Sometimes we think more means better, but that isn’t always the case, especially when it comes to getting stronger. This short, but sweet, three-move upper body workout eliminates the junk volume so you can focus on pushing hard with less fatigue, meaning more gains. Plus, it’s ideal if you don’t have tons of spare time and just need something that’ll see you in and out of the gym in record time.
Guaranteed, you’re probably thinking, ‘Is this workout actually good if it’s only three exercises?’. Yes, let us explain. As we already mentioned, the whole ‘more means better’ mentality doesn’t always ring true. By doing less, you’re actually able to train harder, thus making more progress, rather than simply getting fatigued. Plus, research has also shown that one hard set of 6-12 reps performed two to three times a week is enough to make significant strength gains. Secondly, the exercises in this workout tick off you’re entire upper body muscles: chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps and back – so all bases are covered. What more could you want?
This workout comes from Hyrox competitor, Jade Skillen. If you’re performing it in the gym, you’ll need access to a weight bench and barbell, dumbbells and a cable machine with a rope attachment. You can still do it from home though, substituting all the exercises for dumbbell variations. The first two exercises are a superset – rest 60 seconds between each one – then 2-3 minutes between rounds. Then for the final exercise, rest 90 seconds between sets. Here’s the workout:
- 1A. Bench Press – 5 sets of 5
- 1B. Single arm dumbbell rows – 10 reps per side
- 2. Tricep cable extension – for max reps
If you need a similar sort of session for your lower body, then check out this three-move workout. It'll take you 20 minutes max and, just like the above workout, it ticks off all your muscle groups: including your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Don't forget your core, either – this upright ab workout will only take you 8 minutes, no planks or crunches involved.
