Best Arm Workout with Dumbbells: 7 Exercises, How To, Tips

If you’re looking for massive versatility within a workout, look no further than a full-arm workout with dumbbells.

Here’s a complete dumbbell arm workout: 

1. Best for Biceps: Hammer Curls – 3 sets of 10 reps
2. Best for Forearms: Zottman Curls – 3 sets of 12 reps
3. Best for Shoulders: Overhead Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
4. Best for Triceps: Spoon Press – 3 sets of 15 reps
5. Great for Shoulders: Upright Rows – 3 sets of 15 reps
6. Great for Triceps: Skull Crushers – 3 sets of 12 reps
7. Great for Biceps: Spider Curls – 3 sets of 20 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. 

Below, I’ll also show you how to add some dumbbell arm exercises to your current workouts. 

1. Best for Biceps – Hammer Curls

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 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!

2. Best for Forearms – Zottman Curls

The Zottman curl stands out as a top exercise capable of engaging various arm muscles simultaneously throughout each rep. What sets this exercise apart is the transition of the lifter's grip midway through the lift. This transition enables the lifter to involve both the bicep and forearm muscles, creating a dynamic experience as the grip transitions with each repetition.

How To Do It

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bring them to your shoulders with your palms facing upward  
3. At the top of the lift, pause and rotate your grip into a pronated position.
4. When lowering the dumbbells, keep this grip a priority to start recruiting the forearm muscles.
5. At the bottom of the lift, switch back to a supinated grip with your palms facing upward. 
6. Repeat for desired reps.

Programming Tip: I would perform this movement for 3 sets of 10-12 reps. 

Pro Tip: I would focus on the tempo of the movement. I would keep the weight light on this exercise and focus on each rep individually. 

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. Best for Shoulders – Dumbbell Overhead Press

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. 

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. Best for Triceps – Spoon Press

The spoon press, also known as the “hex press,” is a compound exercise used to recruit the triceps. It’s a variation of the traditional dumbbell flat bench but puts an emphasis on a closer grip to maximize arm development. 

How To Do It

1. Lie flat on a bench, facing upward. 
2. Grab a dumbbell per hand, placing them side by side as your hands are in a neutral position. 
3. Keep the dumbbells together, starting on your chest.
4. While keeping these dumbbells together, press the dumbbells upward with a close grip. 
5. Control the rep to the top, then lower the dumbbells down 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 too heavy.  

Pro Tip: If you notice more recruitment of the chest, tilt the dumbbell heads towards your head so that your forearms are diagonal and keep your elbow joint more tense per rep. 

 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. 

5. Great for Shoulders – Dumbbell Upright Row

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

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 make sure you train the shoulders, keep the weight 3-4 inches away from the body to recruit the shoulder muscles better. If you drag the weight against your body, you will recruit more upper back.

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

6. Great for Triceps – Skull Crushers

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. Great for Biceps – Spider Curls

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

Be sure you use heavy enough weights to hit the rep ranges provided. This will ensure you don’t overload yourself in your next gym workout.

If you can only complete 4 reps in overhead press instead of 6, you probably used a weight that was too heavy.

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:

• The Best Push Day Workout
• The Best Pull Day Workout
• Upper Lower vs Full Body Workouts
• The Best Compound Bicep Exercises
• The Best Upper Body Pull Exercises

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. You can book a free 20-minute consultation with him to see if a custom program would help you achieve your goals.