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.


Exercise	Sets	Reps
Plyo Push-Up	3	6–8
Incline Alternating Dumbbell Press	3	8–10 each side
Incline Two-Arm Dumbbell Row	3	8–10
Stability Push-Up	3	8–10
Dumbbell Pullover	3	8–10
Incline Dumbbell Flye	3	8–10
One-Arm Dumbbell Row	3	8–10 each side
T-bar Row	3	8–10
Decline Push-Up	3	8–10

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.