A trainer shares an eight-move dumbbell workout for toned arms

Build strong, muscular arms with this 30-minute workout

A trainer demonstrating a dumbbell exercise
(Image credit: Getty Images / SDI Productions)

Nearly 50,000 people search for “toned arms workouts” online each month, data shows. But what does this phrase actually mean? 

The term “toned” is usually used to describe having visible muscle. This relies on two factors; a high muscle mass and a low body fat percentage, so that the muscle isn’t hidden. 

"To create the look of toned arms you have to build the muscle first," fitness trainer Caitie June explains in a recent Instagram post. 

To help you with this, she shares an arm and shoulder workout. It only uses a few sets of dumbbells, making it a great fit for home workouts and busy gyms. 

How to do Caitie June’s toned arms workout

There are eight moves in this workout, and you’ll perform three sets of 10 repetitions of each one. 

Do these in straight sets, meaning you’ll complete all three sets of one exercise before moving onto the next one, and rest 45-60 seconds between each one. This should take between 30 and 40 minutes. 

June’s workout focuses on three main muscles; the biceps, triceps and deltoids. 

The biceps are the muscles on the front of your upper arm, the triceps are the larger muscles on the back of your upper arm, and the deltoids are the large muscles that cap your shoulders. 

Developing this trio can help you achieve the toned look you might be after, but the benefits don’t end there. 

This workout will also increase the strength of the targeted muscles, making everyday tasks like picking up a heavy item off a supermarket shelf feel easier. It will strengthen the nearby joints, bones, tendons and ligaments too, leaving you less susceptible to injury. 

Have a look at our upper-body dumbbell workouts and resistance band arm workout if you want more ideas on how to strengthen these areas.

Need help picking your next set of weights? Our guide to the best adjustable dumbbells can help

Harry Bullmore
Fitness Writer

Harry Bullmore is a Fitness Writer for Fit&Well and its sister site Coach, covering accessible home workouts, strength training session, and yoga routines. He joined the team from Hearst, where he reviewed products for Men's Health, Women's Health, and Runner's World. He is passionate about the physical and mental benefits of exercise, and splits his time between weightlifting, CrossFit, and gymnastics, which he does to build strength, boost his wellbeing, and have fun.

Harry is a NCTJ-qualified journalist, and has written for Vice, Learning Disability Today, and The Argus, where he was a crime, politics, and sports reporter for several UK regional and national newspapers.