8 dumbbell arm exercises to build strong biceps, sculpted shoulders and toned triceps at home. This efficient bicep, shoulder and tricep workout alternates dumbbell strength circuits with core and cardio tabata intervals that will build muscle, raise your heart rate and keep your abs working the entire time!
We’ve targeted the two largest muscles in your upper body with this Chest and Back Workout. And now it’s time to work the smaller muscles in your arms — biceps, shoulders and triceps.
Although smaller, these push and pull muscles still play a key role in upper body strength. Whether your trying to get better at push ups or pushing a stroller up a hill — your biceps, shoulders and triceps are all actively involved in these daily activities.
Bicep, Shoulder and Tricep Workout FAQs
What Are The Best Shoulder Exercises?
The best shoulder exercises that target the front, lateral and rear deltoids are the shoulder press, bench press, overhead press, push press, Arnold press and shoulder raises (lateral raises and front raises).
What Are The Best Bicep Exercises?
The best bicep exercises that target the muscles on the front of your upper arms are standard bicep curls, hammer curls and concentration curls.
What Are The Best Tricep Exercises?
The best tricep exercises that target the muscles on the back of your upper arms are overhead tricep extensions, tricep kickbacks, skull crushers and tricep dips.
35-Minute Bicep, Shoulder and Tricep Workout (HIITStrong 35, Day 3)
Smoke your small but mighty bicep, shoulder and tricep muscles with these 8 push and pull exercises.
Pair these dumbbell arm exercises with spicy core burnouts and cardio bursts for an effective upper body workout at home.
I suggest adding this bicep, shoulder and tricep workout with dumbbells to your weekly training routine.
Workout Equipment:
A medium set of dumbbells and bench or chair (for tricep dips).
I recommend 5-20 lbs weights depending on your fitness level. I’m using 10 and 15 lb dumbbells in this workout.
Shop My Dumbbells
I’m using 15 and 20 lb dumbbells in this legs and back workout.
Follow along with this Arm Day Workout on Youtube, led by certified personal trainer and prenatal fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren.
Alternatively, work through the strength and cardio tabata exercises below at your own pace.
Your Workout Looks Like This:
3 Circuits, repeating each strength circuit x2 and each cardio tabata circuit x3 before closing it out and moving on to the next circuit.
3-4 STRENGTH Exercises and 2 CARDIO Exercises Per Circuit
Timed Intervals of Work (40 seconds of work per strength exercise, followed by 20 seconds rest. And 20 seconds of work per cardio exercise, followed by 10 seconds rest).
Workout Includes 5-Minute Mobility Warm-Up and 5-Minute Cool Down Stretching
Targets: The deltoid muscles (shoulder muscles) while also strengthening the hips and core as they stabilize an uneven load.
How To Do A Half Kneeling Single Arm Press
Start in a half kneeling position — right knee bent at 90 degrees, right foot on the mat in front of you (right knee in line with right hip). And left knee bent at 90 degrees on the mat (left knee stacked underneath left hip).
Hold one dumbbell in the left hand at shoulder height with a neutral grip (palm facing your neck).
Perform a single arm overhead press. Rotate the dumbbell in your left hand so that your palm faces out and raise the dumbbell overhead, locking out the left elbow by the left ear.
Slowly lower the dumbbell back down towards the left shoulder. As you do so, rotate the dumbbell so your palm faces in again towards your neck.
Modification: If kneeling is not comfortable you can always perform a single arm shoulder press from a standing position.
Half Kneeling Chop Lift
Targets: Arms, biceps, shoulders, abs, obliques and core.
How To Do A Half Kneeling Chop
Start in a half kneeling position — right knee bent at 90 degrees, right foot on the mat in front of you (right knee in line with right hip). And left knee bent at 90 degrees on the mat (left knee stacked underneath left hip).
Hold one dumbbell in both hands horizontally, resting at your left hip.
With control, curl the dumbbell up to your chest. Then push the dumbbell up and over your right shoulder. Arms straight, core engaged, stabilizing you the entire time (you don’t want your core to rotate).
Pause for a second, then pull the dumbbell back down to chest level, then down to your left hip.
Modification: If kneeling is not comfortable you can always perform the chop and lift from a standing position.
Skull Crushers
Targets: Triceps (this push exercise isolates the triceps).
How To Do Skull Crushers
Lie flat on the ground or on a bench or stability ball; legs bent at 90 degrees, feet flat on the mat.
Hold one dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms so the dumbbells are directly overhead (palms facing one another, arms parallel).
Bending at the elbows slowly lower the dumbbells towards your forehead (slight bend at the elbows, lowering the dumbbells towards your temples).
Then press the dumbbells back overhead to return to the starting position (arms straight overhead).
Tricep Dip and Knee Drive
Targets: Chest, shoulders and triceps and core.
How To Do A Tricep Dip and Knee Drive
Grip the edge of a chair or bench, fingertips pointed toward your butt, elbows bent, legs straight out in front of you.
Keeping your back close to the bench, lower yourself, bending at the elbows until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle.
Press through your palms, using your triceps (back of the arms) to push you back up to starting position.
Hold ad the top of the starting position and drive your right knee up towards your chest.
This is one rep. Repeat, alternating the leg that performs the knee drive after each tricep dip.
Modification: Follow Rachel and bend your knees. The closer your feet are to the bench the easier the tricep or chair dips will be.
Standard Bicep Curl to Wide Bicep Curl
Targets: Targets the long (outer) head of the biceps, and the short (inner) head of the biceps.
How To Do A Standard Bicep Curl to Wide Bicep Curl
Start with feet shoulder-width apart, 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, and shoulders out of your ears with shoulder blades pulled down, squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder-height as you exhale.
With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your sides.
Then, perform a wide bicep curl by extending the arms out wide as you curl the weights up to shoulder-height.
With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your sides.
Continue this pattern, alternating each standard curl with a wide curl.
Isometric Bicep Half Curl, Front Raise and Lateral Raise
Targets: Biceps, shoulders (deltoids and rear delts), abs and core.
How To Do A Isometric Bicep Half Curl, Front Raise and Lateral Raise
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, perform a half bicep curl on the right arm, holding the arm at a 90-degree angle.
Continue to hold the dumbbell in your right hand at 90 degrees while you perform a front raise on the left arm. Lift the dumbbell in your left hand straight out in front of you to shoulder height (palm facing the ground).
With control, lower the dumbbell in your left hand back down in front of you. Then, perform a dumbbell lateral raise on the left arm. Lift the dumbbell in your left hand straight out to the side to shoulder height.
With control, lower the dumbbell in your left hand back down in front of you.
Continue alternating a front shoulder raise and a lateral shoulder raise on the left arm while you maintain the isometric bicep hold on the right arm. Switch arms on the next set.
Alternating Hammer Curls
Targets: The long head of the bicep as well as the brachialis (another muscle in the upper arm located at the elbow joint) and the brachioradialis (a forearm muscles).
How To Do Alternating Hammer Curls
Start with feet under hips, core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in towards each other (hammer curl).
Keeping your elbows locked by your sides, perform a single arm hammer curl on the right arm, curling the weight up towards your shoulders.
Then perform a single arm hammer curl on the left arm.
Alternate single hammer curls on each side, squeezing your bicep muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder-height as you exhale.
Try to keep the dumbbells in constant motion (one arm is always curling).
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 Do 1.5 Overhead Tricep Extensions
Start 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 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).
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.
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