Build Muscle & Burn Fat With This Fast-Paced Superset Upper Body Workout

Whether your goal is to build strength, muscular endurance, or just look great in a sleeveless shirt (hey, we don’t blame you!), supersets may be the golden ticket. The word might sound like advanced gym lingo, but supersets actually pretty simple — and effective.

Start with the plyo push-up. Then do the next two moves in a row, rest 45–60 seconds, and move on to the next two moves, resting 45–60 seconds. Keep going until you get through all nine exercises.

Plyo Push-Up:

How to:

• Place your hands on the floor wider than shoulder-width apart and extend your legs behind you.
• Lift your hips so your head, hips and heels are in line.
• Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor.
• Extend your arms quickly and explosively, and push your upper body off the floor.
• Land softly and immediately descend into the next rep.

Incline Alternating Dumbbell Press:

How to:

• Set an incline bench to 45 degrees and hold a set of dumbbells at your chest, elbows pointing toward the floor.
• Lift your feet, press your back into the pad and contract your abs.
• Extend one arm, pressing the weight straight toward the ceiling, arms perpendicular to the floor.
• Slowly lower to the start and repeat on the other side.
• Continue alternating sides at an even pace.

Incline Two-Arm Dumbbell Row:

How to:

• Keeping your dumbbells in hand, straddle the seat of the incline bench.
• Lie facedown on the pad, pressing your torso into the bench, and allow your arms to hang straight down on either side, palms forward.
• Drive your elbows up and back, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you pull the weights up.
• Pause a moment at the top and squeeze before slowly lowering to the start.

Stability Push-Up:

How to:

• Place a set of dumbbells wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor.
• Get on your hands and knees and grasp the weights using a neutral grip.
• Extend your legs behind you and get into push-up position with your head, hips and heels in line.
• Bend your elbows and lower your chest slowly toward the floor, preventing the dumbbells from rolling outward as you descend.
• Reverse the move and return to the start.

Dumbbell Pullover:

How to:

• Lie faceup on a flat bench and grasp a dumbbell with both hands directly over your chest, arms perpendicular to the floor.
• Place your feet flat for stability and press your back into the bench.
• Slowly lower the weight in an arc over your head with straight arms.
• When your elbows come to ear level, reverse the move and return to the start.

Incline Dumbbell Flye:

How to:

• Adjust an incline bench to 45 degrees and hold a set of dumbbells over your upper chest, elbows slightly bent.
• Open your arms to the sides, lowering them evenly toward the floor while maintaining the bend in your elbows.
• When the weights come to shoulder level, reverse the move and return to the start.

One-Arm Dumbbell Row:

How to:

• Place one knee and the same-side hand on a flat bench, and grasp a dumbbell in your opposite hand.
• Allow that arm to hang straight toward the floor and flatten your back.
• Keeping your shoulders square, drive your elbow toward the ceiling, retracting your shoulder blade and squeezing at the top.
• Slowly lower to the start.
• Do all reps on one side before switching.

T-bar Row:

How to:

• Place the end of a barbell into a holder, or wedge it into a corner so it’s stable.
• Straddle the bar and secure a V-handle underneath, just below the plates.
• Take a firm grip, flatten your back and lift your chest.
• Maintain a flat back as you drive your elbows up and back, pinching your shoulder blades together and pulling the end of the barbell toward your chest.
• Pause for a moment and squeeze before lowering slowly back to the start.

Decline Push-Up:

How to:

• Position your hands wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor and place both feet on a flat bench behind you.
• If needed, walk out with your hands so your body is straight.
• Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor, keeping your hips lifted and your abs tight.
• When you’ve come as low as you can comfortably manage, extend your arms and press back up to the start.