7 exercises22 setsabout 50 mina pair of dumbbells and a bench
A session for the muscles that get the leftovers in most programs. An overhead press comes first, then the side and rear of the shoulder, then biceps and triceps in alternation so each rests while the other works.
Dumbbells make each side carry its own weight, so a stronger arm or leg cannot cover for the other, and they travel through a longer range than a bar allows.
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The workout
Dumbbell Shoulder Press4 × 8Start with the dumbbells at ear height, elbows slightly in front of you. Press up without arching your lower back.2 min rest
Lateral Raise3 × 15Lead with the elbows and raise to shoulder height. Go lighter than you think and lower under control.60 s rest
Dumbbell Reverse Fly3 × 15Hinge forward with a flat back and raise the dumbbells out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades.60 s rest
Dumbbell Curl3 × 10Turn your palms up as you curl and keep your upper arms still.90 s rest
Overhead Triceps Extension3 × 10One dumbbell held in both hands behind your head. Keep the elbows pointing forward and extend fully.90 s rest
Hammer Curl3 × 12Palms face each other the whole way. Curl to shoulder height without swinging.60 s rest
Triceps Kickback3 × 12Upper arm parallel to the floor and still. Straighten the elbow fully and pause before lowering.60 s rest
Muscles worked
FrontBack
Shoulders10
Triceps8
Biceps6
Traps5
Forearms4.5
Upper back3
Sets per muscle. A muscle that only assists in an exercise counts half.
How to run it
Before the first exercise, do two lighter sets of it: one at about half your working weight and one at three quarters. Rest for the time shown next to each exercise; the heavy lifts at the top need more than the smaller ones at the end.
Aim to finish each set with one or two reps left in you. If every set reaches its target easily, the session is too light. Dumbbells go up in big steps. When the next pair is too heavy, add a rep to every set first, and move up once you are two or three reps over the target.
Once a week, as a fourth day next to chest, back and leg sessions, or as the arm-focused day of an upper and lower split.
In myreplog
It is already set up. These 7 exercises arrive in your account as a program, with the sets and reps above.
Tap, do not type. Set your weights the first time, then mark each set done as you finish it.
Records count themselves. From your second session, a lift that beats your best is marked as a personal record on the spot.
See what you trained. The session ends with this muscle map, drawn from the sets you actually did.
Logging is free for good. The first 14 days also include Pro, where a coach reviews each session and suggests the weights for the next one. No card needed.
Questions
How long does this shoulders and arms workout take?
About 50 minutes. That is 22 working sets with the rests listed next to each exercise, plus five minutes to warm up.
What muscles does it work?
Mostly the shoulders, triceps and biceps. The traps, forearms and upper back assist. The map on this page shades each muscle by the number of sets that reach it.
What equipment do I need?
A pair of dumbbells and a bench.
Can I train shoulders and arms on the same day?
Yes. Neither is a large muscle group, so the session is not exhausting, and alternating a biceps exercise with a triceps exercise keeps the rests short.
How many sets do arms need per week?
Counting the work they get from presses and rows, most people grow well on 10 to 14 direct sets a week for biceps and the same for triceps.