The arms and shoulders are the prime movers in most sports, from football to tennis and the bench press. They are also critical to any body weight or weighted exercises. It is essential to train your arms & shoulders properly to avoid injury and keep them strong.
Exercises for the arms and shoulders are one of the main parts of a full-body workout. The range of motion required in these exercises is broad, so your arms must be strong enough to lift the weight. This article introduces some dumbbell upper arm exercises common in many gym workouts and will help you develop a well-developed set of shoulders.
Dumbbell Arm Exercises
Dumbbell Bicep Curl
The dumbbell bicep curl is a compound exercise that works the entire arm, specifically the biceps and brachialis muscles. This exercise is often seen as the first in a full-body workout routine but isn’t traditionally considered a compound exercise.
Here is how you do this exercise:
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Bend your elbows and curl the weights up to your shoulders, keeping your palms facing your body.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top of the curl, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
This exercise is a good choice for anyone who wants to give their arms a quick and straightforward workout using weights. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, male or female—as long as you have dumbbells in your home, you can get in an intense bicep training session in just minutes. If your gym only offers machines and free weights, this exercise is worth adding to your routine.
Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Dumbbell tricep extension is a great exercise to improve your tricep strength. It primarily targets the medial head of the biceps brachii, the long head of the triceps brachii, and some other muscles in your arms. The exercise is more effective for experienced lifters than beginners and those who have had surgery on their elbows.
To do this exercise:
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs
- Bend your elbows and bring the dumbbells to your shoulders
- Extend your elbows to press the dumbbells overhead
- Lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders and repeat
With that in mind, you should never have any issues if you perform this exercise correctly. Always start on a weight you can handle at first. The smarter approach would be to start with a lighter weight and then gradually increase the weight.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
The dumbbell hammer curl is an exercise we can use to target the biceps brachii or the back of the elbow flexors. It’s a multi-joint exercise which means that it involves more than one muscle group. The dumbbell hammer curl allows you to isolate different muscles within your bicep, which makes it great for building muscle thickness and definition.
How to do dumbbell hammer curls:
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
- Bend your elbows and curl the weights up towards your shoulders, keeping your palms facing your body the entire time.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
The dumbbell hammer curl is a great exercise but must be cautiously approached. Make sure you concentrate on the target muscle and watch out for any pain or soreness in the elbows while performing this bicep-building exercise. If you focus on those things, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t see great results in your upper arms.
Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks
Dumbbell tricep kickbacks are a great exercise, especially for beginners. It doesn’t take long, and you don’t need any special equipment to start. The most challenging aspect of this exercise is keeping your elbows close to your body, this can be tricky but will become easier with practice.
Here is how you do this workout:
- Start holding a dumbbell in each hand and placing your feet hip-width apart.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- From here, extend your arms back, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Squeeze your triceps at the top of the movement and slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
You can add dumbbell tricep kickbacks to any workout, as part of your warmup or at the end of your session. Ask a friend to spot you as you get accustomed to them, but once you’ve got them down, they’re a quick way to work your triceps differently than regular tricep pushdowns.
Dumbbell Drag Curls
Drag curls are an excellent exercise for building arm and lower-back strength. This movement works directly on the biceps and helps balance out the rest of your upper body so that you have a stronger core and upper back when you’re done with your dumbbell training.
To do dumbbell drag curls:
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
- Keeping your back straight, slowly lift the dumbbells as you curl your arms up to your chest.
- As you curl the dumbbells up, focus on dragging them along your body so that your upper arms stay close to your sides.
- Reverse the motion and lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Drag curls are one of the best exercises you can do with your dumbbells, not just as a biceps exercise but as a shoulder and back exercise. Do these every week to get better at arm curls, bigger arms and prevent your back from sagging.
Dumbbell Close Grip Bench Press
The dumbbell close grip bench press is an excellent workout that can be done anywhere, especially if you are just starting in the gym. It targets all the superficial muscles of the arms, including the brachialis, biceps, triceps, and deltoid muscles. If you want to build bigger arms quickly, then this workout is an excellent choice.
Here is how you do dumbbell close grip bench press:
- Start by lying on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Arch your back and bring the dumbbells up to your chest.
- Keeping your elbows close to your body, lower the dumbbells down to your chest.
- Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
If you are looking for a quick and effective way to build up your arm muscles, then the dumbbell close grip bar bench press is exactly what you need. You will find that this type of exercise is much easier on the joints and back than many other more strenuous exercises.
Dumbbell Concentration Curls
Dumbbell concentration curls are a great exercise for adding definition to your biceps. This exercise works mainly in the lower portion of the bicep, so if you do not see results at the top of your biceps, then this is a great workout to help you out.
To do this exercise:
- Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs.
- Lean forward slightly and keep your back straight.
- Curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, keeping your palms facing your thighs.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Dumbbell concentration curls are a great exercise for adding a new dimension to your workout. If you’re bored with your routine or want to change your workout, you can try this out. It’s also a great exercise if you’re looking to shape and tone your lower arm muscles.
Dumbell Shoulder Exercises
Dumbbell Front Raises
Dumbbell Front Raises are one of the most effective isolation movements for the front deltoids. The front deltoids are key to creating a larger and wider chest. They also help to rotate the shoulder and make it move more freely in its socket (without kinking), which allows you to use heavier weights in your training routines.
Here is how you do this exercise:
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
- Raise the dumbbells in front of you until they are at shoulder level.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Dumbbell front raises are a great movement for building size and strength in the front delts. You can start light and work your way up to heavier weights each time, or you can start with a heavy weight and use a relatively low repetition scheme. Either way, the front delts will receive a lot of stimulation to help them grow. By doing these regularly, you’ll be on your way to bigger and better pecs soon enough.
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell lateral raises are a great exercise to target your shoulder and back muscles. This is because they use the largest range of motion with the dumbbell, unlike many other lifting exercises that require smaller dumbbells.
To do dumbbell lateral raises:
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing your thighs.
- Keeping your back straight and core engaged, raise your arms to the sides until they are parallel with the ground.
- Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
The dumbbell lateral raise is a wonderful resistance training exercise that targets various muscles, including deltoids, trapezoids, and back muscles. They are commonly performed during weight workouts to build strength in particular muscle groups in the body and preeminent muscle groups like the shoulders. These traditional dumbbell lifts will help your body become more toned and shapely.
Dumbbell Bent Over Rear-Delt Raises
The dumbbell bent over rear-delt raises is a compound movement. This means that it utilizes more than one muscle group at the same time. Simply, the movement requires your entire core to stabilize the spine while you perform the exercise. Incorporating compound movements into your routine will allow you to work on flexibility, strength, and endurance, along with muscular endurance.
Here is how you do this workout:
- Begin by holding a dumbbell in each hand and standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend at the waist, keeping your back straight, and lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground.
- Raise your arms to the sides until they level with your torso.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
The dumbbell bent over rear-delt raises is a great exercise to incorporate into your routine. Not only is it an effective exercise, but it also provides a simple routine for anybody who has access to a dumbbell. This routine can be changed up weekly to better accommodate the needs of your body.
Dumbbell Shrugs
Dumbbell shrugs are an excellent way to increase the size and strength of your deltoids. With a dumbbell in each hand, simply move the weight up and down by squeezing your traps. If you’re new to this exercise, start with light weights and build up over time to increase the weight.
Here is how you do this exercise:
- Begin by holding a dumbbell in each hand and standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend at the waist, keeping your back straight, and lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground.
- Raise your arms to the sides until they level with your torso.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
They’re great for bulking up your upper back and shoulders. If done correctly, this exercise can be beneficial when performed frequently. Remember not to overdo it and risk injury by pushing the weight too hard.
Dumbbell Upright Rows
Dumbbell upright rows are a great exercise to strengthen your upper back and shoulders. Although we focus on the upper body when working out, it’s also important to train your lower half. This can be done by including dumbbell upright rows into your workout routine.
To do this exercise:
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
- Raise the dumbbells to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
Among the most effective exercises to burn fat and build muscle mass, dumbbell upright rows are great for those who have limited time available for their workout. Upright rows can be performed at the gym and home with little equipment required.
Dumbbell Push Press
The dumbbell push press is a great exercise to work your chest and core muscles and your arms, shoulders, and back. The dumbbell form of the push press is a challenging and demanding exercise that also works your stabilizer muscles – making it an effective compound movement!
Here is how you do the dumbbell push press:
- Start with a dumbbell in each hand, and your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees and hips to lower into a quarter squat.
- From the quarter squat position, drive through your heels to explosively press the dumbbells overhead.
- As you press the dumbbells overhead, extend your hips and knees to come to a standing position.
- Lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position, and repeat.
The Dumbbell Push Press is a very effective exercise for building upper body power. It can be used to supplement the back squat, overhead squat, or occasionally as a standalone exercise. However, many lifters will struggle to understand how to perform the movement correctly and are at high risk for injury if they don’t know what they’re doing.
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press
The dumbbell seated shoulder press is a great exercise for building mass in your shoulders. It’s important to remember that all shoulder exercises must be performed with proper form and good technique.
Here is how you do this exercise:
- Start by sitting on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. You can either place the dumbbells on your thighs or have someone hand them to you.
- Next, raise the dumbbells to shoulder level. Keep your elbows pointing forward and your palms facing each other.
- From here, press the dumbbells overhead. Keep your back straight, and your core engaged throughout the movement.
- Finally, lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level and repeat for reps.
The exercise is straightforward to perfect as long as you follow a few simple rules. Form and technique are important in any exercise, but it becomes paramount when using heavy weights. The dumbbells allow almost anyone to perform this exercise safely because they don’t require you to use a spotter. Make sure you take the necessary precautions when working with heavier than normal weights during execution.
Dumbbell Neutral Grip Shoulder Press
The neutral grip shoulder press is a great shoulder and upper body exercise that can be done with any weight variation. It’s also a great exercise when you start working on your shoulders, as it helps build good strength in the right places.
- Start by sitting on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Then, press the dumbbells up overhead so that your palms face each other.
- Lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
This exercise is best for targeting the middle deltoid but can also be effective for the anterior deltoid and traps. The neutral grip allows you to get a deeper stretch in the shoulders, which can help trigger more growth in this body area. This is one of the simplest shoulder exercises, but it can pack quite a punch!
Conclusion
Choosing the best dumbbell arm exercises to build muscle mass in your arms and shoulders depends on your fitness level and the kind of workout you are looking for. With the variety provided here, you should be able to find something that fits your needs and help you achieve your fitness goals.