Who needs the gym? This 15-minute dumbbell workout strengthens your entire upper body

You don’t need to spend hours in the gym to build a stronger, more muscular upper body. It’s more important to train consistently than do very long workouts, and if it’s easier to slip shorter sessions into your day then that’s the way to go, because it will allow you to train more regularly and achieve the results you want.

If you have a set of dumbbells at home, or ideally a set of the best adjustable dumbbells so you can choose from a range of weights, then this 15-minute upper body workout from fitness trainer Oliver Sjostrom is one to try.

It works all the major muscles in your upper body, including your back, chest, arms and shoulders, using long sets to ensure it’s a challenging and effective workout despite only being 15 minutes long. If you can stretch to a few more minutes to warm up your muscles before beginning, that’s even better.

Watch Oliver Sjostrom’s 15-minute upper body workout

There’s very little preamble on the video, with Sjostrom going straight into the first exercise, which is bent-over rows on your right side. Throughout the session you work for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds, though you might find you need to take extra breaks during the sets given how long they are, because your muscles will be burning.

Sjostrom has two sets of dumbbells he’s using for the session. One is a medium weight and one is a lighter set. The heavier weights are great for back exercises like rows, while the lighter ones are better for arm and shoulder moves like lateral raises . You can do the workout with just one set of dumbbells, but you might have to adjust how long you work for some of the exercises if the weights are proving too heavy or light for that move.

Along with dumbbell exercises the workout contains some bodyweight moves like push-ups and Supermans , and while it’s not the main focus of this session your core strength and stability will also be improved.

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While you’ll be keen to get as much done as you can in the 15-minute workout, it’s important not to rush any of the exercises, and especially those done with weights. Focus on moving with control so your form is perfect and you can feel that you’re engaging the right muscle groups, maximizing their time under tension by moving slowly.

If you’re looking to add other 15-minute training sessions into your week, then this dumbbell workout for your abs and arms is another strong option, and for a lower-body focused session, try this 15-minute leg workout which you just need one dumbbell for.

More from Tom’s Guide

• Build a stronger core with this 10-minute standing abs workout
• Forget weights — I tried this 30-minute workout to get in shape
• 5 compound core exercises that sculpt strong obliques