If you have a pair of dumbbells, you can get strong and sculpted arms. All you need are these exercises — they're the most effective at targeting the upper body, including the shoulders, biceps, triceps, and upper back. Have a range of dumbbells [1] on hand, from five to 25 pounds [2], so you can challenge your muscles and make them grow. If you find the reps are too easy, go heavier. If you can only get in a couple reps, choose a lighter weight.
Overhead Shoulder Press
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above your shoulders, palms facing in.
- Straighten your arms above you.
- Bend your elbows, coming back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Bicep Curl
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand at the sides of your body.
- Keeping your elbows close to your sides, slowly raise the dumbbells to your chest.
- Moving with control, lower back to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
Bicep Curl and Overhead Press
- Stand with your feet directly under your hips, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing out. Bend your elbows, bringing the weights to your shoulders, performing a bicep curl.
- Stabilize your torso and keep your arms moving upward, straightening your arms above you, performing an overhead press with your palms facing out.
- Bend your elbows coming back to the end of your bicep curl, then straighten your arms coming back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Wide Bicep Curl
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hips-width-distance apart.
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, hold your arms out wide with a slight bend in your elbows, palms facing up.
- Bend at your elbows, pulling the weights toward your ears.
- Extend your arms out wide again to complete one rep.
Upright Row
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, and place a dumbbell in each hand. Your closed palms should be facing your body. Your shoulders should be over your pelvis with knees slightly bent.
- Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, raise them to your shoulders, bending your elbows out to the sides.
- Slowly lower them to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
Man-Maker Burpees
- Start with a wide stance, toes slightly pointed out.
- Lower into a deep squat, grabbing your free weights with your hands.
- Walk or jump your feet back into plank position. Optional: do a pushup.
- From plank position, begin your row [4]: with your core tight and your glutes engaged, exhale, stabilizing your torso as you lift your right elbow to row. Feel your right scapula sliding toward your spine as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling.
- Keeping your neck long and energized, return the weight to the ground, and repeat the movement on your left side.
- Jump your feet back in toward the hands, drop your hips toward the ground, and lift your chest.
- In a squat, curl your weights into the chest, and stand.
- Do an overhead press [5] by extending your arms above your head, weights in hand. Carefully lower the weights to the starting position.
- This completes one rep.
Dumbbell Thrusters
- Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears.
- Bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels.
- Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing to complete the rep.
Burpee Squat Press
- Begin standing with a 10-pound dumbbell on each side of your body. If this is too heavy and you find that your form is incorrect, use lighter weights.
- Holding onto the dumbbells, lower down and perform a burpee. If this is too much pressure on your hands or wrists, you can set the dumbbells down in front of you for this part. If you're a beginner, you can perform a modified burpee [6].
- With control, push your body off of the ground as you simultaneously pick up the dumbbells. Be sure to keep your core engaged and your spine in a neutral position when pushing yourself off the ground.
- Standing tall with your core engaged, bend your arms and hold the dumbbells on or slightly above your shoulders and lower down into a squat. As you stand up, push both dumbbells overhead.
- This counts as one rep.
Overhead Triceps Extensions
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Hold one dumbbell (go for your heavier weight) with both hands, bending your elbows behind your head.
- Straighten your arms to lift the dumbbell into the air, then slowly bend your arms to lower.
- This counts as one rep.
Squat and Press
- Stand with your feet directly under your hips holding a dumbbell in each hand. Sit back into your squat, keeping the weight in your heels, bringing your thighs parallel to the floor without letting your knees go beyond your toes.
- Push through your heels to return to standing while bringing the weights to your shoulders, performing a bicep curl.
- Stabilize your torso and keep your arms moving upward, performing an overhead press with your palms facing out.
- Lower your arms back to your sides to complete one rep.
Bent-Over Row
- Lean forward and bend both knees, remembering to keep a flat back.
- Extend your arms so they are straight. Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do. Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don't arch your back.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Triceps Kickback
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, hinge forward from your hips, bending your knees slightly. Bend your elbows behind you.
- Straighten your arms behind you with your palms facing in. Your arms should be parallel to the floor. Squeeze your triceps, then return to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
Bent-Over Reverse Fly
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your knees slightly bent. Keeping your back flat, bend forward at the hip joint.
- Exhale and lift both arms to the side, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Then, with control, lower the dumbbells back toward the ground.
- This completes one rep.
Single-Leg Scarecrow
- Stand on your left leg, and lift your right knee up until it is level with your hip. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms out to the sides until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees.
- Maintaining a strong sense of balance, rotate your upper arms forward to bring your fists to the floor, then rotate your upper arms backward to bring your fists up. Do not lower or raise your upper arms; keep them parallel to the floor.
- This completes one rep.
Lateral Arm Raise
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand so your palms face in toward the sides of your body.
- Start with the right side first. With control, keep your arm straight (but don't lock that elbow) and as you inhale, raise your right hand up toward the ceiling. You want your palm to be facing down and your arm to be parallel to the floor. Then as you exhale, slowly lower your hand back to your body. You should be able to see your hand in your peripheral vision. Your arm won't be directly out to the side but slightly forward.
- Do the same move with your left arm.
- Then do both your right and left arms at the same time to complete the rep.
Pilates Boxer
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Bend your elbows behind you, keeping your upper arms even with your back.
- Bend your knees to come into a half squat while creasing at your hips so your spine is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your spine neutral with your pelvis and head forming one long line.
- As you exhale, simultaneously extend your right arm straight out in front of you and your left arm straight behind you. Rotate both wrists so your front palm is down and your back palm is up.
- With control, return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. This completes one rep.
Single Arm Overhead Squat
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart.
- Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in your right hand and straighten your arm overhead. If this is too difficult, or you don't have the shoulder mobility, bend the elbow and rest the weight on your shoulder.
- With the weight overhead and the elbow locked out, keep the core engaged as you bend the knees into a squat, lowering the hips just below the knees. Extend the left arm out for balance. (The photo on the right is demonstrating the exercise on the other side).
- Try to keep equal weight in both feet as you stand up, keeping the right arm straight.
- This counts as one rep.
Plank Dumbbell Row
- Start in a plank position with your legs wider than hip-width distance; the wider stance makes you more stable. Hold onto your dumbbells, keeping your wrist locked to protect the joint.
- With your core tight and your glutes engaged, exhale, stabilizing your torso as you lift your right elbow to row; feel your right scapula sliding toward your spine as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling.
- Keeping your neck long and energized, return the weight to the ground to complete the rep.
Dumbbell Bench Press
- Grab a set of dumbbells, and sit on a flat workout bench.
- With one dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs, lie back onto the bench.
- Hold the dumbbells above your chest, shoulder-width apart, creating a 90-degree angle between your upper arm and forearm. Palms should be facing forward.
- Exhale as you push the dumbbells up, fully extending your arms. Hold for one second.
- Inhale and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with control.
- This counts as one rep.
Right-Angle Bicep Curl
- Sit cross-legged on the floor, or stand. Holding your weights, extend your arms straight in front of you with your palms up.
- Slowly pull your arms up into a right angle. Release them back into the starting position to complete the rep.
The Bicep and Deltoid Squeeze
- Sit cross-legged on the floor, or stand, and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Hold your arms out wide, elbows bent at 90 degrees, relaxing your shoulders away from your ears.
- Rotate your arms so your elbows are moving to meet each other in front of your face.
- Keep your muscles engaged, and move back to starting position to complete the rep.
V-Sit With Single-Arm Chest Fly
- Begin sitting with your heels planted about two feet from your butt, holding the weights at chest level with a slight bend in your elbows. Lean back a few inches, pulling your abs toward your spine to keep your spine long and straight.
- Your left arm remains still, as you open your right arm to the side, making sure the weight doesn't go beyond your shoulder.
- Bring your right arm back to center to complete one rep.
Skull Crushers
- Grab a set of dumbbells, and start by lying on your back with your knees bent.
- With one dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms so they are above your chest, making sure your elbows are straight but not locked.
- Slowly lower both arms toward your head, bending your elbows to 90 degrees as the dumbbells reach the mat. Aim to lower your dumbbells so they are on either side of your head, elbows bent and pressing in toward your head.
- Lift your arms back to starting position. This is one rep.
Bridge With Chest Press
- Start on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-distance apart. Hold weights by your chest.
- Squeeze your glutes as you push your pelvis toward the ceiling, coming into a bridge. Keep your ribs aligned with your pelvis.
- Holding the bridge, press the weights to the ceiling directly above your shoulders.
- Lower the weights to complete the rep.
Lying Chest Fly
- Lie on your back with your hips and knees both at 90-degree angles. Using your low abs, press your lower back into the mat. Raise your arms toward the ceiling, palms facing each other, keeping your elbow joint slightly bent.
- Keeping your torso stable, open your arms out to the sides until your elbows are about two inches from the floor.
- Raise your arms back to the ceiling, bringing the weights together over your chest. This counts as one rep.