30-Minute Arm Workout (With Dumbbells)

How To Do A Shoulder Overhead Press

1. Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Keep a slight bend in your knees, engage your core and squeeze your glutes (to protect your lower back) as you ‘goalpost’ your arms by turning the palms out so they’re facing away from your face; elbows parallel to shoulders.
3. Then exhale as you perform an overhead shoulder press, pushing the weights up, locking out your elbows (biceps by ears), arms straight overhead.
4. Slowly lower the weights back down to shoulder height, returning to the starting position.

How To Do A Lateral Raise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with a slight bend in your knees. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at hip level, palms are facing in towards each other.
2. Engage your core as you lift the dumbbells out to the sides, keeping a slight bend in each elbow. Lift the dumbbells just to shoulder height.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position.

How To Do A Single Arm Back Row

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Option to keep feet parallel or take a staggered stance to better support your low back (stepping your left leg slightly behind your right leg).
2. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand, palm facing in (narrow grip).
3. Bend forward at the hips, maintaining a flat back, belly button pulled back towards your spine.
4. Pull the dumbbell back towards your left hip (think of pulling from your elbow joint versus your wrist), as if you were starting a pull-start lawnmower. Stop once your elbow is in line with your rib cage, making a straight line from shoulder to elbow. Hold the row at the top for a moment squeezing your shoulder blade in.
5. With control, lower the dumbbell back to the starting position and repeat.

How To Do A Back Fly

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Grip a pair of dumbbells, palms facing in towards each other. Hinge forward at the hips.
2. Open your arms and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you raise the dumbbells. Aim to bring dumbbells just to shoulder height. Range of motion will look slightly different for everyone. 
3. With control, slowly lower the dumbbells back down, returning to starting position.

How To Do A Bicep Curl

1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart and core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing outward (underhand grip or supine curl).
2. Keeping your elbows locked by your sides, squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder height.
3. At the top of the movement, rotate your hands so palms face in towards each other (hammer curl). With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your sides.
4. At the bottom of your movement, flip your grip so palms face out again. Return to the starting position and repeat this movement.

How To Do A Overhead Tricep Extension

1. Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, back straight, core engaged and knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell vertically between your palms overhead.
2. Slowly bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle, bringing the dumbbell behind your head. Think ‘hide the dumbbell, show the dumbbell,’ if you were watching yourself in a mirror. Keep your elbows close to your ears throughout the entire movement (don’t let your elbows flare out as you fatigue).
3. Squeeze through the back of your arm as you exhale, pressing the dumbbell overhead, arms fully extended.

How To Do A Chest Press

1. Lie flat on your back (on the ground, bench or incline bench) with knees slightly bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell in each hand (palms facing knees), elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Exhale as you push both dumbbells overhead at the same time; dumbbells stacked over your shoulders at the top of the press. Make sure your wrists are strong and in line with your shoulders.
3. Lower the dumbbells back towards your chest with control.

How To Do A Chest Fly

1. Lay flat on your back (on the ground, on a bench, or on a stability ball) with one dumbbell in each hand, arms extended above your shoulders, palms facing in towards each other. Press your feet firmly into the floor.
2. Inhale as you slowly open your arms, lowering the dumbbells in a wide arc until they reach shoulder level (or the ground). Your elbows should remain soft and not over-extended (slight bend in the elbows).
3. Exhale and squeeze your chest muscles together as you pull the dumbbells back to the starting position. Keep your chest puffed out and your elbows slightly bent.

How To Do A Push Up to T

1. Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists; feet hip-width apart.
2. Hold this plank position, maintaining a straight line with your body, gaze slightly in front of you.
3. Slowly lower your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips.
4. Once at the bottom of your push-up, exhale as you push back up into a high plank position, performing one push-up.
5. Then, rotate your body into a side plank position, turning to one side so your weight shifts onto your forearm, which should be directly under your shoulder. Extend your right leg straight out and place the inside edge of your foot on the mat, while your bottom leg hovers just beneath it, fully off the floor. 
6. Hold for three seconds, then return to a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists; feet hip-width apart.

Modification: If you can’t do a full push-up on your toes, you can substitute one of these push-up modifications. If push-ups hurt your wrists, substitute one of these exercises for wrist pain.

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