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30-Minute Chest + Tricep Workout (Build, Day 2)

Build upper body strength at home with this chest and tricep workout. This dumbbell arm workout targets two of the upper body push muscles: the chest and triceps. Each circuit pairs an isometric exercise, a multi-muscle group exercise and an endurance exercise to build muscle in the upper body.

This is DAY TWO of our Build 30 Program.

woman performing an uneven squat with a dumbbell in a full body workout

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Build upper body strength and challenge your muscular endurance with this chest and tricep workout.

Day two of our 2-Week Build 30 Program focuses on two of the upper body push muscles: the chest and triceps.

Each circuit combines an isometric exercise, a multi-muscle group exercise, and an endurance exercise to challenge your upper body strength and endurance. Plus, the time increases with each exercise in a true muscle building format.

This dumbbell arm workout is designed to strengthen the chest, triceps, biceps and core. A strong upper body supports good posture, reduces risk of injury, and ultimately improves your workouts.

two women performing a single arm dumbbell press out in a chest and tricep workout

Build muscle mass at home using just a set of dumbbells in this tricep and chest workout.

This arm workout challenges you to complete an isometric exercise, a multi-muscle group exercise and an endurance exercise.

I suggest doing this arm workout once a week as part of a well-rounded workout routine.

Workout Equipment:

A medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells. I suggest anywhere from 10-25 lbs. We’re using 15-20 lb dumbbells in this workout. And optional box/bench/chair. 

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Chest and Tricep Workout on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • Begin with Rep Challenge (complete 30 push ups)
  • 3 Build Circuits (3 exercises per circuit — 1 isolated exercise, 1 multi-muscle group exercise, 1 endurance exercise)
  • Timed Intervals (30 seconds work, 15 seconds rest for the isolated exercises; 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest for the multi-muscle group exercise; 50 seconds work, 30 seconds rest for the endurance exercise. Complete as many reps as you can in the timed interval.)
  • Repeat Each Circuit x2 Sets
  • 3-Minute Ladder Burnout To Finish
two women performing an overhead tricep extension with a single dumbbell in a chest and tricep workout

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon Chest + Tricep Workout

Workout Outline

30 Rep Challenge: Push Ups

CIRCUIT ONE:
1. Chest Fly
2. Alternating Single Arm Chest Press and Double Arm Narrow Press
3.
Chest Press with Rotation 

CIRCUIT TWO: 
1. Single Arm Tricep Kickback
2. Tricep Dips
3. Dumbbell Shoulder Press and Overhead Triceps Extensions

CIRCUIT THREE:
1. Standard and Wide Bicep Curls
2. Hammer Curl and Alternating Press Out
3. Standing Chest Fly and Bicep Curl

LADDER:
Power: Push Up Burpee
Isometric Hold: Plank

Push Up

Targets: Chest (pecs), shoulders (deltoids), triceps, back, abs and core muscles.

two women performing push ups in a chest and tricep workout

How To Do A Push Up

  1. Start in a standard high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers. Pull your kneecaps up towards your belly, feet hip-width apart. Option to place your hands on weights if you have wrist pain.
  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 (not out to the sides, keep elbows tight to the body).
  4. Once at the bottom of your push up, exhale as you push back up into high plank position (top of your push up position).

Modification: Substitute incline push-ups by placing your hands on a chair or bench; or drop to your knees for modified push ups.

Chest Fly

Targets: Chest muscles, both the larger pectoralis major and the smaller pectoralis minor.

two women performing dumbbell chest flys in a chest and tricep workout at home

How To Do A Dumbbell Chest Fly

  1. Lie flat on your back (on the ground, on a flat 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 as you pull the dumbbells back to starting position. Focus on your chest as you squeeze your chest muscles together. Keeping your chest puffed out and your elbows slightly bent.

Alternating Single Arm Chest Press and Double Arm Narrow Press

Targets: Chest (pecs), shoulders (deltoids), triceps, upper back, mid-back, abs and core muscles.

two women performing an alternating chest press to narrow press with dumbbells in an upper body push workout

How To Do An Alternating Single Arm Chest Press and Double Arm Narrow Press

  1. Lie flat on your back (on the ground, on a bench, incline bench, or on a stability ball) with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Hold one dumbbell in each hand overhead (palms facing knees), arms extended and dumbbells in line with shoulders.
  3. Inhale as you lower the dumbbell in your right arm towards the ground, elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
  4. Exhale to push the dumbbell overhead, returning to starting position.
  5. Repeat, this time lowering the dumbbell in your left arm towards the ground. Then exhale as you push it up, returning to starting position.
  6. Then rotate the wrists to turn the hands in, palms facing each other.
  7. Inhale as you lower the dumbbells down towards your chest with control. Elbows are pinned at your sides and dumbbells are at mid-chest point.
  8. Then exhale as you press the dumbbells up in a straight line, ending with your arms straight overhead, wrists over shoulders. This is a narrow or diamond chest press.
  9. Rotate through the wrists so the palms are facing the knees again and repeat the sequence.

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.

two women performing single arm tricep kickbacks with dumbbells in an arm workout

How To Do Single Arm Tricep Kickbacks

  1. Start with feet hip-distance apart, slight bend in the knees and hinge forward. Option to stagger the feet to support the lower back.
  2. Hold one dumbbell in your left hand at your side (palm facing your body) with your left arm bent at a 90-degree angle. Think shoulders down and back away from your ears.
  3. ‘Kickback,’ extending the left elbow so your left arm forms a straight line as you push the dumbbell back past your hips. At the top of the movement, elbow is fully extended.
  4. With control, slowly return the dumbbell to the starting position.

Tricep Dips

Targets: The lateral and medial heads of your triceps.

one woman performing tricep dips and one woman performing skull crushers as a modification in a chest and tricep workout

How To Do Tricep Dips

  1. Grip the edge of a chair or bench, fingertips pointed toward your butt or toes, elbows bent. Note, you can also perform tricep dips sitting on the ground with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your hands behind you (fingertips facing your butt).
  2. Keeping your back close to the chair, lower yourself, bending at the elbows until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle.
  3. Press through your palms, using your triceps to push you back up to starting position.

Modification: Option to perform dumbbell skull crushers instead.

Is It Good To Train Chest And Triceps Together?

Yes, pairing chest exercises with triceps exercises is effective because these are two of your upper body push muscles. These muscles, along with the shoulders, work in a pushing motion to push weight away from your body. Training these muscle groups together is functional and encourages muscular hypertrophy (muscle growth).

How Many Exercises Should You Do For Chest And Tricep Day?

That depends on your goals, but a combination of isometric exercises (targeting one muscle group) and compound exercises (targeting multiple muscle groups) is most effective in a strength workout. Today’s chest and triceps workout includes isometric exercises, multi-muscle group exercises (compound movements) and endurance exercises for a well-rounded arm workout at home.

woman performing shoulder press as part of muscle building workout plan

Build 30: FREE 2-Week Strength Training Program

A 2-week muscle building workout plan designed to build strength at home in 30 minutes a day. 

If you liked this chest and tricep workout at home, download the FREE, 2-Week Workout Plan.

Pin This Workout: Chest and Tricep Workout (Build, Day 2)

woman performing a bicep curl

More Upper Body Workouts At Home:

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4 comments
  1. Amazing workout as always! Thank you for sharing your faith and for inspiring us all to be Proverbs 31 women!

  2. I enjoy receiving your emails and have join as a paid member. I’m wondering why I keep getting emails asking me to sign up to receive workouts in my inbox when I’m already receiving them. It leads me to believe that I’m missing something?

    • Hi Paula! Thanks so much for your support and so happy to hear you’re part of our NML community! You shouldn’t be getting emails to sign up for free workouts, but do you mean pop up notifications? Or Instagram messages? Sorry about the confusion but if you’re on our email list and a paying YouTube member you’re all set! Thank you for your support! -Lindsey