This is the only arms workout you need if you’re a beginner—and it consists of just three moves

A woman holds a pair of dumbbells at her sides in the gym. She is smiling and we see the blurred outline of machinery behind her.

I’m a personal trainer and one of the most frequent things I get asked by new clients is how to build upper body strength. Most people know that resistance training is an effective way to increase muscle mass (and bone density) but knowing which exercises are best to start with can be daunting.

When you do an exercise with the wrong technique it means the body isn’t properly aligned and this can put unnecessary stress on the joints and tendons, leading to pain and potential injury.