Use these seven moves to build stronger arms with just a set of dumbbells

You don’t need the gym to build stronger arms. In fact, all you need is a few weights, a bit of space, and this seven-move routine. Do it fairly regularly and you'll soon see improvements in your functional strength.

You can still do this workout at the gym if that's where you prefer to train, but if you like working out at home, we recommend getting your hands on some of the best adjustable dumbbells. These clever bits of kit allow you to increase or decrease the load on a single dumbbell, avoiding the need for a full rack of weights.

Once you've organized your equipment, you’ll be ready to take on this short upper-body routine from personal trainer and Sweat app coach Britany Williams. There are seven exercises to try out, but Williams says you can pick just two to three from the routine and aim to complete 10 repetitions of each, then repeat this circuit three times if you're short on time. 

Watch Britany Williams' seven-move arm workout

This routine will fire up your tricep and bicep muscles. Your triceps run along the back of your upper arm, while the biceps are on the front, and are responsible for extending the limb. 

Many of us are guilty of prioritizing biceps curls when we're working out and neglecting other areas of our arms. But taking on a triceps workout can help you build important muscles in this area, which will help stabilize your shoulders and make handling heavy loads feel easier. 

One of the moves in Williams’ routine is the isometric hold tricep push-up, which targets the triceps by getting you to lower to the ground, bending your elbows back towards your body, then coming to rest on your forearms.

This clever push-up variation increases the amount of time your tricep muscles spend under tension, and this kind of challenge can really help build strength. As the move is a multi-muscle compound exercise, the rest of your body gets involved too, especially your core muscle to keep your posture straight.

Your core plays a vital role in your stability, balance, posture, and a stronger core can even help promote circulation. So, it's a good idea to regularly practice core strengthening exercises as part of your regular workout routine.