Dumbbell Arm workout for Bigger Biceps and Triceps

Looking to get toned arms with an arm workout that includes dumbbells? There’s no need to buy expensive gym equipment – all you need is a pair of dumbbells, and you can whip your arms into shape with these easy-to-follow exercises.

Here, we discuss the effective dumbbell arm workout that you can do with the help of dumbbells either at home or at the gym to build muscle mass and strength.

Don’t think just biceps that make for bigger, more defined arms. When it comes to arms, the greatest portion of the upper arm is the triceps.

You might not be able to see them, but the triceps actually make up around two-thirds of your upper arm!

So, if you’re looking to fill out those sleeves, with well-developed arms, it’s important to activate all three tricep heads along with biceps.

What arm workouts should I do with dumbbells?

Dumbbells are among the most versatile and effective muscle-building tools available. Let take full advantage of the dumbbell arm workout to build bigger arms at home.

Make the most of your arm day workout with these strength-building dumbbell arms exercises. As long as you have a set of dumbbells, you can do this arms workout at home or in the gym.

This Blog contains detailed descriptions of all major exercises that you can do by dumbbell at home and Gym.

These exercises focus on the biceps and triceps muscles, including the lateral head, the long head, medial head of triceps and short head, long head of biceps.

The best dumbbell arms workout will be divided into dumbbell bicep curl, Hammer curl, Tricep extension, and kickback exercises.

Before deep dive into the arm workout, execution technique, and tips, first understand about arm anatomy to effectively train and build bigger and stronger arms.

Know About Your Arm Muscles

Biceps Anatomy

The biceps brachii muscle (biceps) is a large, thick muscle of the upper arm. The Biceps Brachii is attached to the forearm bone called the radius and originates at the scapula in two heads (the Bicep gets its name from the two heads).

• The short head originates from a projection on the scapula called the coracoid and runs alongside the long head on the inside of the arm.
• The long head originates from a cavity in the scapula called the glenoid.

The biceps is one of four muscles alongside the brachialis, brachioradialis, and coracobrachialis muscles that make up the upper arm.

Triceps Anatomy

Triceps brachii, or simply Triceps, is a three-headed muscle opposite of the biceps and is responsible for 2/3 of upper arm mass.

It consists of 3 parts: the medial, the lateral, and the long head. It begins just below the socket of the shoulder blade and at two distinct areas of the humerus. Furthermore, it’s essential to focus on and work the three tricep head muscles for maximum gains.

How To Build Bigger and Stronger Arms

If you are trying to build your arms and develop enough strength, you’ll have to focus on your triceps brachii and biceps brachii muscles.

For those of you who have been trying to achieve stunning arms, it is highly recommended to start performing the best arm exercises by seeking the help of a trainer. If it is not possible or feasible, try to learn the best arm exercises and techniques to perform that exercises.

Learn how to keep the right posture and how you can increase the weights at a slow and steady pace to flex your muscles only up to what is sufficiently required for you. Before your workout, it is best to start doing some mobility training exercises for a few minutes and subsequently do a warm-up for about a minute or two.

Benefits of Arm workout with dumbbell

There are many advantages of doing a Dumbbell Arm workout:

• Dumbbell Arm workout require more balance than barbells or machines that can lead to greater muscle fiber recruitment.
• It requires more muscular control than barbells, enhancing kinesthetic awareness.
• Arm workout with Dumbbell allow unilateral training (training one limb at a time), increase core stability, and improve muscular imbalances.
• Arms workout with Dumbbell allows for greater joint safety and stabilization and allows the joints to move naturally within their range of motion.
• It affords a greater level of variety, which prevents physical and mental burnout.
• Dumbbell Arm workout variations allow for a greater range of movement (ROM), which leads to an increased number of muscle fibers recruited.
• Dumbbells are perfect for the at-home exerciser with the limited space.

10 Best Arm Workout

Get toned and strong arms with these simple yet killer arm workouts with dumbbells! Learn the exercises and reps for effective results.

The 10 best dumbbell biceps and triceps exercises to build massive and impressive arms are:

Dumbbell Biceps Workout

Get ready to feel the burn in your biceps with these first five dumbbell exercises.

These moves also target your forearm flexors, the brachialis, and the brachioradialis, ensuring an evenly defined and muscular arm.

These exercises are guaranteed to provide you with an ultimate biceps-building workout.

1. Standing Dumbbell Curl

Standing Dumbbell Curl works the biceps muscles at the front of the upper arm and the lower arm’s muscles, brachialis, and brachioradialis. It is the most effective biceps strengthening exercise for building arms that are not only muscular but symmetrical too.

You use these muscles anytime you pick something up, which is common throughout daily life. Doing the standing arm curl, you build strength in the upper arm and learn to use your arm muscles correctly, bracing with your core muscles.

How To Do It

1. Stand straight, keeping feet shoulder-width apart, grab a pair of dumbbells by your side. The dumbbells should not be touching your body.
2. Your palms should be facing upwards. Take up the slack by bending the elbows slightly. Tension should be on the biceps.
3. Slowly curl the dumbbells up as far as possible.
4. Then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.

Tips

• Do not swing the body back as you curl up the weight.
• Do not let the dumbbells touch your body.

2. Hammer Curl

The Hammer Curl is a classic weightlifting exercise that targets the biceps and forearms. The exercise is performed with dumbbells.

It strengthens the three largest muscles along the front of your upper arms. It is different from the regular bicep curl as it involves an overhand grip with a pronated wrist, instead of an underhand grip.  

When it comes to building muscular hypertrophy and strength, the hammer curl exercise is one of the most popular exercises among bodybuilders and regular weightlifters.

How To Do It

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
2. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands with your palms facing towards your body.
3. Keeping your elbows close to your body, slowly curl the dumbbell up to your shoulders.
4. Pause for a second at the top of the lift, squeeze your biceps, then lower the weights under control.

Tips

• Raise and lower the dumbbell slowly. Keep in control of using your own strength, not using momentum or gravity.
• Neither lean back as you lift the weight nor lean forward as you lower it.

3. Zottman Curl

The dumbbell zottman curl is one of the best arm exercises you can do with a dumbbell. It targets your biceps and forearms at the same time.

The Zottman curl utilizes different hand positioning at different portions of the lift.

The first portion, the regular curl, focuses on bicep strength. The second lowering portion, the dumbbell reverse curl, allows you to overload the forearms.

You can perform Zottman curls with both arms at the same time, or alternate the arm you lift with.

How To Do It

1. Hold a pair of dumbbells to your sides.
2. Keep your palms facing up as you curl the weights up to your shoulders. Pause at the top of the movement.
3. Slowly rotate your grip so your palms are facing downwards. Lower the dumbbells slowly back to the starting position using an overhand grip.
4. When the dumbbells are close to your thighs, again turn your hands while returning to the starting position.

Tips

• Perform this exercise in a slow, controlled manner for best results.
• Don’t go heavy. Choose a lighter weight and focus on perfecting your form

4. Concentration Curl

Concentration Curl is the best exercise to build a biceps peak.

This exercise should be a part of your arms race, as peaked biceps are very impressive to look at. This Biceps exercises With dumbbells is done standing bent at the torso. Resting the upper arm against the thigh prevents movement at the shoulder and is an excellent way to isolate the biceps.

How To Do It

1. Bend down at your torso holding a dumbbell in your hand and resting your other arm on your knee.
2. Curl your arms to the maximum and twist your wrist so that the little finger is at a lower level than the thumb.
3. Curl the dumbbell back to start position.
4. Repeat the desired number of sets.

Tips

• Exhale while you exert.

5. One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

The preacher curl can be an essential addition to your training routine to help build big arms and make your biceps pop.

The one-arm dumbbell preacher curl is a variation of the preacher curl exercise, uses dumbbells and single arm movements for better control and targeting of the bicep muscles.

Use your free hand to hold on to the bench and keep your balance, or to help the other hand complete extra repetitions at the end of a set. This exercise is designed to isolate and focus attention on the biceps.

How To Do It

1. Adjusting the preacher bench seat so that your arm is level with the top of the bench.
2. Grab a dumbbell on one arm with an underhand (palms up) grip and rest your arm against the bench with your arm extended fully down.
3. Slowly curl the dumbbell up towards your head, keeping your arm on the bench at all times until you reach the top position.
4. Hold for a count, squeeze and isolate your bicep.
5. Repeat the desired number of repetitions, then change to your other arm.

Tips

• Perform this exercise in a slow, controlled manner for best results.
• As a general rule, always hit the weakest arm first. In most cases, this is the left arm.

Dumbbell Triceps Workout To Build Bigger Arms

1. Two Arm Dumbbell Extension

The seated dumbbell tricep extension is a variation of the tricep extension and an exercise used to isolate the muscles of the triceps.

Overhead extension exercises are particularly useful in targeting the long head of the triceps muscle. Having a larger and denser long head will give you an overall appearance of a larger tricep.

How To Do It

1. Sit on a flat bench, grab a dumbbell with both hands
2. Lift the dumbbell until your arms are fully extended with palms facing the roof and elbows pointing forward.
3. Bend at the elbows and squeeze your triceps, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head.
4. Slowly return to starting position and repeat the desired number of sets and reps.

Tips

• Perform the exercise using a slow and controlled movement from start to finish.
• Keep the head in a fairly neutral position, don’t allow the neck to jut forward, as this may place excessive pressure on the cervical spine.

2. One-Arm Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension

The One-arm lying dumbbell tricep extension is one of the best tricep exercises you can do because it stretches the muscle and allows for a full range of motion during the movement.

It’s a fantastic exercise for overall tricep development and can be performed in a variety of ways, One-arm lying dumbbell tricep extension is one of them.

How To Do It

1. Lie on a flat bench and hold a dumbbell in your right hand with an overhand grip. Extend your arm so that the dumbbell is straight up from your right shoulder.
2. Without moving your upper arm, bend at the elbow to bring the dumbbell down to the side of your head.
3. Exhale as you extend your elbow and push the dumbbell back up to the starting position.
4. Complete as many reps as desired, then repeat with the left arm.

Tips

• Only move your forearms, not your upper arm.
• Do not lock out your elbow at the top of the movement.

3. One-Arm Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension

The dumbbell overhead triceps extension is a single-joint exercise that targets the triceps while increasing stability throughout the core and the shoulder regions.

By using dumbbells instead of an EZ-bar for the overhead extension, you work each arm separately and ensure one stronger side isn’t carrying the weaker one, but it’s also worth doing the exercise with one arm at a time. This lets you focus on perfect form in that one arm and allows for a greater range of motion.

How To Do It

1. Stand shoulder width apart and lift a dumbbell overhead with your right hand.
2. Hold it straight overhead with an overhand grip (palm facing forward).
3. Keeping your upper arm right beside your head, lower the dumbbell behind your head and toward your left shoulder until your elbow forms a 90-degree angle.
4. Then slowly lift it back to full arm extension. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Weight should move in a controlled manner.
• Keep your upper arms as still as possible, allowing your forearms to drive the movement

4. Dumbbell Kick Back

The tricep dumbbell kickback is a versatile and effective exercise that targets the triceps muscles.

The dumbbell kickback is an isolation exercise. This means that unlike other exercises such as the diamond push-up or Close grip bench press, the tricep kickback specifically targets the tricep muscle.

How To Do It

1. Place your right knee and palm on a flat bench so that your torso is parallel with the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in the left hand and, keeping the left foot flat on the floor, press your left arm tight against your side with the upper arm parallel to the floor.
3. Extend the elbow until your arm is straight back and fully extended.
4. Flex the triceps hard for a second, then reverse to the starting position. Complete all reps on the left arm and then repeat on the right.

Tips

• Keep your body as still as possible, moving only your forearms.  
• Keeping control of the weight as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

5. Dumbbell Tate Press

The dumbbell Tate press is a variation of the dumbbell tricep extension and an exercise used to build stronger triceps. The dumbbell Tate press is an advanced tricep exercise that moves the muscle differently, but still targets and builds the tricep muscle.

For bodybuilders, the Tate press will offer a unique range of motion to target the triceps. This will help in building a complete pair of horseshoe triceps.

How To Do It

1. Lie down on a flat bench and your feet firmly planted on the floor at the other end.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand so your palms are faced towards your feet.
3. Engage your abs in and keeping your back on the bench, raise the weights to the center of your chest.
4. Without moving elbows, slowly raise your arms up and down by contracting your triceps. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Using a slow eccentric (lowering portion) of the exercise can help to improve tension and mind muscle connection.
• Don’t lock out at the top of the movement to protect your elbows.
• Use slow and controlled motions.

Training Volume (Sets And Reps) For Bicep and Tricep Muscles

Of course, the number of sets and reps will be determined based on your fitness journey, but here is a great starting point:

Sets

• Beginners: ~10 sets per week.
• Intermediate: ~15 sets per week.
• Advanced: ~20 sets per week.

Reps

• 6–8 reps with heavy load
• 8–15 reps with moderate load
• 15-20+ with light load

Workout Samples

Dumbbell Arm Workout Plan At Home 

1. Dumbbell Curls: 4 sets of 8–12 reps.
2. Hammer Curl: 4 sets of 10–12 reps.
3. Zottman Curl: 3 sets of 8–10 reps.
4. Two Arm Dumbbell Extension: 4 sets of 8–10 reps.
5. Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension: 3 sets of 8–10 reps.

Single Dumbbell Bicep and Tricep Workout Plan #2

1. Concentration Curl: 4 sets of 8–10 reps.
2. Single Arm Dumbbell Curls : 3 sets of 10–12 reps.
3. One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl: 3 sets of 6–8 reps.
4. One-Arm Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension: 4 sets of 8–10 reps.
5. Dumbbell Kick Back: 3 sets of 10–12 reps.
6. One-Arm Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension: 3 sets of 10–12 reps.

Superset Workout Plan #3:

1. Dumbbell Curls: 4 sets of 8–10 reps, superset with,
   • Two Arm Dumbbell Extension: 4 sets of 8–10 reps.
2. Hammer Curl: 3 sets of 8–10 reps, superset with,
   • Dumbbell Tate Press: 3 sets of 8–10 reps.
3. Concentration Curl: 3 sets of 8–12 reps, superset with,
   • Dumbbell Kick Back: 3 sets of 8–12 reps.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Bicep And Tricep Training.

Can you build your arms with just dumbbells?

Yes, you can build bigger and stronger arms with just dumbbells. It is possible to achieve the results you are looking for with a regular arm workout with dumbbells.

Is Biceps And Tricep A Good Workout?

Yes, you can train bicep and tricep together in your workout regime to gain mass. It’s actually preferred by many fitness gurus and bodybuilders to train them together.

Dumbbell Arm workout variations allow for a greater range of movement (ROM), which leads to an increased number of muscle fibers being recruited.

How Frequently Should I Train My Tricep And Bicep?

Since the biceps and triceps are a large group of muscles, you’ll have to be strategic about training them.

How often you train depends on the muscle, your schedule, and your goals.

So, if you can only make it to the gym once per week, then you need to up your volume. But, if you train 2 times per week, then just train a muscle to the start of exhaustion and quit.

Arm Dumbbell Workout Dumbbell At Home

All of the above exercises are the best options for home arm dumbbell workouts. Having a big gun is achieved through building your biceps, and triceps. It is a sign of dominance.

How long does it take to get big arms with dumbbells?

It usually takes around six to eight weeks for you to notice changes in your arms.  If you didn’t have a lot of muscle mass in the area, you can expect to see more significant changes at around the 12-week mark.

Conclusion

For anyone interested in strengthening their arms and building muscle, these dumbbell arm workouts are highly recommended. It not only allows for targeted muscle development, but also provides strength.

I strongly encourage you to ensure you perform these exercises correctly, as that will have a massive impact on your progress.

You have also been shown three types of bicep and tricep workout routines—with a pair of dumbbells, with a single dumbbell, and as a superset.

Depending on your preference, you can try out one of these and then let us know how it has worked for you.

Thanks for reading, enjoy working on your Arm!

Stay Fit, Live a Happy and Healthy Life

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