Supersize your chest, back, arms and shoulders while stripping away belly fat with this six-move upper-body blast.

Working one main muscle group per workout – known as a body-part split – might have been the gold standard for the golden age of bodybuilding, but if you can only train a couple of times per week you need a more efficient approach to get maximum bang for your buck.

This six-move session targets all your major upper-body muscle groups, using different angles and rep ranges to recruit and fatigue as many muscle fibres as possible, so they’re rebuilt bigger and stronger.

Workout Instructions

This is a six-move session made up of 2 straight sets then 2 supersets. Do all reps of move 1, sticking to the sets, reps and rest shown, then do all sets of move 2. Then do moves 3b and 3b as a superset, and the same again for moves 4a and 4b.

Build Your Chest and Arms With This Upper-Body Circuit Men's Fitness UK

1. Bench Press

Reps: 8
Rest: 60 secs
Sets: 5

Why: The classic big lift for a bigger, stronger and wider chest.
How:

  • Lie flat on a bench holding a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  • Plant your heels on the floor, tense your glutes and core, then lower the bar to your chest and press it back up.

Build Your Chest and Arms With This Upper-Body Circuit Men's Fitness UK

2. Chin-Ups

Reps: 5-8
Rest: 60 secs
Sets: 5

Why: The best bodyweight move for bigger arms, and one that also works your entire upper back.
How:

  • Hang from a bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip.
  • Engage your abs and glutes and, keeping your chest up, pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar.
  • Pause in this position, then slowly lower yourself back to the start.

Build Your Chest and Arms With This Upper-Body Circuit Men's Fitness UK

3a. Incline Dumbbell Bicep Curls

Reps: 12
Rest: 30 secs
Sets:  4

Why: Starting with your arms behind your torso increases the range of motion.
How:

  • Lie back on a incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand and arms straight.
  • Keeping your elbows in position, curl the weights up to shoulder height and squeeze your biceps.
  • Slowly lower back to the start.

Build Your Chest and Arms With This Upper-Body Circuit Men's Fitness UK

3b. Incline Dumbbell Flyes

Reps: 12
Rest: 60 secs
Sets: 4

Why: It works your upper and outer pecs to build a broader chest.
How:

  • Lie back on an incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand with arms straight and palms facing.
  • With your chest up and a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights out to the sides until you feel a good stretch across your chest, then raise them back to the start.

NOTE: For this final superset, if you don’t have access to a cable machine, superset Diamond Press-Ups with Wide Press-Ups instead. Aim for 10-15 reps of each, rest for 60 secs, and repeat 3 times. 

Build Your Chest and Arms With This Upper-Body Circuit Men's Fitness UK

4a. Cable Rope Overhead Extensions

Reps: 15
Rest: 30 secs
Sets: 4 

Why: This move works your triceps through a full range of motion, and the cable forces your muscles to work hard in both the lifting and lowering phases.
How:

  • Stand tall, holding a double-rope handle attached to the low pulley of a cable machine.
  • Turn to face away, bringing your hands up to your head.
  • Keeping your elbows still and pointing up, press the handles up and forwards to straighten your arms.
  • Flex your triceps at the top, then return to the start. 

Build Your Chest and Arms With This Upper-Body Circuit Men's Fitness UK

4b. Cable Cross-Overs

Reps: 15
Rest: 60 secs
Sets: 4

Why: It isolates the chest muscles and hits the inner and outer sections of the pecs.
How:

  • Stand tall in the middle of a cable machine, holding a D-handle in each hand attached to the high pulley.
  • With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands down and in so they cross in front of your body.
  • Pause for a second, then reverse the move to the start.