Wouldn't it be nices if your arms looked a little more toned? I know I could use some more upper arm definition, which is why I'm on the hunt to find workouts that A) aren't boring, B) can be done with minimal equipment and C) don't take an awful lot of time to complete.
Aren't I lucky, as I found just the workout that ticks all those boxes. This standing arm workout doesn't have any repeats (i.e. all exercises are different), uses only two dumbbells and can be done in just over 10 minutes. And, it's quite fun, too!
You might think that arm workouts such as this one aren't good for anything but improving looks. This couldn't be further from the truth.
Research says that "greater muscular strength can enhance the ability to perform general sport skills such as jumping, sprinting, and change of direction tasks."
Sure, shoulder presses won't make you a better sprinter, but they will help pack away those groceries without feeling exhausted. Plus, they will make your arms look nice, too. Double win!
You can do this workout with only one pair of dumbbells – the instructor uses a 10lb (4.5kg) pair – but feel free to mix it up if you want to challenge yourself. You'll be working on your arms, so there's no need to go with the heaviest home weights you've got.
Before jumping into this workout, warm up those muscles with arm circles, cross-arm stretches, etc. You might also want to do some head circles and shrugs, too, to activate the smaller muscles around your neck and shoulders.
You'll be performing 10 exercises, each for 45 seconds, followed by a 15-second rest. The moves in this workout are:
- Shoulder press
- Hammer curls
- Overhead tricep extension
- Lateral raise
- Upright row
- Biceps curls
- Narrow shoulder press
- Alternating bent-over triceps extensions
- Alternating biceps curls with hold
- Shoulder press with rotation
And... you're... DONE! Well done. Your arms must be aching (mine did, for sure). Need some more workout inspiration? We have plenty of arm workouts on T3 to keep you going, like this standing supersets arm workout or this 5-move dumbbell-only session. Stay active!