Maintain your gains at home with this quick dumbbell arm and shoulder workout that requires nothing more than a pair of dumbbells and a chair in your front room…

Discover the best dumbbell exercises for every body part

If you spend hours in the gym working on your upper body, you may be wondering how to maintain these gains when stuck at home. Luckily, working on your arms and shoulders doesn’t necessarily require heaps of hardcore equipment. For the following arm and shoulder workout, a pair of dumbbells and a chair are all you need!

Ready to work on your upper body at home? Try our dumbbell arm and shoulder workout…

Dumbbell arm and shoulder workout

  • 1a. Seated press
  • 1b. Lateral raise
  • 1c. Reverse lateral raise
  • 2a. Seated curl
  • 2b. Standing curl
  • 2c. Triceps extension

Keep reading for full instructions on how to perform each exercise in this dumbbell arm and shoulder workout.

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man demonstrating seated press; he sits on a bench holding two dumbbells at shoulder height, before raising them up then lowering them

1a. Seated press

Reps: 12-15
Rest: Straight into 1b

How to do a seated press:

  • Sit on a bench/chair with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
  • Keeping your chest up, press the weights directly overhead until your arms are straight, then lower them back to the start.

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man demonstrated lateral raise; he stands tall holding two dumbbells at his side, before raising them to shoulder height then lowering

1b. Lateral raise

Reps: 12-15
Rest: Straight into 1c

How to do a lateral raise:

  • Stand tall with a light dumbbell in each hand with palms facing.
  • Keeping your chest up and a bend in your elbows, raise the weights out to shoulder height, then lower back to the start.

man demonstrated reverse lateral raise; bent forwards at the hips, he holds two dumbbells with palms facing, then lifts his arms out to the side until level with his shoulders

1c. Reverse lateral raise

Reps: 12-15
Rest: 60 secs
Sets: 4

How to do a reverse lateral raise:

  • Bend forwards from the hips with a light dumbbell in each hand, palms facing.
  • Keeping a bend in your elbows, raise the weights out to shoulder height, then lower back to the start.

man demonstrated seated curl; sitting on a bench, he lifts and lowers two dumbbells in either hand

2a. Seated curl

Reps: 12-15
Rest: Straight into 2b

How to do a seated curl:

  • Sit on a bench with dumbbells by your sides, palms facing forwards.
  • Keeping your elbows tucked in, curl the weights up, squeezing your biceps at the top.
  • Lower the weights back to the start.

man demonstrated standing curl in dumbbell arm and shoulder workout; standing tall, he holds two dumbbells and repeatedly lifts and lowers them, keeping his elbows tucked in

2b. Standing curl

Reps: 12-15
Rest: Straight into 2c

How to do a standing curl:

  • Hold dumbbells by your sides with straight arms, palms facing forwards.
  • Keeping your elbows tucked in, curl the weights up, squeezing your biceps at the top.
  • Lower them back to the start.

man demonstrates triceps extension in dumbbell shoulder and arm workout; standing tall, he holds a dumbbell behind his head with both hands before raising it up and lowering it

2c. Triceps extension

Reps: 12-15
Rest: 60 secs
Sets: 4

How to do a triceps extension:

  • Stand tall holding a dumbbell over your head with both hands, arms straight.
  • Keeping your chest up, lower the weight behind your head, then raise it back to the start.

Related: How to get bigger triceps fast

Head to our sister site, Women’s Fitness UK, to discover the best exercises to tone your upper arms