ALL LEVELS / EMOM upper-body workout / 20 minutes
Equipment: Dumbbells & gym mat
When you think about upper-body training, long and slow repetitions on heavy machines usually come to mind. But EMOMs are here to disrupt that idea. By working against the clock instead of resting whenever you feel like it, EMOMs bring intensity, focus, and a faster pace to this upper-body session, turning regular strength work into a dynamic and engaging challenge.
This EMOM upper-body workout features 4 exercises, each with a specific number of reps to complete within one minute. You’ll perform a different exercise every minute, then use the 5th minute to rest. With 4 rounds to complete, this workout will take you 20 minutes to finish.
- Dumbbell floor press – 12-15x
- Bent over dumbbell row – 12-15x
- Dumbbell push press – 12-15x
- Gorilla rows – 20x
Is the clock ready? Let’s EMOM!
WORKOUT SETUP
- 4 exercises
- Different reps
- 4 rounds
- EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute)
- 20 minutes total
- Equipment: Dumbbells & gym mat
WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST
4 rounds
1 – Dumbbell Floor Press
12–15 reps
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your elbows resting on the floor and palms facing forward.
- Engage your core and press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended.
- Lower them under control until your elbows gently touch the floor.
- Repeat.
2 – Bent-over dumbbell row
12–15 reps
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hinge at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
- Keep your back flat, core engaged, and shoulders set.
- Pull the dumbbells toward your torso by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower the weights slowly and repeat with control.
3 – Dumbbell push press
12–15 reps
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the dumbbells at shoulder height.
- Dip slightly into a shallow squat, then explosively extend your hips and legs to help press the dumbbells overhead.
- Lock out your arms at the top, then lower the weights back to shoulder level and repeat.
4 – Gorilla rows
20 reps
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat.
- Place one dumbbell on the floor between your feet and hold the other in one hand.
- Row the dumbbell toward your torso, then place it back on the floor and switch arms.
- Continue alternating sides.
Catch your breath and choose below the challenge that will succeed this EMOM upper-body workout.
- 30-min arm strength workout
- 20-min lower-chest strength workout
- 20-min HIIT push workout
- 20-min upper back workout
- 25-min dumbbell upper-body strength
- 25-min kettlebell strength workout
- 10-min AMRAP cardio workout
- 20-min Christmas circuit workout
- 25-min rotational workout
- 30-min upper-chest workout
- 20-min posterior-chain workout
- 15-min AMRAP barbell workout
