If you're eager to build a stronger upper body without the cost of a gym membership, consider the impact a simple dumbbell workout can have on your strength-building goals.
Whether you’re a beginner or a dumbbell expert, these exercises can be performed at home or in the gym. We recommend investing in a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells, which are space-efficient and allow you to change the weight with a simple click or turn of a dial.
Fitness trainer James Stirling, known as The London Fitness Guy on Instagram, has shared a seven-move dumbbell workout that targets your upper body, especially your arms.
Thanks to the mix of curling and pressing strength moves in this routine, you will be targeting different parts of your arms including the biceps, triceps, and shoulders. Sound like a piece of cake? Let's check out Stirling's demonstrations.
What is James Stirling's seven-move dumbbell arm workout?
The goal is to complete 10-15 reps of each exercise and perform three to four sets in total. Be sure to include rest periods so your muscles can recover between sets, and you can maintain good form and maximize your gains.
- Standard bicep curl
- Hammer curl
- Zercher curl
- Drag curl
- Tricep press
- Overhead press
- Crushers
Stirling places an emphasis on completing the routine with controlled movements. For example, in the standard biceps curl, he recommends keeping the elbows tight to the waist and focusing on slow and controlled lowering of the dumbbells.
This tip will help to fully engage the muscles and lower the risk of injury by preventing unnecessary swinging or jerking motions. The routine includes exercises like the hammer curl and Zercher curl in the routine, which change the position of the wrists and target different parts of the biceps and forearms.
This variety of arm exercises is good because the more balanced your overall arm strength and muscle is the less likely you are to experience muscle imbalances which can lead to poor posture and injury.
How can you keep up your upper body gains?
Progressive overload is a fundamental principle of building muscle and increasing strength. It involves gradually increasing your workout's weight, reps, or intensity over time to continually challenge your muscles.
In Stirling's dumbbell workout, this could mean starting with lighter weights and gradually moving to heavier ones as your strength improves. Ultimately, the key to building upper body muscle lies in consistency, proper form, and balanced training.
Along with the progressive overload training technique, you will want to establish a balanced diet and allow time for rest and recovery. That'll help your body repair the damaged tissues in your muscles that ultimately grow and strengthen the fibers.
More from Tom's Guide
- Who needs weights? This 15-minute bodyweight workout builds functional full-body strength and boosts flexibility
- No, not push-ups — trainer says you need these 3 exercises for a chest building lower pec workout
- I tried this 5-minute morning yoga routine as soon as I woke up — here’s what happened
