Forget push-ups — this 7-minute arm workouts builds your triceps, biceps and shoulders in just 9 moves

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Two dumbbells and seven minutes to bigger arms

woman doing bicep curls with dumbbells
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Strengthening your arms and upper body can make it easier to do everyday lifting tasks, but you don’t need to hit the gym for hours to reach your goals. Instead, you can grab a set of dumbbells and take on this personal trainer’s seven-minute arm workout.

If you are at the gym, pick a load that’ll challenge your muscles to get through a set but won’t affect your form. For home workouts, we recommend investing in a set of the best adjustable dumbbells as you can quickly change the weight between exercises.

Then you’ll be ready to take on this short routine developed by Ingrid Clay, a trainer for Chris Hemsworth’s workout app Centr. The session is part of the team’s 28 Days of Arms program, a month-long schedule designed to help you build upper body muscle.

This specific session targets your triceps, the three-headed muscle on the underside of your arm that helps stabilize your shoulders and extend your forearm. Although many arm workouts focus on the biceps (the double-headed muscle on the top of your arm), it’s vital to balance both sides.

There are three rounds in Clay’s routine, and you’ll do each exercise for 40 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and then start on the next move. You’re working to a timer, but it’s still crucial to focus on your form and not rush through each repetition to get the most from your training.

Watch Ingrid Clay’s 7-minute dumbbell arm workout

As it’s just seven minutes, this workout is an ideal choice if you’re pushed for time, traveling, or only have access to limited equipment. However, if you have a bit longer to exercise, you can repeat the three-round circuit three times for an extended 20-minute arm workout.

While biceps-focused exercises like biceps curls remain some of the most popular arm workouts, strengthening your triceps is vital for everyday pushing movements, so stronger triceps muscles can lead to performance improvements in the gym and several sports too.

There are plenty of bodyweight triceps moves, including the classic triceps dips, but Clay’s routine increases the intensity to help challenge your muscles and you can gradually increase the load with progressive overload training to make sure you continue to see results.

And if you’re looking to build strength but avoid the superhero-style arms Hemsworth is famed for, this routine is still a great option. When we reviewed Centr, we rated it as one of the best workout apps as it has a great variety of workouts suitable for all experience levels.

Plus, to build the Thor-esque muscle he needs for the Marvel movies, Hemsworth takes on extreme routines like an 800-rep barbell workout and a 250-rep dumbbell workout, alongside eating more than 4,500 calories each day, as reported by Fit&Well.

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James Frew
James Frew
Buying Guide Editor

James is Tom's Guide's Buying Guide Editor, overseeing the site's buying advice. He was previously Fitness Editor, covering strength training workouts, cardio exercise, and accessible ways to improve your health and wellbeing.

His first job at as a sales assistant in a department store, and this is where James learned how important it is to help people make purchasing decisions that are right for their needs, whether that's a fountain pen to give as a gift or a new fridge for their kitchen.

James is an advocate for sustainability and reparability, and focuses his reviews and advice through that lens to offer objective insights as to whether a specific product or service will be right for your needs.