Training your arms with intention helps you build strength, support everyday movements, and shape lean muscle. This 25-minute routine focuses on your biceps, triceps, and forearms using a pair of dumbbells and optional bench. The session combines controlled movements, isolation work, and negative reps to help you challenge each muscle group and promote balanced development.
Warm-Up and Workout Structure
Prepare your muscles and joints before lifting. A brief warm-up helps increase mobility, raise your heart rate, and ready your arms for controlled tension. You’ll move through 12 exercises, each paired with a short rest period. Two full rounds complete the workout, with a one-minute break in between. Use consistent form, maintain steady breathing, and focus on the muscles you want to engage.
Equipment and Setup
All you need is a pair of dumbbells—20 pounds were used in the routine, though you can adjust the load based on your strength level. A bench is helpful for several movements, but you can substitute floor variations when needed. Keep water close and reset your posture between each movement. Straight backs, stable elbows, and controlled reps will help you get the most from each exercise.
Biceps Training Phase
Targeting the biceps early helps you tap into your energy reserves while maintaining crisp technique. These exercises emphasize full-range curls, negative reps, and elbow stability to increase tension where it matters most.
Bicep Curl Negatives
The first movement introduces time under tension. Curl the dumbbells up with power, pause briefly at the top, and lower them as slowly as possible. This slow descent engages both your biceps and the upper portion of your forearms. The key is control. Keep your elbows close to your sides, maintain a strong stance, and avoid swinging your torso for momentum. The longer you can sustain each negative, the more effective the exercise becomes.
Alternating Hammer Curls with Hold
This variation works the long head of the biceps and the brachialis, the muscle that adds width to your upper arm. Curl one dumbbell up in a hammer grip while the opposite arm holds at the starting position. The static hold challenges your grip and forearms, while the moving arm gains full-range activation. Keep your back straight and your elbows tucked. Switch arms each rep and aim to move with steady pacing.
Incline Dumbbell Curls
Adjust your bench to roughly 30 degrees and let your arms hang naturally behind you. This position prevents your body from compensating and places immediate tension on the biceps. Curl the dumbbells upward without letting your elbows shift forward. Focus on smooth, controlled reps. If you don’t have a bench, a standing curl will work as an alternative, though the incline angle gives the movement a deeper stretch.
Hammer to Neutral Curls
This hybrid exercise closes the biceps section for the round. Begin each rep with a hammer curl, then rotate into a neutral grip at the top. The combination challenges multiple parts of the biceps along with supporting forearm muscles. Reduce momentum, keep your torso upright, and keep the elbows in a fixed position. This movement blends strength and endurance to help you maintain muscle tension to the final rep.
Triceps Training Phase
The triceps make up a large portion of your upper arm, so building strength here supports both appearance and performance. These exercises target the long and medial heads for balanced growth.
Skull Crushers
Lie on your bench or the floor and hold the dumbbells above you with a slight angle behind your head. Lower the dumbbells under control until they dip just below elbow level. The small backward tilt increases tricep engagement. Keep your elbows stable and avoid letting them spread outward. Press the dumbbells back to the top while maintaining that same arm path. This focused motion helps you engage the triceps through the full range.
Single-Arm Tate Press
This movement isolates one arm at a time, which encourages stronger mind-to-muscle connection. The Tate press targets the long and medial heads of the triceps, helping you build size and finish with a clear extension at the top of the rep. Lock your arm in place and control the dumbbell through the lowering and pressing phases. Avoid letting your elbow wander; a fixed elbow ensures the triceps handle the entire workload.
Single Seated Overhead Press
Seated overhead extensions place the long head of the triceps under deep stretch. Lower the dumbbell slowly until it dips slightly below your elbow level, then extend upward without shifting your elbow. This exercise strengthens the portion of the triceps responsible for overall arm thickness. Keep your core tight for stability and maintain a steady pace throughout. Switching arms allows you to give equal attention to each side.
Hex Press Negatives
The hex press variation in this routine emphasizes triceps through negative reps. Press the dumbbells together over your chest, then lower them slowly while keeping your elbows tight to your sides. The slow descent intensifies the strain on the triceps, helping you build control and definition. If you’re on the floor, avoid resting your elbows at the bottom—constant tension creates stronger results.
Forearm Training Phase
Your forearms support grip strength, wrist mobility, and lifting power. Training this area completes the session by strengthening often-overlooked muscles.
Reverse Curls
Reverse curls place your palms facing downward, shifting more load to your brachialis and forearms. Maintain a straight back, keep your elbows anchored, and lift using controlled motion. This grip variation reduces momentum and helps build strength through the top and mid-range of each curl. Expect a strong burn as the muscles work under continuous tension.
Bench Wrist Curls
This exercise isolates the underside of your forearms. Sit on a bench and rest your forearms on your thighs or the bench surface with your wrists hanging over the edge. Allow the dumbbells to roll to your fingertips, then curl them upward and hold for one to two seconds. The movement strengthens the flexor muscles and enhances grip control. Roll the weight down gently and maintain a smooth rhythm throughout.
Completing the Routine
Once you finish the first round, take a full minute to reset, hydrate, and prepare for the second round. The second round mirrors the first, giving you a chance to reinforce good form and improve muscle endurance. By maintaining steady pacing and consistent technique, you help your arms develop strength, shape, and functional stability.
Stay focused throughout the session and listen to your body. This structured training approach offers a balanced way to develop your biceps, triceps, and forearms while supporting long-term strength gains.
