Short on time but still want a proper upper body strength session? This 30-minute push day workout gives your chest, shoulders and triceps focused, challenging work using nothing more than dumbbells and a mat. 🔥
An At Home Push Day for Your Chest, Shoulders and Triceps
This is a proper upper body push day built for training at home. No bench, no machines, just three sets of dumbbells, a mat and 30 focused minutes.
We work through three strength supersets, pairing a bigger pressing movement with a targeted exercise to really finish the muscle off. You’ll move from shoulder press and tricep extensions to floor chest press and lateral raises, then constant tension chest flys and skull crushers.
There are three rounds of every superset, so although the workout is short, there is plenty of volume here. Your chest, shoulders and especially your triceps are going to know they’ve worked.
Then we change pace with a Push + Abs Switchback finisher. Five exercises take you forward through push-ups, planks and core work before you work your way straight back through them again.
Short, spicy and very effective.
Grab your dumbbells and let’s go.
What You’ll Gain
- ✔️ A complete push day workout at home in just 30 minutes, no bench or machines required
- ✔️ Stronger shoulders through focused overhead pressing and lateral raise work
- ✔️ Plenty of chest work using floor presses and constant tension flys
- ✔️ Direct triceps training alongside compound presses for stronger, more defined arms
- ✔️ A Push + Abs Switchback finisher that challenges your upper body and core together
Workout Overview
| ⏱ Duration | 30 minutes including warm up and cool down |
| 🔥 Calories | Around 185 |
| 🏋️ Equipment | Three sets of dumbbells and a mat |
| 💪 Focus | Upper body push: chest, shoulders, triceps and core |
| 📊 Level | All levels, fully scalable |
| 🎯 Format | 3 supersets × 3 rounds (40s work / 20s rest), then a Switchback finisher × 2 rounds (30s work / 15s rest) |
Why This Format Works for Women Over 40
Pushing strength matters more than you might think. As we get older, maintaining muscle and strength becomes increasingly important, and that becomes especially relevant through the perimenopause years. Strength training can play an important role in supporting muscle, bone and long-term function.
And upper body pushing strength isn’t just about what you can lift in a workout. It’s what helps you push yourself up from the floor, lift something overhead, move furniture, carry bags and stay strong for everyday life.
A dedicated push day workout gives your chest, shoulders and triceps enough focused work to actually challenge them and build strength over time.
Supersets make 30 minutes count. Each strength block pairs two exercises so you can fit more quality work into a shorter session without making it feel rushed.
We start with the bigger pressing movement while you’re fresher, then follow it with a more targeted exercise.
Your triceps, for example, already work hard during the shoulder press before getting their own direct work in the extension. The same idea carries through the workout.
It means every superset has a purpose, and you can accumulate plenty of effective strength work without needing an hour to train.
The Switchback finisher brings your core in. The final block changes the feel completely. Push-ups, commando planks and sit-up presses challenge your upper body while asking your core to stabilise and control every rep.
You work through five exercises and then reverse your way back through them, giving you that satisfying Switchback format where the first movement also becomes your last.
It’s a fun change of pace after the heavier strength work, and just spicy enough to finish.
Consistency over intensity. Energised, not exhausted. Always.
The Full Push Day Workout
Warm Up · 30 seconds each
1️⃣ Arm Circles
2️⃣ Arm Swings
3️⃣ Inchworm
4️⃣ Punches
Superset 1 · 3 Rounds · 40s work / 20s rest
1️⃣ Shoulder Press | 7kg/15.5 lbs
2️⃣ Tricep Extension | 10kg/22 lbs
30 secs rest
Superset 2 · 3 Rounds · 40s work / 20s rest
1️⃣ Floor Chest Press | 10kg/22 lbs
2️⃣ Half Kneeling Lateral Raise | 5kg/10.5 lbs
60 secs rest
Superset 3 · 3 Rounds · 40s work / 20s rest
1️⃣ Constant Tension Chest Fly | 5kg/10.5 lbs
2️⃣ 2 DB Skull Crusher | 5kg/10.5 lbs
30 secs rest
Upper & Core Switchback Finisher · 2 Rounds · 30s work / 15s rest · Round 2 in reverse
1️⃣ Pushup Ankle Tap
2️⃣ Straight Leg Toe Touches
3️⃣ Commando Plank
4️⃣ DB Bent Knee Sit-up Press | 5kg/10.5 lbs
5️⃣ Plank X Body Knee to Elbow
5️⃣ Plank X Body Knee to Elbow
4️⃣ DB Bent Knee Sit-up Press | 5kg/10.5 lbs
3️⃣ Commando Plank
2️⃣ Straight Leg Toe Touches
1️⃣ Pushup Ankle Tap
Workout Complete 🔥
Burn approximately 185 calories
Exercises Worth Calling Out
Floor Chest Press. Lie on your back with your knees bent and dumbbells positioned over your chest. Lower with control until your upper arms meet the floor, then press the weights back up strongly. The floor naturally limits your range of motion, making this a great option when you’re training at home without a bench.
Half Kneeling Lateral Raise. Kneeling on one knee takes some of the momentum out of the movement, making your shoulders do the work. Keep a soft bend in your elbows, lift the dumbbells out to the sides with control and stop around shoulder height. Go lighter than you think you need to. These add up quickly.
Commando Plank. Start in a forearm plank, press up onto your hands one arm at a time, then lower back down. Keep your feet a little wider for stability and concentrate on keeping your hips as still as possible. Drop your knees whenever you need to rather than letting your form fall apart.
Trainer Tips
- ✔️ Set all three sets of dumbbells out before you press play. The weight changes happen quickly between exercises.
- ✔️ On your shoulder press, keep your ribs down and glutes switched on so you’re pressing from your shoulders rather than arching through your lower back.
- ✔️ During tricep extensions and skull crushers, keep your elbows controlled and pointing forward so the tension stays where you want it: in your triceps.
- ✔️ On the constant tension chest fly, stop just before the dumbbells meet at the top. That little change keeps tension on your chest instead of giving it a rest between reps.
- ✔️ Don’t be afraid to use different weights for different movements. Your chest can usually handle considerably more load than your lateral raises.
- ✔️ Every exercise in the finisher has a modification. Use it as soon as your form starts to slip. You’re still training the same movement pattern.
Who This Push Day Workout Is Perfect For
This push day workout is for you if you want stronger shoulders, chest and arms but train at home without a bench or machines. Everything is done standing, kneeling or on the mat, and three sets of dumbbells are all you need.
It’s especially useful if you enjoy splitting your upper body training into dedicated Push and Pull days. Pair this with my Upper Body Pull workout and you’ve got two focused 30-minute strength sessions covering your whole upper body.
It’s also a great option for days when you want to give your legs a break.
There are no squats, lunges or jumping, so you can still get a solid strength session in while keeping the focus completely above the waist. And because every finisher move has a modification, you can scale the intensity to suit how you’re feeling that day.
Save This Workout
I’ve made an interactive workout card for this one so you can log the weight you use for every superset round and both rounds of the finisher.
That means the next time you come back to this push day workout, you’re not guessing. You’ll know exactly what you lifted last time, and where you might be ready to go a little heavier.
👉 Upper Body Push Day Workout Card | Interactive PDF
What to Try Next
- 60 Min Full Body Dumbbell Workout to Build Muscle at Home
- 30 Min Heavy Compound Leg Day | Quads, Glutes & Hamstrings
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this push day workout suitable for perimenopause?
Absolutely. Strength training is one of the most valuable things you can prioritise through your 40s and the perimenopause years because it helps you maintain and build muscle while supporting strength and bone health.
You don’t have to train at maximum intensity every time, either. If your energy is lower on the day, choose lighter dumbbells and keep the session rather than feeling like you need to skip it completely.
What weight dumbbells should I use?
I used 10kg/22 lbs for the floor press and tricep extension, 7kg/15.5 lbs for the shoulder press, and 5kg/10.5 lbs for the lateral raises, flys, skull crushers and sit-up press.
Use those numbers as a guide rather than a target.
Choose a weight where your final few reps feel genuinely challenging but your technique still looks like it did at the start of the set. And remember that your shoulders will usually need considerably less weight than your chest.
Why the floor chest press instead of a bench press?
Because you don’t need a bench to train your chest effectively.
The floor gives you a clear stopping point at the bottom of every rep and limits the amount your upper arm travels behind your body. It’s simple, stable and one of my favourite chest exercises for home workouts.
Can I do this push day workout as a beginner?
Yes. Start with lighter dumbbells, take additional rest when you need it and use the modifications during the finisher.
Don’t worry about matching my weights. Your first goal is to learn the exercises and move well. You can gradually increase your weights as you get stronger.
How many calories does this workout burn?
My watch recorded around 185 calories. Your number may be higher or lower depending on your body size, muscle mass, dumbbell weights and how hard you’re working.
Treat calorie burn as an interesting bit of data rather than the goal of the workout. The bigger win here is building strength and muscle.
How often should I do this push day workout?
Once or twice per week can work well, depending on the rest of your training.
Give your chest, shoulders and triceps time to recover before training them hard again. Pair this with a Pull Day, lower body training and some walking or mobility across the rest of your week for a balanced routine.
Do I need a gym?
No. That’s the whole point of this one.
Grab your dumbbells and a mat and you’ve got everything you need for a proper upper body Push Day at home, no bench, machines or gym membership required.
Give this push day a go and tell me in the comments on YouTube which superset had your triceps shaking 💪
And if you haven’t done it yet, pair this with my 30-Minute Upper Body Pull Day for a seriously good little Push/Pull strength split.
Remember: consistency over intensity. Strong and energised, not exhausted. Always. 🔥
Penny x
