These dumbbell arm exercises are included in most of our upper body workouts, because they’re an effective way to build muscles in the upper body.
But we’ve added a couple fun twists to these traditional shoulder, bicep and tricep exercises to increase the “time under tension.” In other words, we’re increasing the amount of time the muscle is held under tension (or working) during each upper body exercise.
Although it’s just 10-minutes, this arm workout tis sure to fatigue the shoulder muscles, bicep muscles and tricep muscles (which is necessary for new muscle growth)!
10-Minute Shoulder, Bicep and Tricep Workout with Dumbbells
I encourage you to lift heavy for this rep-drop, shoulder, bicep and tricep workout. You only have to do each dumbbell arm exercise twice, so make it count.
This is one of my favorite arm workouts to add onto a run. Or a quick and effective, 10-minute upper body workout for women when you’re short on time.
Try adding this shoulder, bicep and tricep workout to your weekly fitness routine 1-2 times a week.
Workout Equipment:
A medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells.
I recommend 5-20 lbs depending on your fitness level. I’m using 12-15 lbs in this workout video.
I’ll coach you through all eight upper body exercises, counting reps, providing form cues and modifications.
Alternatively, work through the eight dumbbell arm exercises below at your own pace.
The Workout Looks Like This:
8 Dumbbell Arm Exercises (hitting each muscle group – shoulders, biceps and triceps)
Repeat All 8 Exercises x2 Sets
REP-DROP Format (10 reps of each arm exercise for the first set, then 8 reps of each exercise for the second set)
Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps Workout
Single Arm Overhead Press Hold + 10 Single Arm Bicep Curl + Press (Right)
Single Arm Overhead Press Hold + 10 Single Arm Bicep Curl + Press (Left)
Push Press
Double Arm Tricep Kickbacks (5 per side first set, 4 per side second set)
1.5 Bicep Curls
Hammer Curl + Alternating Press Out
Alternating Press Out (Dumbbell Punches)
1.5 Overhead Tricep Extensions
8 BEST Shoulder, Bicep and Tricep Exercises with Dumbbells
1. Single Arm Overhead Press Hold + 10 Single Arm Bicep Curl and Press on Opposite Arm
Targets: Upper arms — shoulders, biceps and core.
How to do a Single Arm Overhead Press Hold + Single Arm Curl and Press:
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, knees bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in towards one another.
Extend your arm overhead (right arm), locking out the elbow and keeping your bicep by your right ear.
Hold the right arm overhead as you perform a hammer curl to overhead press on the left arm. Curl the dumbbell up to shoulder height, then press overhead; palm stays facing in.
Lower the dumbbell in the left hand back to the starting position with control.
Repeat fro 10 reps on the first set, 8 reps on the second set.
2. Dumbbell Push Press
Targets: Shoulders, triceps, rear delts and upper back muscles (with some assistance from the lower body).
How to do a Dumbbell Push Press:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, slight bend in your knees, holding one dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Palms facing in towards each other (neutral grip).
Drop into a shallow squat; about a 2-inch dip. Then press through your heels, and push the dumbbells overhead; arms straight overhead. Think of peeking your head through your arms as you lock out the dumbbells overhead.
Lower dumbbells down to starting position at shoulder-level and repeat.
3. Double Arm Tricep Kickbacks
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 Double Arm Tricep Kickbacks:
Start with feet hip distance apart, slightly bend knees. Hold one dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in.
Roll your shoulders down and back, hinge forward at the hips (bent over position) and lock your arms in at a 90-degree angle. Upper arms in line with ribcage, elbows bent at 90 degrees, weights near hips.
Perform a ‘tricep kickback’ on the right arm; extending the right arm long behind you, kicking the weight past your hips.
With control, slowly return the dumbbell to the starting position.
Perform two tricep kickbacks on the right arm. Then two tricep kickbacks on the left arm. Focusing on one arm at a time.
Continue this pattern.
4. 1.5 Bicep Curls
Targets: The two heads of the bicep muscle, with an emphasis on the short head. And all of the stabilizing muscles in the shoulder, wrist, elbow and core.
How to do 1.5 Bicep Curls:
Start with feet under hips, core engaged, hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing outward (underhand grip or supine curl).
Keeping your elbows locked by your sides, squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder-height as you exhale.
With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down half way, stopping when your elbows form a 90 degree angle.
Then curl the dumbbells back up to shoulder height.
And finally lower the dumbbells all the way back down to your thighs, returning to starting position.
Think: all the way up, halfway down, back to the top and all the way down.
5. Hammer Curl + Alternating Press Out
Targets: The biceps, tricep, shoulders, back and core. Emphasizing the long head of the bicep muscle (hammer curl) and front delts and traps of the shoulder muscles.
How to do Hammer Curl and Alternating Press Out:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, holding one dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Palms facing in towards each other (hammer curl grip).
Curl the dumbbells up half way, forming a 90 degree bend in each elbow.
Hold the 90 degree bend in each arm as you press the dumbbell in your right hand forward a few inches, feeling your shoulder and core engage. With control, return the dumbbell back towards your body, and lower both dumbbells back to your thighs.
Repeat, curing the dumbbells up to the half way point, then punching out the dumbbell in your left hand.
6. Alternating Press Out (Dumbbell Punches)
Targets: Shoulders, back, biceps and triceps. A killer arm exercise to sculpt and tone the upper body muscles.
How to do an Alternating Press Out:
Start standing feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand, elbows bent at 90 degrees and palms facing in towards each other (hammer grip)
Alternate punching each dumbbell forward a few inches, then returning to center.
7. 1.5 Overhead Tricep Extensions
Targets: The long head of the triceps and all the stabilizing muscles in the shoulders, core, glutes and lower back muscles.
How to 1.5 Overhead Tricep Extensions:
Stand with feet hip distance apart, core engaged and soft bend in your knees.
Hold one dumbbell vertically between your palms overhead.
Bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle, bringing the dumbbell behind your head. Think ‘hide the dumbbells, 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).
Raise the dumbbell halfway up, then lower back behind your head.
Then raise the dumbbell all the way up, overhead.
Think: all the way down, half way up, back down and to the top.
