I love the feeling after I do an upper-body session at the gym, but it's dedicating the time to it that I struggle with. Plus, just to add another excuse to the bank, I'm not long out of marathon training where I was really only focusing on strengthening my lower body and core.
So while I ease myself back into strength training my whole body again, I decided to find a minimal equipment and simple upper body workout. Thankfully, I stumbled across this six-move dumbbell only workout from fitness trainer Fiona Judd.
Come morning, afternoon or late evening, my local gym is always packed, meaning it's hard to get my hands on multiple pieces of equipment during my workouts. The fact this arm workout only requires a pair of dumbbells was a game changer for me.
Of course, if you own a set of the best adjustable dumbbells then this is also a perfect workout for using at home.
What is the six-move dumbbell workout?
There are six exercises to complete and three rounds of the routine in total. Allow yourself short rest periods in between both reps and sets; this allows the muscles to recover and prevents fatigue.
Judd recommends working with 5-10 lbs dumbbells and if you want to implement progressive overload into the routine to maximize your gains, you can move up from there.
I was only able to get a hold of a pair of 10 lbs dumbbells in my gym, but if I could have, I would have picked up one lighter option as back up for some of the more demanding arm exercises in the workout.
- Front raise into side raise: 8 reps
- Biceps curl into hinged curl: 8 reps
- Triceps press into kickback: 8 reps
- Upright row into Around the Worlds: 8 reps
- 90-degree hammer curl: 8 reps on each arm
- 1 1/2 overhead extension: 8 reps
It's an efficient way to train the upper body
One big reason why I loved this workout is down to the fact each part combines two movements in one, maximizing efficiency and targeting multiple muscle groups at once. Perfect if you're a bit of slacker like me when it comes to upper body day and you just want to get in, get on and get out.
For example, the front raise into side raise engages the front and lateral deltoids, saving time while effectively working the shoulders. Similarly, the biceps curl into hinged curl targets both the biceps and muscles in the upper back, doubling up on enhancing muscle activation.
This dual-action approach not only increases overall workout intensity but also promotes balanced muscle development and functional strength.
It combines compound and isolation exercises
Adding to the efficiency of this workout, I felt like I was getting a very thorough upper body session complete despite the fact I was only using one set of weights and just six moves. This is thanks to the combination of isolation and compound exercises included in the short routine.
Compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. One example in this routine includes the upright row into Around the Worlds and the triceps press into kickback. The upright row engages the shoulders, traps, and upper back, while the Around the Worlds component involves shoulder and chest muscles.
Meanwhile, isolation exercises target a single muscle group such as the 90° hammer curl, which isolates the biceps with minimal involvement of other muscle groups.
By incorporating both compound and isolation exercises, this workout provides a great opportunity to target a wide range of muscles across the upper body, promoting more balanced muscle development and increasing your functional strength.
If you have a spare moment, you can read up about isolation vs compound exercises and which is better for building muscle.
I had to grab a lighter dumbbell for some moves
If possible, I'd advise starting with a lighter dumbbell rather than picking a heavier weight that you won't be able to confidently and efficiently lift for each exercise.
I found being limited to one size of dumbbell meant my form flopped a little in some of the more demanding moves like biceps curls which put all the work onto one muscle.
To avoid targeting the wrong muscles or injuring myself I dropped the rep number for the harder exercises. Next time I'll make sure to have a lighter weight option available to complete the routine in full.
More from Tom's Guide
- I did 100 hanging knee tucks every day for a week — here's what happened to my body and core
- I'm a personal trainer — this 3-move stretching routine builds shoulder strength and boosts flexibility
- Forget weights — this 20-minute bodyweight workout builds full-body strength and it’s a great mood booster
