The 20-Minute Bodyweight Workout for Stronger Arms

If we’re looking for a great upper-body workout, we usually expect that we’ll need dumbbells, resistance bands, or kettlebells. But we have some awesome news: You don’t need any equipment for this 20-minute workout that seriously strengthens your arms, shoulders, and back.

Follow along as Jaime McFaden, a personal trainer at Grokker, shares the best bodyweight exercises for defined arms and shoulders. You’ll do push-ups, dips, planks, and even animal-inspired moves like "bird dog" and "bear crawl" to work your muscles to the max. The circuit ends with a relaxing cool-down stretch and will leave you feeling stronger and more energized by the end. Ready? Just press play.

Here's the full recap:

Perform each move for 30 seconds.

Warm-Up:
Step-Tap Reaches
Toe Taps
Jumping Jacks
Arm Circles/Shoulder Rolls
Hip Rolls
Hamstring Curls

Circuit (repeat for two rounds total):
Push-Ups
Dips
Plank Jacks
Reverse Plank
Superman
Bird Dog
Bear Crawls
Punch Combo

Cool Down:
Runner’s Lunge
Hamstring Stretch
Triangle Pose
Switch Sides
Deep Breaths

Interested in more short and effective home workouts? Find thousands more on Grokker, the one-stop online resource for wellness. Grokker sifts through thousands of videos on the web, constantly filtering and aggregating the best cooking, yoga, and fitness videos available so you don’t have to.

May 03, 2015 at 10:00AM The 20-Minute Bodyweight Workout for Stronger Arms Greatist RSS