Curl the weights: Bend your elbows and lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
5. Keep elbows steady: Ensure your elbows stay close to your torso throughout the movement.
6. Pause briefly: Hold for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
7. Lower slowly: Slowly bring the dumbbells back down to the starting position.

Cool down:

• 3-4 minutes – moderate intensity cardio (e.g. walking, crosstrainer)
• 3-4 minutes – upper body static stretching (e.g. cross body shoulder stretch, puppy pose)