Build strong, defined arms with this effective dumbbell upper-body workout. You’ll combine isolation moves with multi-joint, compound exercises to target every angle of your upper body. Structured in a triset format, you’ll train both the push muscles (shoulders, chest and triceps) and the pull muscles (back and biceps).
Building upper-body strength isn’t just about having toned arms; it’s about functional fitness that carries into everyday life.
Strong shoulders, back, chest, and arms make simple tasks easier, like carrying groceries, lifting my kids or moving the couch. Increasing your upper body strength can also support better posture and balance, leading to fewer falls and injuries.
As a personal trainer, one of my favorite ways to structure an upper-body strength training workout is the “triset” format that targets both the upper body push muscles (shoulders, chest and triceps) and the upper body pull muscles (back and biceps).
You don’t need fancy equipment or more than 30 minutes to tone your arms and see muscle gain. Honestly, I’ve found short, efficient home strength workout plans to be more effective than those long gym sessions when it comes to building muscle.
Unlike machines at the gym (like the cable machine, barbell or lat pull-down), dumbbells force me to engage all the smaller stabilizing muscles in my upper body. Using free weights (such as dumbbells or kettlebells) also allows me to train in multiple planes of motion, mimicking real-life movement patterns.
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— Morgan W.
Workout Details
This at-home workout uses just a set of dumbbells to strengthen arms and build muscle definition. Modifications are offered throughout, making it suitable for any fitness level. This workout also includes a dynamic warm-up and a comprehensive cool-down.
I recommend incorporating 1-2 upper-body dumbbell workouts into your weekly workout routine, alternated with lower-body workouts, full-body workouts and rest days.
Workout Equipment:
Medium to Heavy Set of Dumbbells.
I recommend between 10-25 lbs depending on your fitness level. I’m using 10, 15 and 20 lb dumbbells in today’s workout.
Targets: Chest (pecs), shoulders (deltoids) and triceps.
How To Do A Dumbbell Chest Press
Lay flat on your back (on the ground, on a flat bench, incline bench, or on a stability ball) with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell in each hand (palms facing knees), elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
Exhale as you push both dumbbells overhead at the same time, stacking them over your shoulders at the top of the press. Make sure your wrists are strong and in line with your shoulders.
Lower the dumbbells back towards your chest with control.
Targets: The deltoid muscles (shoulder muscles) while also strengthening the hips and core as they stabilize an uneven load.
How To Do A Kneeling Single Arm Shoulder Press
Start in a half kneeling position — left knee bent at 90 degrees, left foot on the mat in front of you (left knee in line with left hip). And right knee bent at 90 degrees on the mat (right knee stacked underneath right hip).
Hold one dumbbell in the right hand at shoulder height with a neutral grip (palm facing your neck).
Perform a single-arm overhead press. Rotate the dumbbell in your right hand so that your palm faces out and raise the dumbbell overhead, arm straight as you lock out the right elbow by the right ear.
Slowly lower the dumbbell back down towards the right shoulder. As you do so, rotate the dumbbell so your palm faces in again towards your neck.
Modification: Option to perform a single-arm shoulder press from a standing position.
3. Quad Single Arm Tricep Kickback
Targets: All three heads of the tricep muscle (lateral head, medial head, and long head). The tricep kickback is one of best isolation exercises for targeting the triceps brachii muscle.
How To Do A Quadruped Single Arm Tricep Kickback
Start in a table top position, quadruped on all fours, shoulders stacked over wrists and hips stacked over knees.
Place the left hand flat on the mat in front of you, in line with the left knee. Send the right leg long behind you, flexing the right foot to drive the toes into the ground for stability.
Hold one dumbbell in your right hand at your side (palm facing your body). Pull the right elbow up to meet your right rib cage and hold it there. Think shoulders down and back away from your ears.
Then ‘kickback,’ extending the right elbow so your right arm forms a straight line as you push the dumbbell back past your hips. At the top of the movement, the elbow is fully extended.
With control, slowly return the dumbbell to the starting position.
Targets: Mainly the latissimus dorsi (or lats; the largest back muscle), biceps and core.
A great back exercise to target both the upper and lower back muscles, while improving core stability.
How To Do A Single Arm Back Row
Start with feet hip-width apart. Option to find a staggered stance, left foot in front of you, right foot slightly behind you. Hold one dumbbell in your right hand, palm facing out.
Hinge at the hips until your torso is parallel to the floor (neck in line with your spine, flat back, belly pulled in, core tight).
Hold this bent-over position while performing a single-arm row on the right side. Pull the dumbbell in your right hand back towards your right hip, squeezing your back muscles.
Control the dumbbell back down to the starting position and repeat.
5. Flip Grip Bicep Curl
Targets: The long and short heads of the biceps muscle (upper arms).
How To Do Flip Grip Biceps Curls
Start standing, feet shoulder-width distance apart and core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing outward (underhand grip or supinated grip).
Keeping your elbows locked by your sides, squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder height.
At the top of the movement, rotate your hands so that your palms face in towards each other (hammer curl). With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your sides.
At the bottom of your movement, flip your grip so palms face out again. Return to the starting position and repeat this movement, alternating a standard bicep curl on the way up and a hammer curl on the way down.
6. Stack On Narrow Row And Hammer Curl
Targets: Back muscles (lats, rhomboids, posterior delts, traps and erector spinae), biceps and core.
A great arm exercise to work both of your upper body pull muscles (back and biceps) at the same time.
How To Do Stack On Narrow Rows And Hammer Curls
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, with a slight bend in the knees. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in towards each other (hammer curl).
Hinge forward at the hips, maintaining a flat back.
Pull the dumbbells back towards your hips (think of pulling from your elbow versus your wrist). Stop once your elbows are in line with your rib cage, making a straight line from shoulder to elbow.
Hold at the top for a moment, squeezing your shoulder blades together. With control, lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. This is a narrow back row.
Then, return to standing and curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders. Maintain a hammer curl grip (palms facing in towards each other) for the bicep curl.
Repeat this pattern, adding on a row and a curl each time you do the movement. So start with 1 row, 1 curl, then 2 rows, 2 curls and so on.
Start in a high plank position, with both hands on your dumbbells, shoulders stacked over wrist and core engaged.
Perform a push-up by lowering your chest to the ground, letting your elbows fall back towards your hips, then exhale, pushing back up to starting position.
Then, perform a single arm plank row (or renegade row) on each side, pulling first your right elbow to your right hip, then planting it on the ground and pulling your left elbow to your left hip before returning it to the ground.
Then, step or jump your feet up to meet your hands, landing in a low squat position.
Press through your heels to stand tall, pulling the dumbbells up your body as your hips drive forward.
As you stand, perform two bicep curls by pulling the dumbbells up to shoulder height, then perform two overhead shoulder presses, stacking dumbbells over your shoulders and keeping your core tight.
Reverse the movement, bringing the dumbbells back to shoulder height, lowering the dumbbells to your hips, and bending your knees to lower into a squat.
Plant the dumbbells on the mat between your feet at the bottom of your squat, and step or hop your feet back, landing in a high plank position.
What Is The Best Workout To Build Upper Body Strength?
The most effective upper body strength workouts combine isolation exercises and complex multi-joint exercises. For example, a bicep curl targets the front of the arm (isolation exercises) while a stack on row to curl targets the back, biceps and core (complex exercise). This arm workout includes both isolation and complex exercises.
Can You Build Upper Body Strength Without Going To The Gym?
Many of the most effective upper-body exercises can be done at home with just a set of dumbbells. Dumbbell back rows, tricep extensions, bicep curls, lateral raises and shoulder presses are all examples of strength training exercises that can be done at home.
Do You Need To Lift Heavy To Build Muscle?
You don’t have to lift heavy weights to build muscle, but you do need progressive overload by gradually increasing the challenge on your muscles. This can be done by adding more weight, reps, sets or time under tension with lighter weights, as long as the exercise stays challenging and the overall intensity increases over time.
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