Arm Toning & Strength // Dumbbell Only Workout

Arm Toning & Strength // Dumbbell Only Workout is an excellent workout from Heather Robertson that focuses on the biceps, triceps and shoulders. If you use challenging dumbbells and you are doing muscle splits (i.e., chest and back are worked on a different day) this workout alone is all you need. She hits your biceps, triceps and shoulders very well. Heather doesn’t have any chest + back workouts that I am aware of but if you want a full upper body workout, you could combine this workout with one of Heather’s back workouts (she has several excellent ones), throw in some push ups and you will have worked your entire upper body nicely. This morning I used this workout as a finisher workout. I did one of Heather’s upper body workouts in which my chest and back were worked and finished my workout off with this. The title is actually incorrect. There are body weight exercises in this workout that use zero dumbbells.

This workout consists of 5 supersets. Each superset is repeated. It is also done interval style: each exercise is done for 40 seconds followed by 20 seconds of recovery. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen, counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recovery Heather previews your next exercise.

Arm Toning & Strength // Dumbbell Only Workout is 25:43 minutes; 2 minute warm up and 3 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and fitness mat. Heather is using 5 and 10 pound dumbbells. the dumbbell weights listed below are what I used.

1. Curl & press (curl one arm to shoulder and hold, curl other arm to shoulder and hold, do an overhead press with first arm and hold, do an overhead press with other arm, lower both arms to the starting position together, alternate which arm initiates move each time you repeat the combo) (15# DBs)
2. Tricep push up
3. Repeat #1 & 2
4. Single arm Arnold press (one 15# DB)
5. Repeat #4 on other arm
6. Repeat #4 & 5
7. In & out curls (alternate wide bicep curls with clutch curls) (12# DBs)
8. L raises (do a straight arm front raise while also doing a straight arm side raise, alternate arm position each rep) (5# DBs)
9. Single arm tricep press (start w/ DB held at shoulder level, press DB overhead, do one tricep extension then lower DB back to shoulder) (one 10# DB)
10. Repeat #9 on other arm
11. Rear fly combo (alternate on rear delt fly with one Y raise, hinged forward the entire time) (5# DBs)
12. Walking Plank & tap (start in elbow/forearm plank, raise to straight arm plank, tap hands to opposite shoulder then lower back to elbow plank)
13. Repeat #11 & 12

For more info on Heather Robertson’s workouts and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.