Tired of skipped arm days? Pump up your upper body with dumbbell arm workouts
If leg day is your go-to at the gym, you're not alone. But don't forget about your arms! They're not just for show. Your biceps help with pulling motions like opening doors, while your triceps assist in pushing actions like closing doors. Plus, your rear deltoids play a crucial role in maintaining posture and moving your arms backward. So, it's essential to give your upper body some love too.
Your arm muscles may seem small compared to your legs, but they're vital for big lifts like rows and bench presses, as well as bodyweight exercises like push-ups and pull-ups. Even though bigger muscles like your back or chest may be the primary movers in these exercises, your arms play a crucial role in supporting and completing the movements.
Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing inward.
Press the dumbbells overhead while rotating your wrists, so your palms face forward at the top.
Lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height, rotating your wrists back to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
The Arnold press is a dynamic exercise that targets the deltoids and triceps. By rotating your wrists during the movement, you engage different parts of the shoulder muscles, providing a comprehensive workout for your shoulders. Additionally, the pressing motion activates the triceps, helping to strengthen and tone the back of your arms.
Begin with arms at your sides, holding dumbbells with palms facing up.
Perform a regular biceps curl by bringing the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
Next, rotate your wrists so palms face each other and perform hammer curls.
Finally, widen your grip and perform wide-grip curls.
Complete the sequence for the desired number of reps.
The regular curl focuses on the peak contraction of the biceps, while the hammer curl emphasizes the brachialis muscle underneath the biceps. The wide-grip curl targets the outer portion of the biceps, promoting overall arm development and definition.
Hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent, with a dumbbell in each hand.
Row the dumbbells toward your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Extend your arms back, straightening them behind you for the triceps kickback.
Return to the starting position and repeat.
Combining a bent-over row with a triceps kickback, this exercise engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously. The rowing motion targets the mid-back muscles and biceps, while the triceps kickback isolates and strengthens the triceps. This compound movement enhances upper body strength and muscle coordination.
Bend forward at the hips with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
Lift the dumbbells out to the sides until they reach shoulder level.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you perform the movement.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
The bent-over fly primarily targets the rear deltoids and mid-back muscles, promoting balanced muscle development in the upper body. By lifting the dumbbells out to the sides, you engage the rear deltoids, which are often neglected in traditional arm workouts. Strengthening these muscles helps improve posture and shoulder stability.
Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended overhead.
Bend your elbows, lowering the dumbbells toward your temples.
Extend your arms back to the starting position, squeezing your triceps.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
