Build arm muscle without push-ups in just 10 minutes with this workout

Not a fan of push-ups? You don’t have to be with this zero push-ups arm workout from fitness teacher Mikala Czubak

Woman doing an arm workout at home
(Image credit: Getty)

If you’re on a quest to build bigger arms but are short on time, space and motivation, add this 10-minute standing workout to your fitness regime. 

Using just 10 swift moves, Canada-based fitness teacher Mikala Czubak has created an intense arm workout you can complete at home with no push-ups in sight. 

Instead, Czubak uses a mixture of standing pushing and pulling exercises that will help to build the top half of your body, including your biceps, triceps, and shoulders. All you need is a set of the best adjustable dumbbells and some willpower to train. 

To perform this quick 10-minute workout, each interval is 45 seconds on and 15 seconds rest and this will see you complete 10 moves in total. Czubak uses 8lb/ 3.6kg dumbbells for each move, although she suggests using a weight that best suits your strength levels. Discover the full workout below including a list of the moves to complete.

Watch Czubak's 10 minute standing arm workout

The standing arm workout includes a mixture of moves that will target your shoulders, triceps, and biceps. The moves include:

  1. Bicep curls
  2. Upright row
  3. Forward raise
  4. Tricep extensions
  5. Hammer curl
  6. Overhead press
  7. Pulse back
  8. Single arm wide fly
  9. Overhead tricep extensions
  10. Lateral raises

If you’re new to these moves, don’t worry. To help guide you through each exercise, Czubak explains how to complete the move and how to do so with the correct form. Plus, as you’ll see from the video, Czubak also completes the workout with you, so it really is a case of watching and learning. 

This standing workout is particularly great if you’re at home and unable to get your hands on a bench. But, as this session shows, even if you are short on time, you can still feel the pump and build muscle in just 10 minutes.

That's because it uses moves that are considered to be amongst the best workout for arms. For example, bicep curls are effective at isolating your bicep and building muscle. If you're short on dumbbells at home, you could use one of the best resistance bands instead as a much cheaper alternative. 

For more ways to build muscle without any weights, discover the best bodyweight arm workouts

Becks Shepherd

Becks is a freelance journalist and writer with more than 7 years of experience in the field. She writes health and lifestyle content for a range of titles including Live Science, Top Ten Reviews, Tom’s Guide, Stylist, The Independent, and more. She also ghostwrites for a number of Physiotherapists and Osteopaths. 


Health has been a big part of Becks’ lifestyle since time began. When she’s not writing about the topic of health, she’s in the gym learning new compound exercises. And when she’s not in the gym, she’s most probably reading.