You just need 3 moves and 25 minutes to build your back, biceps and shoulders with a set of dumbbells

For those of you who are short on time, the thought of dragging yourself to the gym for a 60-minute session might be a non-starter. All you really need is an effective dumbbell workout you can rely on to deliver fast. In 25 minutes, perhaps.

Although the actual muscle-building process (hypertrophy) takes several months, your workouts only need to be consistent and progressive to be effective. What I’m saying is, you can sculpt your back, biceps and shoulder muscles using a set of dumbbells and the correct exercises and intensity.

Over time, by mixing this 25-minute upper-body workout with other strength exercises, you can see results, whether you step foot in the gym or not. Just remember to keep progressing the workout — but more on that later. I’m a personal trainer, and I’ve developed this back and biceps workout just for you.

What is the dumbbell routine?

To build your back and biceps, you’re looking for pull-based movements like rows and cleans; this way, you target various muscles in your back, and your biceps assist with the movement.

The shoulders can be targeted in multiple ways, including push and pull-based exercises, depending on which shoulder head you want to target — the frontal, lateral, or posterior deltoids.

For that reason, I’ve included a move called the Arnold press, created by the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger. It relies on shoulder rotation as you press the weights upward, which helps you target all three shoulder heads simultaneously, providing a one-stop shop for efficiently developing those sculpted boulder shoulders.

I follow it up with two rows: the gorilla row works the core and lower body, including your hips and hamstrings, using a squat position with forward lean; the renegade row tests core strength and stability as you hold a plank position while rowing one arm at a time.

Here’s how to do each move step-by-step.

1. Gorilla row

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed outward
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing each other
• Hinge forward at your hips and send your butt backward, keeping a gentle knee bend and flat back
• Engage your core and butt
• Row your right arm toward you, driving your elbow toward your right hip
• Pause and squeeze your back, then lower your arm to the starting position
• Repeat on your left side
• Keep your chest parallel to the floor throughout.

2. Arnold press

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand
• Raise the weights in front of your face with your elbows bent and palms facing toward you
• Engage your core and butt
• Press both dumbbells overhead and simultaneously rotate your palms outward as you fully extend your elbows
• Pause at the top, then reverse the movement to your starting position
• Stand tall and try to avoid leaning backward or arching your lower back.

3. Renegade row

• Start in a high plank position, holding a weight in each hand, with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips aligned with both shoulders
• Engage your core, butt and thighs
• Row your right arm toward your hip until your elbow is slightly higher than your torso
• Pause and squeeze your back, then slowly lower back down to the ground beneath your shoulder
• Repeat on your left side
• Keep your hips square throughout and avoid twisting your body to one side or overly lifting or dropping your hips.

To do the workout, set up your space and set a 25-minute timer for an 8-round EMOM (every minute on the minute).

Complete 8 reps per arm for the gorilla row, then rest for the remainder of the minute. On the next minute, complete 8-12 reps of the Arnold press, then rest. On the next minute, complete 8 reps per arm for the renegade row, then rest.

These reps are guidelines only. You should be aiming for no more than 10-15 seconds of rest before the next minute starts per exercise. Assess your reps on the first round, then adjust them up or down as needed to account for this rest period.

Lift dumbbells that challenge you and don't feel like a breeze, even if that means reducing the reps. The last few reps of each exercise should feel challenging every round, with each round progressively feeling tougher to complete. It might be a fight against the timer toward the end, but this is where the gains are.

Benefits of the back and biceps dumbbell workout

To effectively build your back and biceps, you must progressively overload your muscles by adding weight or increasing volume in some way. This routine targets both these muscle groups and your shoulders and core, making it more efficient than hitting the gym machines and isolating muscle groups, which is why I prefer using free weights over gym machines.

And remember, back workouts are functional; they strengthen multiple muscles responsible for posture, stabilization and protecting your spine and shoulders. Keeping these muscles strong and active is about keeping your body safe as well as the aesthetic benefits.

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