Build bigger arms in just seven moves with this workout

Strengthen your back, arms, and upper body with this weighted resistance training routine

Woman exercising with dumbbells
(Image credit: Getty Images)

If you want to develop your arms, the traditional advice was always to pick up a set of dumbbells and do long sets of bicep curls. Fortunately, this seven-move upper body routine has a more varied way to strengthen your arms.

Although you will need a set of weights like the best adjustable dumbbells for one or two of the moves, the workout utilizes a variety of resistance training equipment like suspension trainers and cable machines.

Bradley Simmonds, the personal trainer behind this circuit, said, "this is a great workout to build a stronger back and to finish off with a nice bicep pump." There are six single-exercise moves and a seventh three-move finisher to work your arms. 

It's a gym-focused session, but you can use a set of the best resistance bands in place of the cable machine and TRX suspension trainer and switch the barbell for dumbbells if you have a pair of weights at home.

It's essential to focus on your form to get the most from your training and avoid injury, a particular concern when working with weights. So, do follow along with Simmonds' demonstrations to practice your technique before you start.

Watch Bradley Simmonds' seven-move arm workout

Although multi-muscle compound exercises like deadlifts with dumbbells and pull-ups work your back, most routines focus on other upper body areas like your chest, core, or arms. This routine, however, keeps your back as the focal point with an arm-heavy finisher.

The resistance band pulls, suspension trainer TRX rows, barbell bent over rows, low cable rows, kneeling cable face pulls, and rear delt cable flys are some of the best back workouts and an effective way to build strength in your back.

All these moves work multiple upper body regions, including your arms and chest, but to get muscle-building results in your upper arms, Simmonds has added a three-move arm-focused finisher to close the circuit.

This includes four rounds of 10 bicep curls, 10 hammer curls, and 10 diagonal curls. It's an intense triset intended to work your muscles hard in a short time, making it ideal for getting results even when you can't schedule an extended workout.

This dumbbell arms workout is suitable for all levels if you're after a dedicated routine solely focusing on your biceps and triceps. It uses a mix of weighted and bodyweight exercises to strengthen your arms and upper body.

James Frew
Fitness Editor

James is a London-based journalist and Fitness Editor at Fit&Well. He has over five years experience in fitness tech, including time spent as the Buyer’s Guide Editor and Staff Writer at technology publication MakeUseOf. In 2014 he was diagnosed with a chronic health condition, which spurred his interest in health, fitness, and lifestyle management.


In the years since, he has become a devoted meditator, experimented with workout styles and exercises, and used various gadgets to monitor his health. In recent times, James has been absorbed by the intersection between mental health, fitness, sustainability, and environmentalism. When not concerning himself with health and technology, James can be found excitedly checking out each week’s New Music Friday releases.