7 Best Exercises for Total Arm Workouts with Dumbbells

If you’re looking for massive versatility for beefy arms, look no further than a full workout with dumbbells. 

Here’s a complete dumbbell arm workout: 

1. Bench Press: 3 sets of 6 reps
2. Overhead Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
3. Upright Rows: 3 sets of 15 reps
4. Bent Over Rows: 3 sets of 10 reps 
5. Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10 reps
6. Skull Crushers: 3 sets of 12 reps
7. Spider Curls: 3 sets of 15 reps

Avoid injury and maximize your gains by reading on to understand how to do each exercise correctly, including tips from my experience. 

As a strength and conditioning coach, I ask athletes to use dumbbells to work multiple muscle groups by varying their grip and range of motion. Dumbbells also help coordination and stability. Finally, dumbbells make home workouts easier. 

Read on for how to do each exercise, recommend sets and reps, and tips from my experience. Below, I’ll also show you how to add some dumbbell arm exercises to your current workouts. 

1. Dumbbell Bench Press – Best for Chest

The dumbbell bench press is a compound exercise that helps to recruit the shoulders, triceps, and, more importantly, the chest. Since it works multiple muscles at once, it helps you lift more weight and overload the anatomy for growth. 

How To Do It

1. Grab a dumbbell per hand and lie on your back on a flat bench.
2. Extend your arms fully so the weight is just above your chest.
3. Plant your feet firmly on the ground, creating a stable base.
4. Inhale and slowly lower the weight to your chest.
5. Get your elbows to a 90-degree angle, allowing the dumbbells to touch your chest lightly.
6. Push the dumbbells upward and together.
7. Exhale at your sticking point.
8. Repeat the lowering and lifting phases for the desired number of repetitions.

Programming Tip: I would perform this movement for 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps. Start lighter, performing both reps simultaneously until you can challenge yourself by doing alternating reps. 

Pro Tip: Set up the bench to a slight incline, perhaps 30 degrees, to start challenging the upper fibers of your chest muscles. This is good to help build a well-rounded chest.  

Is the single-arm dumbbell press better for you? Read the full post to master the form and avoid injury. 

2. Dumbbell Overhead Press – Best for Shoulders

The overhead press is a compound exercise used to build the shoulder muscles. In particular, it will work the anterior deltoids and medial deltoids of the shoulder muscles. 

How To Do It

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bring them to your shoulders.  
3. If standing, keep the core engaged and avoid arching the lower back.
4. Press the dumbbells overhead, fully extending your arms.
5. Lower the dumbbells with control to shoulder height.
6. Repeat for desired reps.

Programming Tip: I would perform this movement for 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps. 

Pro Tip: I would recommend starting this movement seated with back support. Once this has been accomplished, take away back support and eventually do this movement standing to add rigor to this exercise. 

Looking to develop your triceps a bit more? Check out this article about the best ways to target the lateral head of the tricep in training, and here are some dumbbell tricep exercises. 

3. Dumbbell Upright Row – Best for Upper Back

The upright row is a compound exercise used to challenge the body’s shoulders and upper back muscles. The upper back is known to be the upper trapezius muscles. 

How To Do It

1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
2. Keep feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Lift the dumbbells straight up toward your shoulders.
4. Elbows should lead the movement, keeping them higher than the wrists.
5. Control the rep to the top, then lower the dumbbells with control.
6. Repeat for desired reps.

Programming Tip: I would perform this movement for 3 sets of 12-15 reps. I wouldn’t recommend doing this movement seated, as standing makes it easier to execute each rep. 

Pro Tip: To help train the upper back, make sure to keep the dumbbells closer to the body each rep. Drag the weight near the body to help put more resistance on the upper back muscles instead of the shoulder muscles.  

You can work other upper back muscles like your lats with dumbbells as well. Check out the top exercises to add to your workout. 

4. Bent Over Rows – Best for Back

The bent row is a great compound exercise to train the back muscles. In particular, it trains the middle to lower trapezius muscles and the shoulder’s latissimus dorsi and posterior deltoid muscles.

How To Do It

1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinge at your hips, slightly bending at the knees, keeping your back flat.
3. Hold the dumbbells below you with palms facing your body.
4. Pull the dumbbells toward your hips, squeezing your shoulder blades.
5. Keep elbows close to your body and wrists straight.
6. Lower the dumbbells with control.
7. Repeat for desired reps.

Programming Tip: I would perform this movement for 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps. I would recommend starting this movement with a slight bend at the hip and continuing to lower your upper body as you feel more confident with your back strength.

Pro Tip: Keep your hands neutral to train your back more. If you use an overhand grip, this will train your shoulders more. If you use an underhand grip, this will start to recruit more of your bicep muscles. 

For more back exercises, check out the dumbbell rows. Jake Woodruff, a strength coach, covers the right form and mistakes to avoid. 

5. Hammer Curls – Best for Forearms

The hammer curl is an isolation exercise that recruits the biceps, the brachialis, and the brachioradialis. The brachialis is beneath the biceps brachii and can help the arms look bigger. The brachioradialis is a part of the forearm muscles and is engaged when the arms are in a neutral or overhand position. 

How To Do It

1. Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand, arms fully extended. 
2. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and maintain a straight back.
3. Make sure you have a neutral grip so both palms face each other. 
4. Keep your upper arm still, bend your elbows, and lift the dumbbells towards your shoulders.
5. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbells back down in a controlled manner for a full range of motion. 
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Programming Tip: I would perform this movement for 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps. 

Pro Tip: You should start by doing both arms simultaneously, eventually doing alternating reps when you feel stronger with this movement. This is a great movement for building stronger arms. 

Looking for other ways to grow your forearm muscles? Check out this article about the top exercises to help grow your forearms in size and strength!

6. Skull Crushers – Best for Triceps

The skull crusher is an isolation exercise that recruits the triceps, specifically all heads of the tricep. It is a well-rounded movement that can assist your bench press due to its position and execution. 

How To Do It

1. Lie on a flat bench with a set of dumbbells.
2. Extend your arms directly above your chest, keeping your upper arm still. 
3. Bend at the elbows to lower the dumbbells towards your head.
4. Lower the dumbbells on either side of your head while keeping your elbows tight and pointing upward.
5. Once the dumbbells are near the forehead, extend your elbows and push the weights back up to the starting position.
6. Perform the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

Programming Tip: I would perform this movement for 3 sets of 12 reps. Start off using an overhand grip, as this feels more natural. 

Pro Tip: If you feel discomfort in your elbows, try using a neutral grip instead. This grip might be more comfortable than an overhand grip. 

Looking for other ways to recruit the triceps in training? Check out this article about some of the best exercises to train the triceps using dumbbells.

7. Spider Curls – Best for Biceps

The spider curls are an isolation exercise that trains both the short head and long head of the bicep. They challenge the lifter at the top of each rep, which differs from an ordinary bicep curl. 

How To Do It

1. Set up an incline bench, preferably at 30 or 45 degrees.
2. Position yourself face down on the bench, allowing your arms to hang straight down.
3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms fully extended, and palms facing up.
4. Keep your upper arms straight, bend at the elbow, and curl the lower arms toward your shoulders.
5. Pause at the top, then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Programming Tip: I would perform this movement for 3 sets of 12-15 reps. This is a tougher arm workout, so start lighter than normal. 

Still desire to target the short head of the bicep muscles? Check out this article about some of the top exercises to train the short head of the bicep in your next workout!

How To Create The Ideal Arm Workout with Dumbbells

This is a dumbbell arm workout men and women could both benefit from. 

When performing the sample program stated above, you should use heavy enough weights to hit the rep ranges provided. 

If you can only complete 4 reps in bench press instead of 6, you probably used a weight that was too heavy. Make sure to hit the rep ranges provided so you don’t overload yourself in your next gym workout. 

Although this article focuses on arm workouts using dumbbells, it’s also important to consider other muscle groups for a balanced approach to your health and fitness. You may not want to do a dedicated arm day. 

This workout did not highlight lower body movements that could help grow quads, hamstrings, or glutes. Using dumbbells is easy and shouldn’t be hard to integrate.

Here are some other workouts to consider:

FAQ

About The Author

Joseph Lucero is a Strength Coach and Author and owns Harvesting Strength LLC. He’s CSCS Certified, and when he’s not helping clients get stronger, he writes about strength and conditioning to help readers. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram.