Upper body cardio exercises offer the perfect combination of strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. Whether you want to burn calories or build lean muscle mass, they can help you achieve your goal. Unlike traditional cardio that primarily focuses on your lower body, these exercises engage your arms, shoulders, chest, and core at the same time. You can also use home exercise equipment like rowing machine, exercise bikes, or other trainer to do your upper body cardio workouts.
Whether you're short on time, working out at home, or simply want to maximize your training efficiency, upper body cardio exercises deliver exceptional results. They elevate your heart rate quickly, torch calories during and after your workout, and help develop functional strength that translates to everyday activities. Let's explore the ten most effective upper body cardio exercises that will transform your fitness routine.
1. Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are what we suggest one of the best upper body cardio exercise, combining explosive movement with sustained muscle engagement1. This dynamic exercise targets your shoulders, arms, chest, and core while delivering an intense cardiovascular challenge that can burn up to 10 calories per minute.
To perform mountain climbers correctly, start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Keep your core tight and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Rapidly alternate bringing each knee toward your chest, maintaining the plank position throughout the movement. The key is to move quickly while keeping your hips level and avoiding any bouncing motion.
Tips: Start with 20-30 seconds and gradually increase to 60 seconds. For added intensity, try cross-body mountain climbers where you bring your knee toward the opposite elbow.
2. Burpees
Burpees are arguably the most challenging and effective full-body cardio exercise, with significant emphasis on upper body strength and endurance1. This compound movement combines a squat, plank, push-up, and jump, creating an exercise that can burn approximately 15 calories per minute while building explosive power.
Begin standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Drop into a squat position and place your hands on the floor. Jump your feet back into a plank position, perform a push-up, then jump your feet back to the squat position. Finally, explode upward with a jump, reaching your arms overhead. The entire sequence should flow smoothly without pausing between movements.
Tips: Remove the push-up for beginners, or add a tuck jump at the top for advanced practitioners. You can also step back into plank position instead of jumping if you need to reduce impact.
3. Push-Up Variations
Push-ups are the foundation of upper body strength training and can be transformed into powerful cardio exercises through tempo manipulation and creative variations2. Standard push-ups primarily target the chest, shoulders, and triceps, but explosive variations significantly increase the cardiovascular demand.
For cardio-focused push-ups, try explosive push-ups where you push up with enough force to lift your hands off the ground. Alternatively, perform push-ups with a rapid tempo, aiming for 15-20 repetitions in 30 seconds. Diamond push-ups, wide-grip push-ups, and decline push-ups each target different muscle groups while maintaining the cardiovascular challenge.
Tips: Combine different push-up variations in a circuit format, or add a clap at the top of each explosive push-up for maximum power development.
4. Plank Walk-Ups
Plank walk-ups challenge your entire upper body while providing an excellent cardiovascular workout that improves both strength and endurance2. This exercise targets your shoulders, triceps, chest, and core while requiring coordination and stability that elevates your heart rate significantly.
Start in a forearm plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Place one hand flat on the ground where your elbow was, then do the same with the other hand, pushing up to a high plank position. Reverse the movement by lowering back to your forearms one arm at a time. Focus on keeping your hips square and minimizing any swaying motion.
Tips: Perform the movement faster for increased cardio intensity, or add a push-up at the top of each walk-up for additional upper body engagement.
5. Dumbbell Thrusters
Dumbbell thrusters combine a squat with an overhead press, creating a full-body cardio exercise with significant upper body emphasis9. This compound movement burns calories rapidly while building functional strength in your shoulders, arms, and core.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing forward. Perform a squat, then as you stand up, press the dumbbells overhead in one fluid motion. Lower the weights back to shoulder height as you descend into the next squat. The key is maintaining a smooth, continuous rhythm that keeps your heart rate elevated throughout the set.
Tips: Choose a weight that allows you to maintain proper form for 45-60 seconds of continuous movement. This typically means using lighter weights than you would for isolated exercises.
6. Bear Crawls
Bear crawls provide an intense upper body cardio workout while improving coordination, core stability, and shoulder strength1. This primal movement pattern engages your entire upper body while challenging your cardiovascular system through sustained isometric holds and dynamic movement.
Start in a tabletop position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Lift your knees about two inches off the ground and maintain this position throughout the movement. Crawl forward by moving your opposite hand and foot simultaneously, keeping your core tight and your back flat. Move slowly and deliberately to maximize muscle engagement.
Tips: Try bear crawls backward, sideways, or in a circle to challenge different muscle groups and movement patterns.
7. Renegade Rows
Renegade rows combine the stability challenge of a plank with the pulling motion of a row, creating an exceptional upper body cardio exercise9. This movement targets your back, shoulders, arms, and core while providing cardiovascular benefits through the sustained plank hold and dynamic rowing motion.
Start in a high plank position holding a dumbbell in each hand. Maintaining the plank position, row one dumbbell up to your side, keeping your elbow close to your body. Lower the weight back to the ground and repeat on the other side. Focus on minimizing hip rotation and maintaining a strong plank throughout the movement.
Tips: Use hexagonal dumbbells if available to prevent rolling, and engage your core extra tight to resist rotation during the rowing motion.
8. Battle Rope Alternatives (Towel Slams)
While battle ropes provide excellent upper body cardio, you can achieve similar benefits using a towel for explosive slamming motions. This exercise targets your shoulders, arms, and core while providing intense cardiovascular stimulation through rapid, powerful movements.
Hold a towel with both hands overhead, then slam it down toward the ground with maximum force and speed. Immediately lift it back overhead and repeat. The key is maintaining maximum intensity and speed throughout the set. Focus on using your entire upper body to generate power for each slam.
Tips: Perform towel slams for 20-30 seconds at maximum intensity, followed by 10-15 seconds of rest, repeating for multiple rounds.
9. Inchworms
Inchworms provide a dynamic upper body cardio workout that improves flexibility while challenging your shoulders, arms, and core1. This flowing movement combines stretching with strength training, making it an excellent exercise for warming up or as part of a cardio circuit.
Start standing with feet hip-width apart. Bend forward and place your hands on the ground, then walk your hands forward until you reach a plank position. Perform a push-up if desired, then walk your feet toward your hands and return to standing. The movement should be smooth and controlled while maintaining tension in your upper body throughout.
Tips: Add a push-up in the plank position, or perform the movement faster to increase cardiovascular demand.
10. Cardio Equipment Integration
For those with access to cardio equipment, rowing machines provide the ultimate upper body cardio workout. Rowing engages your back, shoulders, arms, and core while delivering exceptional cardiovascular benefits. The pulling motion targets often-neglected posterior chain muscles while providing a low-impact, high-intensity workout option.
When using rowing equipment, focus on proper technique with a strong leg drive, followed by a powerful pull with your arms and back. Maintain a steady rhythm that allows you to sustain the effort for your desired workout duration. For maximum cardio benefits, aim for intervals of 250-500 meters at high intensity, followed by active recovery periods.
4 Best Steps for Your Upper Body Cardio Workouts
Upper body HIIT workouts
HIIT workouts for your upper body are super simple and crazy effective. You basically do short bursts of intense exercises followed by quick rest periods. Think 30 seconds of mountain climbers, then 15 seconds rest, then 30 seconds of burpees, then rest again. For a week, try doing this 3 times - maybe Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Start with 4-5 exercises like push-ups, jumping jacks, plank-ups, and arm circles. Do each one for 30 seconds with 15-20 seconds rest between them. Repeat the whole thing 3-4 times. Tuesday and Thursday can be your rest days or light stretching days. Weekend? Maybe do one longer session or just chill.
This stuff works because your heart rate goes through the roof and stays high even after you're done. It's like your body keeps burning calories for hours after you finish working out. Plus, you're building muscle and getting cardio at the same time, which is pretty awesome.
Extra Tip: Don't go crazy on your first week - you'll burn out fast. Also, if you can't catch your breath between exercises, make your rest periods longer. Your form matters more than speed, so don't get sloppy just to go faster.
Arm cardio exercises
Arm cardio is all about keeping your arms moving non-stop to get your heart pumping. You can do arm circles, boxing punches in the air, or even just swing your arms around like you're swimming. For your weekly plan, do this every other day - so 3-4 times a week. Start with 2-3 minutes of continuous arm movements, then rest for a minute, then do it again. Try different moves like overhead arm swings, cross-body punches, or pretend jump rope (just move your arms like you're holding a rope). Mix it up so you don't get bored. Each session should be about 15-20 minutes total.
Your arms have way more muscles than you think, and when you keep them moving fast, your heart has to work harder to pump blood to all those muscles. It's like doing cardio without having to run or jump around, which is perfect if your knees hurt or you live in an apartment.
Extra Tip: Don't hold your breath while doing these - keep breathing normally. If your shoulders start hurting, slow down or take a break. You're not trying to win a prize here, just get a good workout.
Shoulder cardio movements
Shoulder cardio is basically making your shoulders work hard while keeping your heart rate up. You can do shoulder shrugs really fast, arm raises up and down, or even pretend you're swimming different strokes. Plan to do this 3 times a week with a day off between each session. Start with 5-6 different shoulder moves and do each one for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest. Things like front raises, side raises, shoulder rolls, and overhead reaches work great. Don't use heavy weights - light ones or even no weights at all. The key is to keep moving for the whole time. After a few days, you can add more time or more exercises.
This targets one of the biggest muscle groups in your upper body, so your heart has to pump harder to keep up. Plus, strong shoulders help with pretty much everything you do during the day, from carrying groceries to reaching for stuff on high shelves.
Extra Tip: Your shoulders are pretty delicate, so don't go too crazy with the movements. If something feels pinchy or sharp, stop right away. Keep your movements smooth and controlled - jerky motions are a quick way to hurt yourself.
Chest cardio exercises
Chest cardio combines push-up style movements with fast-paced exercises to work your chest muscles while getting your heart going. You can do regular push-ups, wall push-ups, or even just press your palms together in front of your chest and pulse them. For the week, aim for 3 sessions with rest days in between. Try doing 30 seconds of different chest moves like push-ups (any kind you can do), chest squeezes, or arm crosses in front of your body. Rest for 30 seconds, then move to the next exercise. Do about 5-6 different moves and repeat the whole thing 2-3 times. If regular push-ups are too hard, do them on your knees or against a wall.
Your chest muscles are pretty big, so when you work them hard, your body needs more oxygen and your heart rate shoots up. It's also great for building upper body strength that you'll actually use in real life, like pushing doors open or moving furniture.
Extra Tip: Don't let your back sag during push-ups - keep everything tight like a plank. If you feel pain in your wrists, try doing push-ups on your fists instead of flat palms. Quality beats quantity every time, so do fewer good ones instead of lots of sloppy ones.
How to Get the Best From Upper Body Training?
Progressive Overload: Gradually increase workout duration, reduce rest periods, or add resistance to continue challenging your body. Track your progress by recording the number of repetitions completed in each time interval.
Find more here: Progressive Overload Tips
Proper Form: Maintain perfect technique even as fatigue sets in. Poor form reduces exercise effectiveness and increases injury risk. If you can't maintain proper form, reduce the intensity or take additional rest.
Recovery and Nutrition: Upper body cardio exercises are demanding on your muscles and cardiovascular system. Ensure adequate protein intake for muscle recovery and stay hydrated throughout your workouts.
Upper body cardio exercises offer an efficient, effective way to burn calories, build strength, and improve cardiovascular health simultaneously. These ten exercises can be performed anywhere with minimal equipment, making them perfect for home workouts or when traveling. Start with the beginner circuit and gradually progress to more challenging variations as your fitness improves.
Remember that consistency is key to seeing results. Aim to incorporate upper body cardio exercises into your routine 2-3 times per week, allowing adequate recovery between sessions. With dedication and proper progression, you'll develop impressive upper body strength while achieving your cardiovascular fitness goals.
Which upper body exercises help improve both strength and cardiovascular health
Several upper body exercises effectively combine strength building with cardiovascular benefits. Push-ups, mountain climbers, and burpees are excellent bodyweight options that elevate your heart rate while building muscle23. Circuit resistance training that combines resistance exercises with aerobic stations has been shown to improve both muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness significantly1. Battle ropes, dumbbell thrusters, and rowing movements are particularly effective because they engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously while maintaining an elevated heart rate39. These exercises work by creating metabolic stress that challenges your cardiovascular system while the resistance component builds strength in your chest, shoulders, arms, and core muscles.
Are there beginner-friendly upper body cardio routines I can try at home
Yes, there are many beginner-friendly upper body cardio routines you can do at home with minimal equipment. A simple routine might include jump rope for 60 seconds, followed by bicep curls, tricep extensions, and modified push-ups for 30 seconds each. You can also try a circuit of arm swings, front raises, and inchworms which are low-impact but effective for getting your heart rate up. Start with 2-3 rounds of these exercises with 60-90 seconds rest between rounds, and gradually increase the duration as your fitness improves. Most of these exercises require only light dumbbells or can be done with household items like water bottles.
How do water or air rowing machines enhance my upper body cardio training
Rowing machines provide exceptional upper body cardio training by engaging 86% of your body's muscles with each stroke, including your back, shoulders, arms, and core. Water rowing machines offer smooth, variable resistance that automatically adjusts to your intensity level, mimicking the natural feel of rowing on water while providing a low-impact, full-body workout. Studies show that 12 weeks of rowing training can significantly improve cardiorespiratory fitness and upper body strength. The rowing motion combines both pulling and pushing movements that work your entire upper body while maintaining an elevated heart rate, making it one of the most efficient cardio exercises available. Rowing can burn 480-700 calories per hour while being gentle on your joints, making it suitable for all fitness levels6.
Leave a comment
All comments are moderated before being published.
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.