Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care.
Exercises
1. Dumbbell Curl
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
The standing curl that sets the tone. Keep the torso still so the biceps do the work.
Steps
Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing forward.
Set your feet shoulder-width apart, brace your core, and pull your shoulders back and down.
Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders by bending at the elbows, keeping the upper arms pinned to your sides.
Squeeze the biceps hard at the top with the dumbbells close to your shoulders for a brief pause.
Lower the dumbbells slowly to full arm extension over 2 to 3 seconds.
Reset at the bottom with the arms straight and the shoulders set, then repeat for reps.
Cues
Elbows stay pinned.
Lower slowly.
No swinging.
Common mistakes
Swinging the torso back to throw the dumbbells up, which removes the biceps from the lift.
Letting the elbows drift forward on the way up, turning the curl into a partial front raise.
Cutting the range short at the bottom by never fully straightening the arms between reps.
Dropping the dumbbells fast on the way down and skipping the slow lowering phase where most growth lives.
2. Dumbbell Incline Curl
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
Lying back puts the biceps under a longer stretch, so start lighter than your standing curl.
Steps
Set a bench to about a 60 degree incline and sit back with a dumbbell hanging from each hand.
Let the arms fully extend straight down, palms facing forward, and pull the shoulder blades back into the bench.
Keep the elbows pinned at your sides and resist letting them swing forward as you start the rep.
Curl both dumbbells up by bending at the elbow only, squeezing the biceps as the weights rise.
Stop the curl just shy of the elbows traveling forward, then squeeze hard for a brief pause at the top.
Lower the dumbbells under control over 2 to 3 seconds back to the fully stretched bottom position.
Cues
Arms hang back.
Full stretch low.
Squeeze at the top.
Common mistakes
Letting the elbows drift forward at the top, which removes the long-head stretch the lift is designed for.
Rolling the shoulders forward off the bench, swapping biceps work for front-shoulder strain.
Rushing the lower portion and skipping the stretched bottom where most of the growth comes from.
Going too heavy, which forces a swinging cheat curl and loses the strict isolation.
3. Dumbbell Preacher Curl
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest 路 both sides
Bracing the arm removes the swing entirely, which is why it comes last in the biceps work.
Steps
Set up at a preacher bench with a single dumbbell ready and the seat adjusted so the armpit sits at the top of the pad.
Sit down and press the back of the upper arm flat against the angled pad, gripping the dumbbell with the palm up.
Let the arm extend almost fully at the bottom but stop just shy of full lockout to keep tension on the biceps.
Curl the dumbbell up by bending only at the elbow, keeping the upper arm glued to the pad.
Squeeze the biceps hard at the top with the dumbbell near shoulder height, pausing briefly.
Lower the dumbbell under control over 2 to 3 seconds back to the near-extended start position.
Cues
Chest on the pad.
Elbow stays down.
Control the return.
Common mistakes
Lifting the upper arm off the pad mid-rep, which kills the strict isolation the bench enforces.
Locking the elbow fully at the bottom under load, which strains the joint and removes muscle tension.
Dropping the dumbbell back down quickly, missing the lower-biceps stretch where most of the growth lives.
Loading too heavy, which forces the pad-arm to lift and turns the curl into a swinging cheat rep.
4. Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
3 sets 路 12 reps 路 40s rest 路 both sides
A light finisher for the triceps. The upper arm stays parallel to the floor; only the forearm moves.
Steps
Stand with a dumbbell in one hand and a slight bend in your knees.
Hinge forward at the hips until your torso is at about 45 degrees and your back is flat.
Pin your working upper arm against your side with the elbow bent at 90 degrees.
Extend the elbow to swing the dumbbell straight back behind you until the arm is fully locked out.
Squeeze the triceps hard at the top with the dumbbell behind you and the upper arm still pinned.
Lower the dumbbell back down to the bent-elbow start, then repeat for reps before switching arms.
Cues
Upper arm still.
Extend fully.
Light is fine.
Common mistakes
Letting the upper arm drop or swing during the lift, which turns the kickback into a row.
Going too heavy and using momentum, which makes the triceps work disappear from the lift.
Cutting the lockout short and not fully extending the elbow, where the triceps fully shorten.
Rounding the lower back instead of hinging with a flat back, which puts the spine at risk.
5. Dumbbell Decline Skullcrusher
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
The decline keeps tension on the triceps at the top. Use a weight you can lower under control.
Steps
Set the bench to a slight decline and lock your feet under the foot pads.
Lie back with a dumbbell in each hand and press them up over your chest with palms facing each other.
Tilt your upper arms slightly back toward your head so the dumbbells sit just past vertical.
Bend at the elbows to lower the dumbbells slowly toward the sides of your head.
Stop when you feel a strong stretch across the back of the upper arms, with the elbows still pointed up.
Extend the arms back to the start by driving through the triceps, keeping the upper arms in place.
Cues
Elbows point up.
Lower to the forehead.
Press without flaring.
Common mistakes
Letting the upper arms swing forward on the way up so the lift turns into a press.
Flaring the elbows out wide, which trades triceps work for shoulder strain.
Cutting the range short at the bottom and skipping the deep stretch where the long head loads up.
Going too heavy and crashing the dumbbells toward the head instead of lowering under control.