Lifting heavy, Olympic-size weights isn't a must if you want a strong, defined upper body. These essential moves are simple and effective, and most only require a set of dumbbells. Be sure to include these exercises the next time it's arm day, or tack them on to the end of your next cardio session [1].
Push-Up
- Start in a plank position, with palms spread out evenly, your shoulders over your wrists, and legs out behind you. Pull your belly button in, and keep your back straight.
- As you lower and exhale, bend your elbows outward to the sides. Hold at the bottom before you raise back up to complete one rep.
- If this is too difficult, rest your knees on the floor.
- Do three sets of eight to 10 reps.
Bicep Curl and Overhead Press
- Stand with your feet directly under your hips, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing out. Bend the elbows, bringing the weights to your shoulders, performing a bicep curl.
- Stabilize your torso and keep your arms moving upward, straightening the arms above you, performing an overhead press with the palms facing out.
- Bend the elbows coming back to the end of your bicep curl, then straighten the arms coming back to the starting position to complete one rep.
- Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
L-Stand
- Place your hands one leg length away from the wall.
- Step your feet on the wall so your shoulders are stacked over the wrists and your hips over your shoulders, with the legs parallel to the floor.
- Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat twice more.
Triceps Dips
- Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
- Move your bum in front of the bench with your legs bent and feet placed about hip-width apart on the floor.
- Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
- Now slowly bend at your elbows and lower your upper body down toward the floor until your arms are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
- Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press off with your hands and push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Do three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Dolphin Dive
- Begin in Quarter Dog [3] with the forearms parallel. Press your hips and shoulders back toward your feet, lengthening through your spine. Tilt your tailbone up slightly to feel a stretch in your lower back.
- With fingers spread wide, take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, dive forward, lowering the chin so it's barely touching the floor in front of the fingertips. The shoulders should hover over the wrists, and the elbows should remain in line with the middle fingers.
- Inhale and press back to Quarter Dog. Complete three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Upright Row
- Stand with your feet hip distance apart, and place a dumbbell in each hand. Your closed palms should be facing your body. The shoulders should be over your pelvis, with knees slightly bent.
- Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, raise them to your shoulders, bending your elbows out to the sides.
- Slowly lower them to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
- Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Man Maker Burpee
- Start with a wide stance, toes slightly pointed out.
- Lower into a deep squat, grabbing your free weights with your hands.
- Walk or jump your feet back into plank position. Optional: do a push-up.
- From plank position, begin your row [4]: with your core tight and your glutes engaged, exhale, stabilizing your torso as you lift your right elbow to row. Feel your right scapula sliding toward your spine as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling.
- Keeping your neck long and energized, return the weight to the ground, and repeat the movement on your left side.
- Jump your feet back in toward the hands, drop your hips toward the ground, and lift your chest.
- In a squat, curl your weights into the chest, and stand.
- Do an overhead press [5] by extending your arms above your head, weights in hand. Carefully lower the weights to the starting position.
- This completes one rep. Do one set of 10 reps.
Single-Leg Scarecrow
- Stand on your left leg, and lift your right knee up until it is level with your hip. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms out to the side until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees.
- Maintaining a strong sense of balance, rotate your upper arms forward to bring your fists to the floor; then rotate the upper arm backward to bring the fists up. Do not lower or raise your upper arms; keep them parallel to the floor. This completes one rep.
- Do 10 reps, then switch legs, lifting the left leg up, and stand on the right foot for another 10 reps to complete the set.
- Complete a total of three sets.
Up-Down Plank
- Begin in a full plank. Lower your right elbow to the mat and then your left, coming into an elbow plank.
- Put your right hand on the mat, and straighten your right elbow. Do the same on the left to return to a full plank. This counts as one rep.
- Complete three sets of five reps.
Lying Chest Fly
- Lie on your back with your hips and knees both at 90-degree angles. Using your low abs, press your lower back into the mat. Raise your arms toward the ceiling, palms facing each other, keeping the elbow joint slightly bent.
- Keeping your torso stable, open your arms out to the sides until your elbows are about two inches from the floor.
- Raise your arms back to the ceiling, bringing the weights together over your chest. This counts as one rep.
- Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Sumo Squat With Bicep Curls
- Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands with your arms straight and your palms facing away from you. Step your feet apart so there's about 20 inches between your heels. Point your toes out slightly.
- When you're ready, bend your knees and elbows at the same time. Keep your shoulders over your hips, and lower down so your weight is back in your heels. Then straighten your legs and arms. This is one repetition.
- Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Triceps Push-Ups
- Begin in plank position with the arms and body straight, shoulders over the wrists. Keep the core engaged.
- Bend the elbows behind you and lower your chest to the floor. Keep your upper arms tight to your body so your elbows are against your ribs on both sides.
- Straighten the arms, coming back to plank position.
- If this is too difficult, rest your knees on the floor.
- Do three sets of eight to 10 reps.
Triceps Press With Resistance Band
- Hold on to either end of a resistance band and step onto the middle of it with both feet so your ankles are directly underneath your hips. Lean forward slightly, bending at your hips. It's OK if your knees are slightly bent.
- Bend your elbows straight back, focusing on pulling your shoulder blades together. Holding onto the band, slowly straighten your arms behind you, palms facing up.
- Slowly return your arms to the bent-elbow position to complete one rep. If you don't have a resistance band, use dumbbells instead.
- Complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Bent-Over Row
- Lean forward and bend both knees, remembering to keep a flat back.
- Extend your arms so they are straight. Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do. Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don't arch your back.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position to complete one rep.
- Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Lying Triceps Extension
- Grab a set of dumbbells (pick a size that will fatigue your arms after 20 reps) and start by lying on your back.
- With one dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms so they are above your chest, making sure your elbows are straight but not locked.
- Slowly lower both arms toward your head, bending your elbows at 90 degrees as the dumbbells reach the mat. Aim to lower your dumbbells so they are on either side of your head, elbows bent and pressing in toward your head.
- Lift arms back up to starting position. This is one rep.
- Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Push-Up and Rotate
- Begin in a plank position with your feet in line with your hips.
- Lower your body toward the floor, then push through your arms returning to plank.
- Twist to the left, reaching your left arm to the ceiling without letting your pelvis raise or lower.
- Return to plank position, bringing your hand back to the floor. Complete another push-up and twist to the right. This completes one rep.
- Do three sets of 15 reps.