Wanting a big and strong arm is somewhere in the list of goals for almost everyone who hits an iron on a regular basis. From filling out T-shirts to full-body push-ups and planks to support the last person on the bench press, the arms do a lot of leg work in training.
If you’re looking for a big sum on a powerlifting platform or weightlifting competition, the barbell is the king. However, you don’t have to be tied to a bar to raise your arms. Dumbbells have many of the same benefits, with their own perks.
Here are some of the best arm workouts for every goal you can do in the gym or at home. All you need is a pair of dumbbells and work ethic to chase them.
Best dumbbell arm workout
Optimal dumbbell arm workout for size
Whatever your business tool, the rules for muscle hypertrophy are the same — work hard enough, rest well, and take the time to push yourself forward. It’s entirely up to you whether you’re on a barbell gain train or a pair of dumbbells.
If you are interested in the latter, this dumbbell-only arm workout can help you feel burns, pain the next morning, or regain your money.
workout
Dumbbells are ideal for hypertrophy because each arm can be moved independently. Barbells allow the dominant arm to remove some of the tension from the weak side that needs it further. By working with independent loads, you can avoid this and ensure maximum stimulation and therefore maximum growth.
- Dumbbell cheat curl: 3 x 6
- Incline Hammer Curl: 3 x 8 – 10
- Dumbbell spider curl *
- Dumbbell floor press: 3 x 8
- Dumbbell overhead extension: 4 x 10 – 12
- Dumbbell kickback: 2 x 12 – 15
Note: Performs a spider curl when the cluster set fails.
Best dumbbell arm workout for strength
For most people, barbells are the best tool to be as strong as possible. You can work with the most weight with barbells, but dumbbells are not a leaning forward to build strength.
workout
Arm training with dumbbells, suitable for building strength, will lean towards complex exercises that allow you to overload the biceps and triceps over time. In addition, certain arm isolation exercises are, of course, better suited for lifting heavier objects than other exercises.
- Dumbbell Underhand Row: 4 x 6
- Dumbbell hammer curl: 3 x 8
- Dumbbell Close Grip Bench Press: 4 x 8
- Dumbbell Single Arm Overhead Press: 2 x 6
- Farmers Carry: 3 sets to walk the maximum distance.
The best dumbbell arm workout for beginners
Beginners are blessed with the gift of simplicity. Advanced trainees who have been in the gym for some time may need elaborate training skills and complex programs to benefit. If you’re just getting started, you can do a lot in a little bit.
workout
If you’re a gym beginner who wants to build your arms, there’s no reason to make things overly complicated. In fact, if you stick to it, almost all types of resistance training will work for you. That said, if the dumbbells are what you have, these basic moves can move you.
- Seated dumbbell curl: 2 x 8
- Incline Hammer Curl: 2 x 10
- Dumbbell Hex Press: 2 x 8
- Dumbbell kickback: 2 x 10
Best dumbbell arm workout for convenience
Sometimes you need to go to the gym and get your work done as soon as possible. Or you may not have access to the gym at all. In both scenarios, dumbbell arm training can be adjusted to be quick, dirty and highly effective, under time and resource constraints.
workout
The most important factor in designing an effective workout that saves time is the exercise sequence. By minimizing the transition between naturally interacting movements and picking exercises, you can do more work in less time.
- Dumbbell hammer curl: 4 x 8
- Seated dumbbell overhead extension: 4 x 8
- Spider curl Super set Dumbbell kickback: 3 rounds of 10 repetitions each.
- Wrist curl: 2 x 15
Best single dumbbell arm workout
You can use dumbbells to control each arm separately, but not all dumbbell exercises are one-sided. Two weights, one in each hand, are counted as simultaneously loading both sides of the body.
However, you can work with one weight at a time to gain some of the core-related benefits of one-sided training while laser-focusing on the weaknesses of one arm.
workout
Whether you have only one dumbbell or want to give your core a little extra love, you can still train your arms properly. In fact, some exercises are designed to use only one weight at a time. The only caveat is that training may take a little longer than usual because you are manipulating each arm in turn.
- Half kneeling dumbbell curl: 3 x 8
- Standing Single Arm Arnold Press: 3 x 8
- Concentration curl: 2 x 10 – 12
- Dumbbell overhead extension: 2 x 10 – 12
- Single Arm Farmers Carry: 3 sets to walk the maximum distance.
Arm anatomy
In the context of arm training, the elbow joint is where magic happens. The biceps and triceps also act on the forearm and shoulders, respectively, but the main arm muscles both affect the opening and closing of the elbow.
Biceps
The biceps brachii begins at the top of the humerus (humerus bone) and is inserted beyond the elbow into the forearm. Therefore, its main function is to close the elbow joint. All curl variations in the sun act on the biceps.
There is also a brachial muscle that sits below the biceps muscle and performs the same function as elbow flexion. The brachial muscles are stimulated by curling the wrist in a neutral position, and as it develops, the arm looks thicker when viewed from the front.
Triceps brachii
The triceps brachii are the three muscles behind the upper arm. Its main task is to stretch or open the elbow joint, but the triceps brachii also crosses the shoulder joint through the third “long” head.
This means that for some exercises, you need to extend your elbows with your arms raised above your head in order to fully stimulate your triceps. This results in greater stretch, especially for long heads, and can withstand more loads.
forearm
The forearm contains several small and complex muscles that perform support tasks during arm training. Although you can specifically target forearm growth, most arm training involves holding the pair of dumbbells as tightly as possible to properly stimulate the forearm.
Exercises such as inverted curls with the palm facing the floor put more tension on the entire forearm and wrist extensors.
Benefits of training with dumbbells
Dumbbells are a training tool. Like any other tool, they are as useful as the context in which they are used. That said, when it comes to tackling different elements of fitness, they are extremely versatile.
No matter how you train, there are benefits to using dumbbells, but there are some details that are worth expanding.
Address imbalance
Even if you train for it, your body is not perfectly symmetrical. Everyone has subtle differences in anatomy and is often unnoticed by the naked eye. Therefore, the range of motion of the left and right arms and the ideal movement path may not be exactly the same.
When working with a single tool like a barbell, there is no way to deal with this. Although usually not a big harm, dumbbells completely avoid this problem and allow the limbs to move within their natural range.
Save space
Unless you’re a training minimalist, you’ll need a rack to store and remove the barbell to operate it. If you’re designing a home gym, a squat rack or platform suitable for lifting can take up a lot of space. In a commercial gym, if you have a barbell in your hand and the gym floor is crowded enough, you may find that there is no place to lift the barbell.
Dumbbells are much more compact and take up less physical space overall. If you have a large collection of different weights, you may need serious garage space, but a solid pair of adjustable dumbbells are neatly stored in the corner of the room.
Easy to adjust
Depending on your training style, dumbbells may be a better training method. Moving between exercises and adjusting weight between sets in a workout incurs the associated time cost.
If you are trying to grind the drop set, it can take valuable time to remove the barbells and add plates. With dumbbells, you can go as long as another pair is within reach. Conveniently changing the weights you’re working on will save you time throughout the gym and help you quickly adjust if it’s too heavy (or too light) to lift.
Arm yourself
There is no reason to be ashamed of wanting a big arm. Catch the pump after a solid session at the gym is one of the most rewarding feelings out there. Similar logic applies if performance is paramount. Your arms physically support all the barbells you put on the bench or stick out overhead, so why ignore them?
Good arm routines are essential for physique athletes and for strength athletes. Even if you don’t have a barbell at your disposal, you can still bring out your gun. All you need is a pair of dumbbells and the willingness to chase them.
Featured Image: Srdjan Randjelovic / Shutterstock
