I don’t have time for the gym anymore—this is the dumbbell arms workout I use at home to still get results
This 30-minute session maintains my strength
The older I get, the busier life gets, so my training has had to adapt.
The long gym sessions I used to do when training for CrossFit competition—at times, up to two hours, five times a week—are a thing of the past. Now I do three 30-minute sessions a week to meet my goal of maintaining mobility and strength.
There’s not enough time to split my arm training into separate push and pull workouts like I used to do, so I combine them into one of my three weekly workouts to save time.
Using just one dumbbell, I pair opposing moves and perform four exercises back-to-back: a push exercise followed by a pull, then a biceps move followed by a triceps one.
The compound exercises—single-arm press and bent-over row—I’ve chosen target my shoulders, upper back and lats more than my arm muscles, which may seem odd at first glance, but the arms rarely work in isolation outside of the gym. To push or pull anything, other muscles are always recruited to work together, so it’s beneficial for my exercise selection to reflect this.
I like to use a half-kneeling version of the single-arm press for a few reasons: it isolates the movement to your upper body, removing any momentum or assistance you might get from your legs in the standing version; it engages your hips and lower core more deeply; and it reduces the risk of excessive lower-back arching.
For someone like me who is recovering from a lower back disc injury, it’s an ideal adaptation.
I prefer a bodyweight triceps push-up over something like a skullcrasher because it’s a full-body move that challenges your shoulders and core stability, too.
How to do the dumbbell arms workout
Perform six to eight reps of each move on each arm, and as many reps as you can of the triceps push-up. Rest for two minutes and complete three rounds in total.
Choose a weight that’s heavy enough to feel challenging on the last few reps. When you can do eight reps easily, increase the weight slightly. If you’re struggling to complete eight reps, reduce the weight.
I use a pair of cast-iron spinlock dumbbells from Mirafit (U.K. only), but CAP Barbell offers a similar set in the U.S.
1. Half-kneeling single-arm press
Reps: 6-8 each side
- From kneeling, step your right foot in front of you, with your right knee directly above your right ankle and bent to 90°, and your left knee directly underneath your left hip.
- Hold a dumbbell in your left hand by your left shoulder.
- Engage your core.
- Push the dumbbell overhead until your arm is fully extended.
- Lower the dumbbell back to your shoulder with control.
2. Single-arm bent-over row
Reps: 6-8 each side
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding a dumbbell in your right hand, facing a sturdy support like a table.
- Engage your core.
- Hinge forward from your hips, lowering your torso so it’s at a 45° angle with the floor, and place your left hand on the support—this is your starting position.
- Lift the weight toward your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blade at the top of the movement.
- Lower with control.
3. Single-arm hammer curl
Reps: 6-8 each side
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell by your side with your palm facing your body.
- Bend your elbow to lift the weight to your shoulder, keeping your upper arm pinned to your torso.
- Lower slowly.
- Complete all the reps on one side, then switch sides.
4. Triceps push-up from knees
Reps: as many as possible
- Get on your hands and knees with your hands slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
- Step your knees back until your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
- Engage your shoulder blades by squeezing them back.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest.
- Push through your palms powerfully to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
