Under 10 Minute Upper Body Workout with Dumbbells

Today's routine features a simple upper body strength routine. It comprises the workout demonstrated in the video Upper Body Strength Routine + Why Strength Training is Essential After 50.

Strength training is an important component to any exercise routine, however, can sometimes be challenging to complete as we age, particularly if experiencing chronic pain, injury, or impairment. Adding simple dumbbell exercises is one way to develop a strength training routine.    

Remember if you are experiencing injury or pain, make sure to see your Physiotherapist or healthcare professional prior to participating in exercise. This blog post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individual physiotherapy assessment and treatment.

This routine requires a chair, mat, and dumbbells. I am using 1kg dumbbells. When choosing weights, choose a weight that is challenging, but that you can complete around 8 repetitions with. 

Starting with a warmup. Starting with a warmup. With your arms by your side, roll your shoulders forward. Repeat 8 times, then roll your shoulders backwards.   

The first exercise is bicep curls. With your arm by your side and palm facing forwards, bend your right elbow to bring the weight toward your shoulder, slowly lower back down. Repeat 8 times each side. 

The second exercise is shoulder press. Starting with the weight in your right hand, press the weight overhead, then slowly lower it back down to around shoulder height. Repeat 8 times, each side. 

The third exercise is chest press. Holding the weight around chest height, press your right hand forward. Repeat 8 times, each arm. 

Beginning the second set, this time for bicep curls, the variation is alternating double arm. With the weights by your side, bend at the elbow to bring the weights up to your shoulder. 

Moving on to shoulder press, again showing the variation of alternating double arm. Feel free to stick to the single arm variation if you prefer or give the alternating variation a try.

And the last set of weights today, chest press. This time showing a variation of lying on a mat. Lying on your back with your elbows bent, push the weights up to the sky. Then slowly lower back down. This variation could also be done on a weight bench if you have access to one.  

In summary, In summary, this routine covered some upper body strength exercises while we touched on why strength training is so important after age 50. I hope this routine has been helpful. If you would like to watch the exercises in this routine, the accompanying video can be found on the Age Fit with Tess Youtube channel.

To find out if you are on track with your exercise program, the Age Fit with Tess Self Assessment can be found here.

Tess Halbauer

Physiotherapist