If you’re working out from home or simply prefer dumbbells over machines and barbells, this blog post is for you. Dumbbells can be great for building a powerful upper body once you know how to target all the muscles. And the best part about dumbbells is that you can complete your workout in a gym or your living room. You don’t need fancy equipment or complicated setups to see amazing results. In this guide, you’ll discover the best ways to target your upper body muscles using dumbbells. Let’s get started!
Best exercises for upper body with dumbbell for each muscle group
Whether you’re looking to build size, strength, or definition, these dumbbell exercises will get you there.
Chest
Targeting the chest with dumbbells is straightforward and effective. The nature of dumbbells allows you to work the chest muscles from various angles, which will result in you hitting both the upper, mid, and lower portions of the pecs for a well-rounded look.
Dumbbell bench press
- How to perform: Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward. Lower the weights to the sides of your chest, then press them upward until your arms are fully extended. Slowly lower them back to the start.
- Focus: This works the overall chest, with an emphasis on the mid-pecs.
Dumbbell flyes
- How to perform: Lie on a bench with arms extended above you, palms facing each other. With a slight bend in your elbows, lower your arms out to the sides until you feel a stretch in your chest. Bring them back up in a controlled motion.
- Focus: Flyes isolate the chest muscles and provide a deep stretch, working the inner chest and creating definition.
Incline dumbbell press
- How to perform: Set a bench to a 30-45 degree angle. Press the dumbbells up from the chest, focusing on engaging the upper pecs. Lower them down slowly to maintain tension.
- Focus: Emphasizes the upper chest, giving your chest a fuller appearance.
What to do if you don’t have a bench?
While there isn’t a perfect substitute for a bench when performing chest exercises, especially when it comes to incline dumbbell presses, there are still effective alternatives you can do with dumbbells or bodyweight.
- Floor dumbbell press
- Push-ups (And variations like decline or plyometric push-ups)
- Dumbbell Pullover (Performed on the floor)
- Dumbbell Squeeze Press (Performed lying on the floor)
Back
Targeting the back with dumbbells can be a bit tricky due to the muscle group’s complexity, but with the right moves, you can effectively work the lats, traps, and rhomboids for a strong, well-defined back.
Bent-over dumbbell rows
- How to perform: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat. Pull the dumbbells toward your hips, squeezing your shoulder blades together, and then lower them back down.
- Focus: Targets the lats, rhomboids, and mid-back muscles.
One-arm dumbbell rows
- How to perform: Place one knee and hand on a bench for support, while the other foot is planted on the ground. Hold a dumbbell in your free hand, pull it toward your hip, and lower it back slowly. Alternate sides.
- Focus: Great for isolating each side of the back and focusing on muscle imbalances.
Dumbbell pullover
- How to perform: Lie on a bench, holding a single dumbbell with both hands above your chest. With a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head until you feel a stretch in your lats. Bring it back to the start.
- Focus: Works the lats and also engages the chest and core, providing a full upper-body challenge.
Shoulders
Some people prefer dumbbells because they allow for more controlled movements and work each shoulder muscle separately. When it comes to targeting the deltoids, these exercises will get you wide and round shoulders.
Front delts: Front dumbbell raise
- How to perform: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lift one arm straight in front of you until it’s at shoulder height, then slowly lower it back down. Alternate arms or lift both at once.
- Focus: Targets the front (anterior) delts, enhancing shoulder strength and definition.
Side delts: Lateral raise
- How to perform: Stand with a slight bend in your knees and hold the dumbbells at your sides. Lift the weights out to the sides until your arms are parallel to the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Slowly lower them back.
- Focus: Hits the side (medial) delts, building shoulder width and giving you that “capped” look.
Rear delts: Bent-over reverse fly
- How to perform: Hinge at the hips with a slight bend in your knees, keeping your back flat. Hold the dumbbells with palms facing each other and raise them out to the sides until they’re in line with your shoulders. Lower slowly.
- Focus: Works the rear (posterior) delts, helping balance shoulder development and improve posture.
Arms
When it comes to arms, dumbbells offer a variety of ways to target the biceps and triceps effectively. While the biceps are easy to engage, building the triceps takes a little more creativity since it involves working against gravity in ways that emphasize these muscles.
Biceps
- Standing dumbbell curl
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- How to perform: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing forward. Curl the weights up while keeping your elbows close to your torso. Lower slowly.
- Focus: Simple but highly effective for building the biceps peak and adding mass.
- Hammer curl
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- How to perform: Similar stance as a standard curl, but this time keep your palms facing each other throughout the movement. Curl the weights up to shoulder height and slowly lower them back down.
- Focus: Targets the brachialis, the muscle underneath the biceps, for overall arm thickness.
Triceps
- Overhead dumbbell extension
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- How to perform: Sit on a bench and hold a single dumbbell with both hands. Extend your arms fully above your head. Lower the weight behind your head by bending at the elbows, then press it back up.
- Focus: Engages the long head of the triceps, building arm strength and size.
- Dumbbell kickback
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- How to perform: Bend over with a flat back, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your upper arms close to your torso, extend your arms backward until fully straight, then return to the start.
- Focus: Isolates the triceps, focusing on muscle definition and endurance.
How to split your upper body workouts with dumbbells
The key is to find a split that works best for your schedule, goals, and recovery needs. Whether you prefer targeting one muscle group per session or combining multiple in one workout, here are some effective ways to organize your upper body training:
Push/pull split
- Push day: Focus on the muscles used when pushing, primarily the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Exercises like bench press variations, shoulder presses, and tricep extensions are staples here.
- Pull day: Concentrate on the muscles used in pulling, mainly the back and biceps. Bent-over rows, one-arm rows, and bicep curls would be your go-to moves.
Chest/back & shoulders/arms split
- Workout 1 – Chest & back: These opposing muscle groups complement each other well, allowing you to switch between pushing and pulling exercises without excessive fatigue. Examples include combining bench press and bent-over rows.
- Workout 2 – Shoulders & arms: Pairing shoulder exercises (e.g., shoulder presses, lateral raises) with arm work (e.g., bicep curls, tricep extensions) keeps your upper body engaged and balanced.
Full upper body workout with dumbbells
- If you prefer to target all upper body muscles in a single session, focus on compound movements that engage multiple muscle groups (e.g., dumbbell bench press, shoulder press, bent-over rows). This approach can be effective if you’re short on time and want to work your upper body thoroughly in one workout.
The size of dumbbells you will need
When working out in a home gym, one of the biggest challenges is having the right size of dumbbells to match your fitness goals. Unlike commercial gyms where there are rows of dumbbells ranging from light to heavy, most home setups are limited by space and budget. Here’s what you’ll need based on various exercises:
- Light dumbbells (5-15 lbs): Ideal for isolation movements and exercises requiring high reps or more control, such as lateral raises, rear delt flyes, and tricep kickbacks.
- Medium dumbbells (15-30 lbs): This range works well for compound movements like bent-over rows, standing shoulder presses, or chest flyes. They provide enough resistance to build strength without risking injury.
- Heavy dumbbells (30+ lbs): For exercises targeting larger muscle groups, such as dumbbell bench presses or goblet squats, heavier weights are essential to progressively overload muscles and stimulate growth.
Progressive overload is the cornerstone of muscle growth and strength gains. It involves gradually increasing the weight, reps, or intensity of your workouts to push your muscles beyond their comfort zone. Without progressively increasing the weight you lift, your muscles won’t receive the necessary stimulus to grow, and you’ll eventually hit a plateau.
Sometimes, figuring out the right weight, form, and technique on your own can be challenging, especially if you want to avoid injury while making the most out of your home gym setup. That’s where a personal trainer can be a game changer. A professional trainer will help you set up a progressive program that matches your goals and ensures you’re using the correct weight to maximize results.
If you’re looking for guidance, consider checking out HiTone Fitness. Our trainers will guide you every step of the way, helping you achieve your goals efficiently and safely, ensuring you get the best possible results in the shortest time.
Can you increase the intensity of the workout without increasing the weight?
If you’re limited on the amount of weight available, you can still make your workouts more intense and effective using various techniques:
- Isometric holds: Adding pauses during a movement—like holding the weights at the top of a curl or in the middle of a bench press—engages your muscles under tension for longer periods, leading to muscle fatigue and growth.
- Increased reps: Performing higher reps with a lighter weight increases the volume of your workout, challenging your muscular endurance and stimulating growth.
- Slower tempos: Slowing down the eccentric (lowering) phase of your lifts creates more time under tension, making the muscles work harder even with lighter weights.
- Reduced rest periods: Shortening the rest time between sets keeps your muscles under stress, boosting your heart rate and intensifying the workout.
What are the signs that I should increase the weight I’m lifting?
Here are some signs that it might be time to level up:
- If your goal is to perform 10 reps but you can easily do 15 or more without feeling fatigued, it’s a clear indicator that your muscles are ready for a heavier challenge.
- The final few reps of each set should be difficult, requiring effort and concentration. If you breeze through them, it’s time to increase the weight.
- If you’ve been using the same weight for a while and you feel stronger (e.g., lifting feels lighter), this is a sign that your muscles have adapted and need more resistance to continue growing.
Final thoughts
Dumbbells are an incredibly versatile and effective tool for building upper body strength, whether you’re training at home or in the gym. By structuring your workouts strategically, selecting the right dumbbell sizes, and incorporating intensity-boosting techniques, you can make the most of your training sessions and see real results.
