When you picture the typical high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, a handful of go-to exercises likely come to mind: burpees, squats, lunges, mountain climbers, jumping rope, and sprints on the treadmill, bike, and rower. Most of these movements require full-body engagement and rely heavily on the lower extremities. So what happens when you need a spicy HIIT circuit that focuses on the arms, shoulders, chest, and back?
You call upon Noam Tamir, CSCS, CEO and owner of TS Fitness in New York City, to program a killer superset circuit using the best upper-body HIIT exercises.
These movements are ideal for when you want to reap the benefits of HIIT while building upper-body strength and endurance. Maybe you’re looking to even out a strength imbalance, or you’re trying to stay active while healing from a lower-body injury (with a doctor’s approval, of course).
Upper-body HIIT exercises are also a smart cross-training option for runners and cyclists who want to avoid fatiguing their leg muscles between logging miles.
What is HIIT?
Tamir describes HIIT as “a type of exercise that alternates between short, intense bursts of work and recovery periods.” Workouts are typically designed around a specific work-to-rest ratio, like 2:1, where, for example, you’re working for 30 seconds and resting for 15 seconds, or 1:1, where you’re alternating between 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of recovery.
Because the work intervals are short, they’re meant to be intense. “You’re looking to get your heart rate up to between 80 and 95 percent of your maximum heart rate,” Tamir says. The overall workouts are short, too, typically lasting between 10 and 30 minutes.
The benefits of HIIT
One of the biggest benefits of HIIT is efficiency. When you ramp up the intensity of a workout, you can dial back the duration and still reap the rewards. So, even 10 to 15 minutes is enough time to make it worth changing into workout clothes.
One 2019 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that, among adults of all fitness levels, five-minute workouts that utilized 30-second intervals were effective in developing VO2 max. This metric indicates how effectively your body uses oxygen and is a gold standard for physical fitness.
These findings mirror the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines for physical activity. If you’re exercising at a moderate intensity, they recommend accumulating 150 minutes throughout the week for overall health and disease prevention. But if you’re doing HIIT, you only need to crank out 75 minutes.
Those 75 minutes of intense activity can help support goals related to weight loss and maintenance. “You’re definitely going to burn calories,” Tamir says. “During the workout, but also post. You’re going to get a good EPOC effect,” he says, referring to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or the “afterburn effect.” This is the period of time after a workout when you continue to burn calories at a slightly higher rate than normal.
According to Tamir, HIIT workouts can also help build strength and muscle mass, especially if they incorporate weight-lifting or strategically use your body weight to add resistance to movements. Bigger, stronger muscles boost everything from bone health to athletic performance.
Precautions to take when doing HIIT
Keep in mind that more HIIT isn’t necessarily better. Intense workouts demand longer periods of recovery. “I would not do HIIT more than three times a week,” Tamir says. So, be sure to intersperse lower-intensity workouts, active recovery, and rest days between HIIT workouts.
Tamir also emphasizes the importance of maintaining proper form during HIIT, as movement quality tends to suffer as speed increases. It can be helpful to have a trainer observe your workouts and flag any potentially dangerous patterns. If necessary, slow down your pace or lighten your load.
Lastly, don’t jump into a HIIT workout cold. “Have a proper warmup,” Tamir says. “One that slowly elevates your heart rate and tissue temperature and warms up your joints.” A quick dynamic workout may help reduce your chance of injury and improve the quality of your sweat session, per 2024 research in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation.
The best upper-body HIIT exercises
The following upper-body exercises have been programmed as a three-part superset workout. (Supersets include paired movements that engage opposing muscle groups, allowing you to alternate between exercises with minimal rest.)
Do three rounds of each superset before moving on to the next, working for 30 seconds and resting for 15 seconds between exercises. Rest 1-2 minutes between each superset. The full upper-body HIIT workout looks like this:
Superset 1 (3 rounds)
- Bent-over underhand row (30 seconds)
- 15-second rest
- Hand release push-up (30 seconds)
- 15-second rest
- Rest 1-2 minutes
Superset 2 (3 rounds)
- Renegade row (30 seconds)
- 15-second rest
- Alternating overhead press (30 seconds)
- 15-second rest
- Rest 1-2 minutes
Superset 3 (3 rounds)
- Biceps hammer curl (30 seconds)
- 15-second rest
- Close-grip chest press
- 15-second rest
You can also perform each superset separately for a shorter workout or incorporate individual exercises into an existing HIIT workout.
To do all of the following upper-body HIIT exercises, you will need an exercise mat and a set of dumbbells. Choose a weight that is challenging but still allows you to move quickly. Your goal is to work as hard and fast as you can during each interval without sacrificing proper form.
Superset 1
1. Bent-over underhand row
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip (palms facing up).
- Maintaining a flat back and neutral neck, hinge at the hips to bring your torso forward between 45 and 90 degrees. Allow the weights to hang down in front of your legs. This is the starting position.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you bend your elbows and draw the weights up toward your rib cage.
- Lower the weights with the control and immediately begin the next rep.
- Repeat for 30 seconds.
2. Hand release push-up
- Start lying facedown with your hands on the floor just outside your shoulders. Flex your ankles so the balls of your feet are on the floor.
- Keeping your core engaged, back flat, and neck neutral, push through your hands and extend your elbows to lift into a high plank position. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body all the way to the floor.
- Once your chest hits the floor, lift your hands an inch or two off the ground.
- Place your hands back on the floor just outside your shoulders and immediately begin the next rep.
- Repeat for 30 seconds.
Superset 2
1. Renegade row (alternating sides)
- Start in a high plank position with each hand on a dumbbell. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Keeping your core engaged, back flat, and neck neutral, draw your right hand up toward your ribs.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the ground, returning to a plank position.
- Draw your left hand up toward your ribs, then slowly lower it back to the ground.
- Repeat, keeping your hips as level as possible. (If you’re tipping side to side, try widening your foot placement.)
- Continue alternating arms for 30 seconds.
2. Overhead press (alternating sides)
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells in a racked position at shoulder height.
- Keeping your core engaged, press the right dumbbell directly overhead. Make sure your wrist and elbow are stacked directly over your shoulder.
- Lower the dumbbell to your shoulder, then press the left dumbbell directly overhead and lower it.
- Repeat, alternating pressing each weight overhead, for 30 seconds.
Superset 3
1. Biceps hammer curl
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells down at your sides, palms facing in.
- Keeping your core engaged, bend your elbows and draw both dumbbells up toward your shoulders.
- Lower the weights with control until both elbows are fully extended.
- Repeat for 30 seconds. Keep the movement slow and controlled, being careful not to use momentum.
2. Close-grip chest press
- Lie face-up with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the ground. Hold a set of dumbbells vertically, pressed together over your chest.
- Press the dumbbells directly over your chest until your elbows are fully extended.
- With control, lower the weights back to the starting position.
- Repeat for 30 seconds.
