Summer is coming, and we all know that your needs are simple. Girls want to look prettier in skirts, and boys want to look good in T-shirts. Who doesn’t want that? However, after all your efforts, your arms or upper body muscles are not growing as you want. Although you exercise daily, you feel that your efforts are still insufficient, or you don’t have enough time to do high-intensity training. Okay, when you see this article, you don’t need to look any further. Below Relife Sports will bring you the best dumbbell arm workout, weight training can make your arms strong muscles.
There are many types of dumbbell arm workouts, many of which can help you build upper body arm muscles. No matter what kind of fitness you have – whether you go to the gym regularly or exercise at home, a dumbbell arm workout is a workout that anyone can do anywhere.
However, before we start introducing why you need to include a dumbbell arm workout in your daily exercise, here you need to understand why you should include a dumbbell arm workout in your daily exercise content. Take note!
Benefits of Dumbbell Arm Workouts
Dumbbell arm workouts offer several benefits for strength, muscle growth, and overall fitness.
Builds strength
Dumbbell sets exercises target specific muscles in the arms, such as the biceps, triceps, forearms, and shoulders. They allow for a range of motion that engages these muscles effectively and improves muscle strength.
Balance and Coordination
Using dumbbells requires stabilization of the muscles and joints, which helps improve balance and coordination. This is particularly beneficial for functional fitness and everyday activities.
Joint Health
Properly performed dumbbell exercises can help strengthen the muscles around your joints, potentially reducing the risk of injuries and improving joint stability over time.
Calorie Burn
Resistance training with dumbbells can contribute to increased calorie expenditure, especially when performing compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
Variety of Exercises
With dumbbells, you can perform a wide range of exercises such as bicep curls, tricep extensions, shoulder presses, lateral raises, and more. This variety helps prevent workout monotony and ensures balanced muscle development.
An important element of functional training
Many dumbbell exercises mimic real-life movements, making them effective for developing functional strength that translates into improved performance in daily tasks or sports.
The Best Dumbbell Arm Workouts to Build Muscle
We all know the muscles in the arms include: the biceps, triceps, posterior deltoids, lateral deltoids, and anterior deltoids. Building muscle in the arms using dumbbells can be effectively achieved through a combination of targeted exercises that focus on the biceps, triceps, shoulders, and forearms.
Biceps
Dumbbell Bicep Curl
Hammer Curl
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Triceps
Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Tricep Kickback
Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Press
Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Lateral Raises
Front Raises
Wrist Curls
Reverse Wrist Curls
Sample Arm Workout Routine
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio.
Main Workout: Choose 3-4 exercises from each category (biceps, triceps, shoulders, forearms).
Perform 3 sets of each exercise.
Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of stretching, focusing on the arms and shoulders.
Related: 8 Best Dumbbell Tricep Exercises to Build Stronger Arms
10 Best Dumbbell Arm Workouts
Tricep Kickback
The tricep kickback is a popular dumbbell arm workout that primarily targets the triceps muscles.
Targeted Muscles: Triceps muscles
a) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
b) Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at your hips to about a 45-degree angle.
c) Your upper arms should be close to your torso, with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
d) Begin by straightening your arms behind you while keeping your upper arms stationary.
e) Hold the contracted position briefly, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position with control.
Bent Over Row
The bent-over row is a dumbbell arm workout that primarily targets the muscles of the upper back, particularly the latissimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, and middle trapezius. It also engages the biceps, rear deltoids (shoulders), and the muscles of the core for stabilization.
Targeted Muscles: Latissimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, middle trapezius
a) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
b) Hold a barbell or two dumbbells with an overhand grip (palms facing down) at about shoulder-width apart.
c) Bend at your hips and lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor.
d) Keeping your core engaged and your back flat, pull the weight towards your lower chest or upper abdomen.
Arnold Press
The Arnold Press is an advanced variation of the traditional dumbbell arm workout. It’s a unique and effective movement that targets the deltoid muscles (shoulders) while also engaging the triceps and upper chest to a lesser extent.
Targeted Muscles: Deltoids, triceps brachii, pectoralis major
a) Begin by sitting on a bench with back support or standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
b) Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height with an underhand grip (palms facing towards you).
c) Press the dumbbells upward while simultaneously rotating your wrists so that your palms face forward at the top of the movement. This rotational movement is key to the Arnold Press.
d) Continue to press the dumbbells upwards until your arms are fully extended overhead.
Hammer Curl
The hammer curl is a popular dumbbell arm workout that primarily targets the biceps brachii muscle, along with engaging the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles in the forearm.
Targeted Muscles: Biceps brachii, brachioradialis, brachialis
a) Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
b) Keep your feet shoulder-width apart for stability.
c) Let your arms hang naturally at your sides with a slight bend at the elbows.
d) Continue curling until the dumbbells are close to your shoulders.
e) Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Lateral Raises
Lateral raises are a great dumbbell arm workout primarily targeting the deltoid muscles of the shoulders, specifically the lateral or side delts.
Targeted Muscles: Lateral deltoid, Anterior deltoid, trapezius
a) Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides with a neutral grip.
b) Exhale and lift the dumbbells away from your sides until your arms are parallel to the floor.
Hammer Curl to Press
The hammer curl to press is a dumbbell arm workout that targets multiple muscles in the arms, specifically the biceps, brachialis, and shoulders.
Targeted Muscles: Biceps brachii, deltoids, Forearms
a) Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inward.
b) Keep your feet shoulder-width apart for stability.
c) Maintain a straight back and engage your core muscles throughout the exercise.
d) Exhale and bend your elbows, lifting the dumbbells towards your shoulders.
V-Raise
The V-raise is a dumbbell arm workout that primarily targets the muscles of the shoulders (deltoids), particularly the lateral deltoid. It’s an effective isolation exercise that helps in strengthening and defining the shoulder muscles.
Targeted Muscles: Deltoids
a) Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand.
b) Your feet should be shoulder-width apart for stability.
c) Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing inward (neutral grip).
d) Keep your arms extended but slightly bent at the elbows throughout the exercise.
Front Raise
The front raise is a dumbbell arm workout primarily targeting the anterior deltoid, which is the front part of the shoulder muscles. It’s an isolation exercise that helps strengthen and develop the shoulders.
Targeted Muscles: Anterior deltoid
a) Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand.
b) Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart for stability.
c) Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing down.
d) Slowly lift the dumbbells in front of you, keeping your arms extended but slightly bent at the elbows.
e) Continue lifting until your arms are parallel to the ground or slightly below shoulder height.
Underhand Bent Over Row
The underhand bent-over row is a dumbbell arm workout primarily targeting the muscles of the back, particularly the latissimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, and lower traps.
Targeted Muscles: latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, lower traps
a) Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell or two dumbbells in front of your thighs with an underhand grip (palms facing up).
b) Keep your back straight, and chest up, and maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
c) Engage your core for stability and pull the barbell or dumbbells towards your lower abdomen or upper thighs, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Rear Delt Row
The Rear Delt Row is a dumbbell arm workout primarily targeting the rear deltoids, which are the muscles located on the backside of the shoulders. This exercise also engages the upper back muscles, particularly the rhomboids and trapezius muscles.
Targeted Muscles: Rear deltoids, rhomboids, trapezius muscles
a) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
b) Let the dumbbells hang directly below your shoulders, with your palms facing each other (neutral grip).
c) Keeping your elbows slightly bent, lift the dumbbells out to the sides until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
