I asked an expert trainer to share her favorite upper-body workout for muscle growth—she recommends this 20-minute routine
Try this four-move dumbbell workout to increase strength
Upper-body strength has never been high on my priority list.
I’m more of a legs, glutes and core girl—give me a squat over a biceps curl any day of the week.
That was until I moved house twice in the space of three months. I realized that strong arms and shoulders would have been pretty useful for unpacking boxes, scrubbing dirty floors and putting heavy items away in those high-up kitchen cupboards.
Since then, I’ve been a little more interested in arm workouts, particularly the quick and functional kind.
So, this 20-minute arm workout, designed for Fit&Well by NASM-certified personal trainer Rosie Borchert, is just the thing for me.
“This quick dumbbell workout targets the biceps, triceps and forearms—with some love for the shoulders too,” says Borchert, who works with REP fitness.
“Building muscle here supports daily movements like carrying, pushing, lifting, pulling and opening that stubborn pasta sauce jar.”
How to do the 20-minute upper-body workout
“We’re working in a hypertrophy rep range for this workout, which means you’ll choose a moderate weight that you can control through a higher rep range,” Borchert says.
1. Farmer’s walk
Sets: 3 Time: 45sec Rest: 30-45sec
“This is a full-body exercise that targets the forearms, trapezius and core, and also improves grip strength,” explains Borchert.
How to do it:
- Set your dumbbells at either side of your feet, which should be a little wider than hip-width apart.
- Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to pick up your dumbbells, keeping your back flat and your chest lifted.
- Grasp your dumbbells, then extend your hips and knees to stand up straight again, with the dumbbells held at your sides.
- Pull your shoulder blades back, engage your core and keep an upright posture as you walk forward.
- Walk for 45 seconds, changing direction where necessary.
- Then, hinge at the hips and bend your knees to lower your dumbbells back to the floor.
2. Shoulder press
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30-45sec
“This shoulder exercise targets the deltoids, trapezius and triceps,” says Borchert.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
- Hold your dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
- Extend your arms to press the dumbbells overhead, making sure you don’t arch your back.
- Lower the dumbbells with control.
3. Overhead triceps extension
Sets: 3 Reps: 15 Rest: 30-45sec
Borchert explains that “this move recruits all three heads of the triceps.”
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding one dumbbell vertically, with both hands cupping the highest end of the dumbbell.
- Engage your core and lift the dumbbell overhead, keeping your elbows close to your ears.
- Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Extend your arms to lift the dumbbell overhead again—you should feel a little pull in the triceps at the top of the movement.
4. Biceps curl
Sets: 3 Reps: 15 Rest: 30-45sec
“Biceps curls target the biceps brachii when using a standard, supinated (palms-up) grip,” explains Borchert.
How to do it:
- Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing forward.
- Engage your core.
- Keeping your upper arms pressed against your torso, bend your elbows to lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
- Don’t twist your hands as you lift—keep your palms in position.
- Lower the dumbbells with control back to the start.
