Five-minute workouts tick so many boxes. They are perfect when you are short on time, energy or when you want to quickly target a specific part of your body without necessarily doing a full routine. That’s the beauty of all the quick arm workouts on YouTube: they let you strengthen your upper body in a snap.
Five-minute arm workouts may seem too short to have any benefit, but you can do a lot with the right routine. It’s about finding YouTube videos that feature a variety of moves, like weighted bicep curls to work the front of your arms, triceps raises to focus on your back, and shoulder presses to strengthen those very large deltoids. If you keep moving for the entire five minutes, you’ll be surprised at how much it burns.
To get the most out of your five minute arm workout, this will help you really go all out. This means using good form, keeping your arm muscles fully engaged all the time, and doing as many reps as possible. Ready to work? Here is a variety of five-minute workouts that will target your upper body. Remember: they may be short, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy.
5 minute arm challenge
This five-minute arm challenge from MadFit doesn’t require any equipment, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be difficult. The idea is to keep your arms up and moving throughout the workout to make sure you feel the burn. You’ll start with C-rotations that light up your arms and back, followed by goal posts, L-arms, arm circles, and more. Each only lasts 30 seconds, so you can do it.
5 Minute Low Impact Arm Session
If you want something gentle on the joints, try this low impact arm workout from fabulous 50s. Grab your lightest weights — one or two pound dumbbells work best — so you feel the burn without overdoing it. It starts with bicep curls, then moves on to arm circle variations and tricep pulses so that every part of the arm is covered.
5 minutes of high intensity
Blogilates is known for her short and sweet arm exercises, and this video is no different. The workout starts with a vigorous set of arm circles to get your blood pumping, then moves on to elbow circles, back, triangle pushups, cobra pushups, and up and down planks. It may only last five minutes, but it’s additional intense.
5 minute standing arms
YouTuber Lucy Wyndham-Read makes sure your arms are nice and mobile with a set of arm circles and arm swings before diving into a five-minute nonstop routine. Push through the heat as you do 30 second intervals without repeaters. Once you reach the end there is a good arm stretch to cool off.
Fast burn in 5 minutes
You can do this entire Blogilates arm strengthening routine while seated. Follow her as she explains the form, so you get the most out of every move. They seem easy at first, but you’ll feel it in your shoulders, lats, and arms as you perform exercises like goal post punches, shoulder pulses, and prayers.
5 minute presses and rows
This video of Annie Taylor Murtagh is finished in a flash, but still packs a punch. It’s all about getting back to basics with simple moves like bicep curls, hammer curls, shoulder presses, and row variations. She recommends squeezing your weights on the way up and keeping your core engaged the entire time.
Sculpt arms in 5 minutes
This routine of DAURPOWER straightens your arms without any equipment. There are eight exercises in total — including “air hostesses” and arm circles — that seem doable no matter your mood or energy level. View the video the next time you fancy an arm workout and do it right in your living room.
5 minute finisher
Use this routine Daniela Suarez as a finisher at the end of a workout to make sure your arms get some love. There are shoulder press pulses, arm twists, side lift pulses, arm grabs, and many more moves that will light up your upper body. Each movement lasts 30 seconds and you don’t need any equipment, so feel free to do it in your own corner at the gym.
Weight 10 pounds in 5 minutes
For a challenge, grab some 10lb weights and try this upper body workout from MadFit. Plant your feet for 50-second intervals with reverse flies, tricep extensions, and bicep curls that will cover all of your arm muscles.