A Simple and Effective Upper-Body Dumbbell Workout to Hit Your Arms, Back, and Chest

The basics work—and this routine is proof.
bent over row
Katie Thompson

Ready to get started? Do a quick warm-up to get your chest, shoulders, back, and arms loose, grab your dumbbells, and get ready to build some upper-body strength!

The Workout

What you need: Two sets of dumbbells, one heavier and one lighter, that feel medium-to-hard for your moves. You’ll use the heavier set for the exercises that target your bigger muscle groups (like the chest press, row, and press), and the lighter weights for moves that hit your smaller muscle groups (the skull crusher, biceps curl, lateral raise, and bent-over fly.)

Exercises

  • Chest Press
  • Skull Crusher
  • Bent-Over Row
  • Arnold Press
  • Bent-Over Fly
  • Alternating Biceps Curl
  • Lateral to Front Raise

Directions

  • Do 8-12 reps of each exercise.
  • Try to move from one exercise to the next without resting. Take breaks if you feel like you can’t catch your breath or your form is slipping.
  • After you’ve completed all seven exercises, rest for 1 to 2 minutes, then repeat the circuit. Complete 3 or 4 rounds total.

Demoing the moves below are Jo Murdock (GIF 1), a registered yoga instructor, dancer, and fitness instructor; Rachel Denis (GIFs 2, 7), a powerlifter who competes with USA Powerlifting; Tray Drew (GIF 3 and 5), MPH, owner/operator of Body By Tray and an ISSA-certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist; Francine Delgado-Lugo (GIF 4), cofounder of FORM Fitness Brooklyn who uses strength training to help people cultivate self-love and body confidence; and Cookie Janee (GIF 6), a registered nurse and background investigator and security forces specialist in the Air Force Reserve.