If you have a pull-up bar (and are already quite strong), there’s no doubt pull-ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises for strengthening your arms and shoulders. However, they’re a very difficult exercise and for most people a more accessible and effective way to train the upper body is using a set of dumbbells.
This dumbbell workout has been put together by YouTube fitness trainer Caroline Girvan and it’s one of the most popular arm workouts on the platform, with 6.8 million views to date. That speaks to its suitability for a wide range of fitness levels, and its accessibility — you just need 20 minutes and a set of dumbbells to do it. Or better yet, a set of the best adjustable dumbbells, so you can change the weight to suit different exercises as and when required.
Watch Caroline Girvan’s 20-minute dumbbell workout
Throughout the 20-minute workout you’ll be working for 40 seconds and resting for 20 seconds, though you can of course take extra breaks during a set when required. You need a medium set of dumbbells for the workout — Girvan is using 8kg/17.6lb weights herself — and a yoga mat is handy as well because you’ll be doing lots of floor-based exercises including push-ups and presses.
The workout includes a mix of isolation and compound exercises. Isolation exercises like biceps curls and skullcrushers are great options for targeting the biceps and triceps in particular, while compound moves like push-ups work multiple muscle groups and joints at the same time, and are more likely to also get your heart pumping for some cardiovascular benefits.
For the first half of the workout you’ll be doing standing exercises, before hitting the floor in the second half. There are several push-up variations to tackle during the second half of the workout, which you can do on your knees or with your legs straight.
While the workout can be attempted by anyone of any fitness level, if you are more of a beginner a very light set of weights would be best, and you could even change the structure a little to only work for 30 seconds with each set to get extra rest. Make sure to follow the form demonstrated by Girvan closely, especially with shoulder exercises, so you target the right muscles and don’t risk injury.
If you’d rather stay standing and avoid push-ups then try this 10-minute dumbbell workout instead, or if you’d rather just do push-ups then this 10-minute push-up challenge is a fun way to strengthen your upper body while doing just one exercise.
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