25 Min Upper Body & Abs Strength and SIT Workout

A Sweaty, Effective Upper Body Strength Workout in 25 Minutes

I know upper body day is not everyone’s favourite. 😂

So if I’m going to ask you to train arms, shoulders and back with me, I want to make it worth your time.

This 25-minute upper body strength workout moves through three quick tri-sets, mixes in core work as we go, then finishes with two short SIT blocks to get your heart rate right up.

It’s strength first, cardio second, and there is absolutely no standing around wondering when arm day is going to end.

Short, effective and very sweaty.

What You’ll Gain From This Upper Body Strength Workout

• ✔️ Stronger arms, shoulders and back, with core work built into the session
• ✔️ A short SIT finisher to push your heart rate up without turning the whole workout into cardio
• ✔️ A complete upper body workout using dumbbells and an optional bench
• ✔️ Modifications for every exercise so you can adjust the workout to suit your body
• ✔️ Just 25 minutes of training with very little wasted time

Upper Body Strength Workout Overview

Why This Upper Body Strength Workout Format Works

Why tri-sets build real upper body strength. I love a tri-set when I want to get a lot of good strength work done without making the workout ridiculously long.

We pair three movements together and move through them with short rests, which means your arms, shoulders and back accumulate plenty of work while the session keeps moving.

That strength work becomes even more important as we get older. We naturally begin to lose muscle mass as we age, and maintaining muscle through resistance training becomes particularly valuable through perimenopause and beyond. Strength Training During Perimenopause

You don’t need an hour in the gym to make your strength training count. You just need good exercises, enough resistance and a reason for those muscles to work.

Why the SIT finisher matters. SIT stands for sprint interval training: short bursts of harder effort followed by a proper recovery.

And before anyone panics at the word “sprint”, you do not need to actually sprint anywhere. 😂

Here we’re using movements like high knees, mountain climbers, switch burpees and plank jacks to push the intensity up for short periods.

The strength work is already done by this point. The SIT blocks are simply the spicy little finish that gets your heart rate up, adds some conditioning and makes 25 minutes feel like a very complete workout.

Why this fits into a sustainable routine. A workout can be brilliant on paper, but if you dread doing it, it’s probably not going to become part of your routine.

That’s why I like this format. It’s short enough to fit into a busy day, there’s enough variety to keep it interesting and you still get proper strength work done before we add the cardio.

Consistency over intensity. Always.

The Full Upper Body Strength Workout

Warm Up

Add your usual dynamic warm-up before starting. Think arm circles, band pull-aparts, and a few bodyweight movement preps to get your shoulders and upper back ready to load.

Tri-Set 1: Arms + Shoulders
Complete for 2 rounds, 30 seconds work / 15 seconds rest:

1️⃣ Bicep Curls
2️⃣ Alt Neutral Grip Front Raise
3️⃣ Plank Core Rotations

Rest 30 seconds between rounds.

Tri-Set 2: Shoulders + Triceps
Complete for 2 rounds, 30 seconds work / 15 seconds rest:

1️⃣ Shoulder Press
2️⃣ Bench Tricep Dips
3️⃣ DB Side Bends (Left)
4️⃣ DB Side Bends (Right)

Rest 30 seconds between rounds.

Tri-Set 3: Biceps + Back + Core
Complete for 2 rounds, 30 seconds work / 15 seconds rest:

1️⃣ Hammer Curls
2️⃣ Bench Supported DB Row
3️⃣ DB Russian Twist

Rest 30 seconds between rounds.

SIT Block 1
30 seconds work / 30 seconds rest, twice through:

1️⃣ High Knees + Punch
2️⃣ Mountain Climbers

SIT Block 2
30 seconds work / 30 seconds rest, twice through:

1️⃣ Switch Burpees
2️⃣ Plank Jacks

Workout Complete 🔥
Burn approximately 180 calories

Exercises Worth Calling Out in This Upper Body Strength Workout

Bicep Curls open the workout on purpose. Nothing fancy here. I wanted to start with a movement you know well so you can grab a challenging weight, settle into the workout and get some solid strength work into the biceps before the tri-sets start moving quickly.

DB Side Bends give us some sneaky core work. We’re loading one side at a time and asking your core to keep you strong and controlled rather than collapsing towards the dumbbell. Keep the movement slow and resist the temptation to turn it into a race.

Switch Burpees are where things get spicy. Your upper body strength work is done by now, so this is your chance to push. Work hard during the 30 seconds, use the full rest and take the modification if you need it. Thirty seconds can feel surprisingly long when burpees are involved. 😂

Trainer Tips for This Upper Body Strength Workout

• ✔️ Choose weights that make the final few seconds of each strength interval genuinely challenging
• ✔️ Keep the short rests honest. Fifteen seconds goes quickly, but that recovery will help you keep your form strong through round two
• ✔️ If you don’t have a bench, a sturdy chair or step can work for the tricep dips and supported row
• ✔️ Use the modifications when you need them. A modification is not cheating, it’s simply another version of the exercise
• ✔️ Go heavier where you can for movements like curls, presses and rows, then reduce the load for exercises such as the front raise and side bends
• ✔️ During the SIT blocks, work at the fastest pace you can control. More speed is not useful if your form has completely disappeared

Who This Upper Body Strength Workout Is Perfect For

This upper body strength workout is for you if you want to train your upper body properly but really don’t want to spend an hour doing it.

Maybe upper body day is the session you’re most likely to skip. Maybe you get bored doing endless sets of presses and curls. Or maybe you simply have 25 minutes and want to make them count.

That’s exactly where this workout fits.

The tri-sets keep the strength work moving, the core exercises break things up nicely, and just when you think you’re nearly finished, I throw in eight minutes of SIT because apparently I can’t help myself. 😂

You get your strength work first, then a short hit of conditioning at the end without turning the whole session into HIIT.

Save This Upper Body Strength Workout

Want to come back to this workout and actually remember what weights you used?

Grab the free printable workout card. You can fill in your dumbbell weights, tick off the SIT blocks and leave yourself notes for next time.

👉 Upper Body & Abs Strength and SIT Workout Card | Interactive PDF

What to Try Next

• 👉 Barbell Lower Body Workout for Women Over 40
• 👉 30 Minute Full Body Barbell Workout for Women Over 40
• 👉 35 Minute No Repeat Full Body Strength Workout for Women Over 40

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this upper body strength workout suitable for perimenopause?

Yes. Strength training is something I want women prioritising through perimenopause, and this gives you a solid dose of upper body resistance training without needing a huge amount of time. You can also adjust the weights, pace and SIT modifications depending on how your energy feels that day.

What weight dumbbells should I use?

I used 8kg/17.5 lbs, 10kg/22 lbs, and 15kg/32 lbs throughout this session, but please use weights that suit your strength level. You’ll probably want something lighter for the front raises and side bends and heavier dumbbells for your curls, presses and rows.

The important part is that the weight actually challenges you by the end of the 30 seconds.

Can I do this upper body strength workout as a beginner?

Yes. Use lighter dumbbells, follow the modifications shown on screen and take a little extra recovery if you need it. You don’t have to match my weight or pace for the workout to count.

How many calories does this workout burn?

I burned approximately 180 calories during this workout, but your number may be completely different depending on your body, your weights and how hard you’re working.

Treat calorie burn as information, not the reason we’re training.

How often should I do this upper body strength workout?

Once or twice a week could fit really nicely alongside your lower body and full body strength sessions. Give the muscles you’ve trained time to recover before hitting another hard upper body workout.

Do I need a gym?

Nope. A few sets of dumbbells and enough room to move are really all you need.

Do I need a bench for this workout?

A bench is useful for the tricep dips and supported row, but it isn’t essential. You can use a sturdy chair or step instead, or follow the alternative shown in the workout.

Ready When You Are

That’s it. Twenty-five minutes.

Three upper body tri-sets, plenty of core work and two short SIT blocks to finish things off properly.

If upper body day is usually the workout you avoid, give this upper body strength workout a go before you write it off. You might even enjoy it. No promises on the plank jacks though. 😂

Press play, train along with me and then come back and tell me which tri-set got you the most.

Penny x