Pump up your shoulders and chest in 15 minutes with this simple 3-move workout

If you don’t have a savage pump after this, then you’re not doing it properly

Man performing seated lateral raises at the gym
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The bench press is just one way you can build muscle in your chest and shoulders, but if you’re looking for a workout that fires up these muscles fast, and leaves you with a savage pump afterward, then this workout can help. All you need is a resistance band (if you're at home, cable machine if you're in the gym), a pair of dumbbells, and your bodyweight. 

After all, there’s no better feeling than finishing a workout where you can see noticeable changes in your body. That’s exactly what this hypertrophy circuit intends to do as the short rest periods and high reps will overload the muscles helping to stimulate growth. But it won’t just help you build muscle, as a meta-analysis study found that resistance circuits can also reduce fat mass and improve your cardiovascular fitness – so it'll help you become strong and fit!

For this workout, complete the exercises and reps stated below for three rounds. Rest for 30 seconds between each exercise then, once you’ve completed the entire circuit, rest for 90 to 120 seconds. You could either add this circuit onto the end of a push workout or if you’re tight on time you could do it alone and just increase the amount of rounds from three to four, or five. Get ready for a savage pump. Here’s your workout:

  • Pec flies – 12-15 reps
  • Seated lateral raises – 12 - 15 reps
  • Deficit push-ups – max reps (aim to hit the same amount of reps during each round)

If you’re looking for more quick-fire workouts like this one, then here’s a speedy five-move upper-body pull workout you can do next, with just a pair of dumbbells. Also, while you may love that upper body pump, don’t forget you can’t skip leg day! Here’s a four-move dumbbell workout that will light up all your lower body muscles.

Bryony Firth-Bernard
Staff Writer, Active

Bryony’s T3’s official ‘gym-bunny’ and Active Staff Writer, covering all things fitness. In her spare time, you will find her in her natural habitat - the gym - where her style of training is a hybrid of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bryony loves writing about accessible workouts, nutrition and testing innovative fitness products that help you reach your fitness goals and take your training to the next level.