Wouldn’t it be nice to have muscles like Van Diesel or Linda Hamilton? Undoubtedly, they put in hours of labor and dedication that is required to get their bodies into shape. While genetics can play a part in your muscular build, you will not get anywhere without hard work and a proper diet. A dumbbell workout can be your ticket to toned arms and shoulders.
It’s easy to be fooled into thinking that you can only develop muscles by going to a gym every day or investing in some expensive equipment and long hours of labor. The truth is that you can do some serious sculpting by using a pair of dumbbells you pick up at your local department store and blocking off 15 minutes.
You will see a big difference in your biceps and triceps by just doing an arm routine a couple of times each week. If you want to tone your arms, have 15 minutes to devote to this simple workout, and have a pair of dumbbells, you can have the muscles you desire.
14 Dumbbell Exercises to Tone Your Arms and Shoulders
Below is a list of the 14 most beneficial arm exercises. Select six of these for your workout, and you will need to do them in reps of 8-12.
When you do three to four sets of the exercises you select, you will see a difference in a short period. Here are your choices.
1. Triceps Kickback
Select the weight of your choice. Stand up straight with your feet spread about 12 inches apart. Your knees should be slightly bent and grab a dumbbell in each hand. Your elbows need to be at a 90-degree angle by your side.
Lift the dumbbells up and down, squeezing your triceps hard each time you straighten your arms. You should feel a burning in your arms if you’re doing this lift correctly.
2. Rear Delt Fly
With your hips spread apart and your knees bent, grab a pair of dumbbells. Your arms should hang downwards with your palms facing outward. Raise your arm out to the sides and up and down, making a “W” letter with your movements.
Each time you move the dumbbell, squeeze the blades of your shoulders tightly together. This is one repetition, and you will need to repeat it for 8-12 more times.
3. Overhead Triceps Extension
Take a weight into each hand and lift it over your head. Your arms must remain straight, and your feet should be spread about 12 inches apart. Your arms should be near your ears as you focus on keeping your hands on the top of the bar.
You want to lower the weight behind you in slow motion, so bend your elbows and straighten them back and forth to do this weightlifting exercise. Lifting up and down 8-12 times is one repetition.
4. Biceps Curl
The bicep curl is the most known of all the lifts. Stand with your feet about 12 inches apart and have a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Make sure your back is straight, your chest is upright, and your palms are facing forward.
It would be best if you moved the dumbbells up and down without moving your upper arms. Bend your elbows as you curl the weights towards your chest. Lifting up and down is considered one repetition, and you need 8-12 to finish this task.
5. Stoop Lunge with Biceps Curl
You’re going to do the same thing you did for the bicep curl, except that your feet won’t be standing 12 inches apart during the repetitions. You want to bend your knees and slowly lower your body almost to the floor. Do the right knee forward and then the left.
You should do 8-12 repetitions for the right and then for the left to get the toned arms you desire.
6. Plié Squat with Biceps Curl
Stand straight with your feet at about 12 inches apart, while your toes point outwards to a 45-degree angle. Hold one of the weights in each hand. Now, breathe in profoundly, bend your knees, allow your hips to sink a bit, and get your thighs parallel with the flooring.
Lift the weight like you do in the bicep curl and squeeze those muscles for defined shoulders. As you exhale, bring your heels back to where you started while you straighten your arms.
7. Lying Overhead Triceps Extension
Rather than standing, you need to lie on your back for this exercise. Keep your knees bent; your feet should be firmly planted on the floor. Hold one of the weights in each hand while extending your arms over your shoulders.
You must ensure that your palms face each other for this task. Bend at the elbows as you slowly bring the weights down to the floor. Rotate by bringing them from the floor to the temples of your head. Each lift counts as one repetition, and you need 8-12 to complete.
8. Upright Row
Stand up straight with your feet about 12 inches apart. Your arms must be resting in front of you with a weight in each hand. Slowly raise the weight to your chest and then lower it back down to the waist area.
Pay attention to the biceps and squeeze to define shoulders.
9. Weight Floor Press
Lay on the ground and keep your knees bent and feet flat. Your feet should be about 12 inches from your rear. Extend your arms over your shoulders while holding a weight in each hand. Your palms should be facing each other during this lift.
Bend your arms and then release them to your sides, allowing your triceps to touch the floor. Your elbows must remain at a 45-degree angle. Now, reverse your movements and go back to the beginning.
10. Alternating Weight Floor Press
Again, get into the lying position, keeping your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. With a weight in each hand, lift them with both arms up over your head. This lift will help give you defined shoulders.
Make sure your palms are facing each other, slowly bend your left arm, and lower it to your side. Your left elbow should touch the ground. If you’re doing this lift right, your upper arm will be a perfect 45-degrees with your body. Now, reverse the movement and do it again.
11. Triceps Dips
Do you want toned arms? Well, set aside your weights and grab a chair. Your hands should be resting on the weights, and your fingers must be pointed toward your toes.
Slowly lift your butt off the ground by about six inches. Make sure you keep your arms straight and your elbows bent until you touch the ground. Push yourself back up to start again as this is one repetition.
12. Write Your Name
Sometimes the most straightforward exercises have the most significant impact. In this lift, have a weight in each hand and extend your arms out until they’re at chest height in front of you. Now, write your name with the weight in the air.
It sounds easy, but it’s a bit trickier. You will feel the burn with this one. Each letter in your name counts as one repetition.
13. Single-Arm Weight Floor Press
In the lying position, bend your knees and place your feet firmly on the floor. Please pick up a weight with the right arm and lower it until it almost touches the ground. Make sure to keep your form at a 45-degree angle while lifting.
Now, reverse your movements and do the left arm. Lifting up and down on each side counts as one repetition.
14. Plank with Biceps Curl
The bicep curl is the basis for many of these lifts. Now, get into the plank position where you have the weights in your hands resting on the ground. They should be aligned beneath your shoulders.
Your center core and hips must be stable. Next, bring the right weight up to your shoulder and lower it back down, keeping firm control the entire time. Do one of these lifts on the left and then on the right to count as one repetition.
Final Thoughts on How Toned Arms + Defined Shoulders Await You as You Master a Dumbbell Routine
Do you feel the burn? You don’t need to invest a ton of money in a gym membership or spend loads of time to get the defined biceps and triceps you desire. I’ve seen people from all walks of life bulk up by just incorporating a few simple weightlifting moves into their weekly schedule.
Finally, you can tone and define as well as bulk up those arms. Don’t you want to have muscles that make people stop and look a second time?
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