Best Back and Bicep Dumbbell Workout for Strength and Muscle Growth
Summary: The back and biceps can work naturally together during workouts. Many pulling exercises combine both muscle groups for better strength and size gains. Here are seven dumbbell exercises, including how to group them into a simple routine, that our team at FED Fitness has selected for building more muscle.
The back and biceps work well together. If you pull a dumbbell toward your body during a row, it’s your back doing a lot of the work. The biceps are also engaged to help bend the elbow. What it means is you’re training two muscle groups together, cutting down on extra-long sessions and improving workout efficiency.
A quality back and bicep dumbbell workout can be achieved when you’re at home. With nothing more than some dumbbells and a bench, you can select movements and resistance that both challenge your muscles and help you get gradually stronger.
Why Train Back and Biceps Together?
They Work Together During Pulling Movements
There are many muscles and muscle groups in the back. Those include the latissimus dorsi (lats), trapezius (traps), rhomboids, and the erector spinae. These are different, but often complementary to the biceps, which sit on the front of the upper arm, helping with elbow bending.
For example, when you do a dumbbell row, it’s your back muscles that pull the upper arm, but the biceps that bend the elbow.
Training Them Together Can Make Your Workout More Efficient
While there is value in targeting one muscle group at a time during a workout, most people want to maximize time efficiency. You want to get in core exercises you can do before school drop-off, during work hours, or when meeting up with friends.
Using two muscle groups together helps you prioritize what you want without adding too many exercises that’ll leave you exhausted.
Best Dumbbell Exercises for Your Back
For Building Your Lats: Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
If you want to target the lats, rhomboids, traps, rear deltoids, and biceps, start with a single-arm dumbbell row. You’re going to pull your elbow toward your back more than just lifting a weight.
Try to avoid twisting your torso or shrugging during the movement. It’s not about momentum. It’s about getting clear form from start to finish.
- Place one hand and knee on the FED Fitness Flybird Series WB5 Adjustable Weight Bench
- Keep your other foot firmly on the floor
- Hold a dumbbell in your free hand
- Let the weight hang beneath your shoulder
- Pull your elbow backward and bring the dumbbell toward your hip
- Lower it back down
FED Fitness Flybird Series WB5 Adjustable Weight Bench
- Set up in minutes for instant workout readiness.
- Maximum weight capacity: 800 lbs
- Effortless 8 backrest angles for versatile workouts.
For Upper- and Mid-Back Thickness: Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
When the goal is to improve the same areas, but with more focus on the middle traps, try the chest-supported row. The adjustable nature of the WB5 bench makes it easy to switch from a flat position to something more aligned with your current body composition and training needs. It also helps you remove a lot of the effort when you can support your torso. That way, you can concentrate on your upper and middle back.
Again, keep your chest against the bench. You don’t want to lift it and risk twisting the torso. There’s no need to shrug, bounce, or shorten the movement.
- Set the bench to an incline
- Lie face down with your chest fully supported
- Let a dumbbell hang from each hand
- Pull the weights toward your sides
- Slowly lower them back
For Overall Pulling Strength: Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
A dumbbell row is great for the back. You can still get the lats, traps, rhomboids, and rear deltoids, as well as the trunk stabilizers, when you add in a bent-over position. Your back does the rowing movement while your trunk holds your position.
Start by setting your torso position first before moving into the set. That will ensure you’re not rounding your back or standing progressively upright as you work. Try to avoid jerking the dumbbells upward.
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand
- Push your hips backward
- Lean your torso forward (maintaining a neutral spine)
- Let the dumbbells hang beneath you
- Pull them toward your torso
- Lower them slowly
For Your Back and Posterior Chain: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is slightly more advanced. It really helps to see a video of this exercise because the form is so important to the back and bicep dumbbell workout. It’s your back muscles that keep your torso stable, which is different from a row.
You don’t want to do a squat. That’s a common mistake. People round their backs, dip into a squat, and then let the dumbbells drift away from the legs. Keep things technical as you work.
- Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs
- Push your hips backward
- Keep the weights close to the legs
- Continue until you feel a comfortable stretch in the hamstrings
- Drive your hips forward to stand
Best Dumbbell Exercises for Your Biceps
For Overall Biceps Development: Dumbbell Curl
There’s a reason the curl is so popular. The simple truth is it works. You do want to keep your elbows still so they aren’t pushing forward during reps, and try not to rush or swing your torso. Stick to weights you don’t need to build up momentum to control.
When done right, this back and bicep workout will target the biceps brachii with assistance from the forearm muscles.
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand
- Have your palms facing forward
- Keep your upper arms at your sides
- Bend your elbows
- Bring the weights upward
- Squeeze briefly before lowering them back under control
For the Biceps and Brachialis: Hammer Curl
We love the hammer curl. It targets the biceps brachii, but also the brachialis and brachioradialis. You’ll need to keep the wrists neutral and your elbows close to the sides to avoid swinging the dumbbells.
- Hold the dumbbells with the palms facing inward (like holding a hammer)
- Bend your elbows
- Raise the weights (without rotating the wrists)
- Lower them slowly and repeat
For Strict Bicep Training: Concentration Curl
If all you want to hit is your biceps brachii (the short and long head), then stick to concentration curls. (Tiwana, 2024) Sitting is a good choice, as it gives you extra support and helps you avoid using momentum or rushing the lower phase. Don’t twist as you squeeze. Keep clean through the movement.
- Sit on a bench with your feet apart
- Hold one dumbbell
- Lightly brace the back of your upper arm against your inner thigh
- Curl the dumbbell upward
- Slowly extend your elbow again
It’s a good idea to use a dumbbell you can adjust over time. Something like the FED Fitness Feierdun Series DS2 5-in-1 set helps you increase in small increments instead of making big 10- to 20-pound jumps with free weights. It gives you more control to ensure you’re getting full load and range of motion, without sacrificing form or comfort.
Complete Back and Bicep Dumbbell Workout
As you try each of the back and bicep dumbbell workouts, remember you don’t need to complete the entire series on your first day. Start with larger back movements before your biceps get too tired, then move on to direct arm work. Something like:
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 sets × 8–12 reps per side
- Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row: 3 sets × 8–12 reps
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets × 8–10 reps
- Dumbbell Curl: 3 sets × 8–12 reps
- Hammer Curl: 2–3 sets × 10–12 reps
If you’re a complete beginner, start with only two sets of each. Increase as you get more experience and start to feel the muscle development.
How to Build Muscle with Back and Bicep Dumbbell Workouts
There are some decent tricks for back and bicep dumbbell workouts when you want stronger or bigger muscles. You can:
- Use Progressive Overload: Make the training harder as you get stronger by adding reps or weight to force your muscles to adapt rather than maintaining the same movements.
- Train Close to Failure: Reach the point where you just cannot do another rep, but while still using proper form. Getting close to failure has been shown to help (Robinson, 2024), but going all the way isn’t required. Reach a point where you could perform 1-3 more clean reps, then stop.
- Prioritize Form: Don’t go for the heavier weight. Proper form with consistent, clean effort may ensure better results. Control weight first.
Common Back and Bicep Workout Mistakes
Try not to train the biceps first. If your arms are too fatigued before you move on to larger back work, you’ll run out of steam. You could also start using momentum, which robs your back and bicep dumbbell workout of its effectiveness.
You don’t need to make every exercise a curl. For example, when you’re in a row, concentrate on pulling through the back. The biceps don’t have to dominate the movement. In the same regard, don’t lower each dumbbell as if gravity takes over. Maintain control and only add more resistance when you’re ready.
Final Takeaway
The right back and bicep dumbbell workout for you doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Those two muscle groups already work together during pulling movements. You can build an effective and efficient workout based on that relationship.
Pick up a flat bench and an adjustable dumbbell set. That’ll give you the foundation and scalability so that as you get stronger, you can still challenge the muscles for better gains over time.
FAQs
How Heavy Should Your Dumbbells Be?
Start small. You’ll likely row more weight than curl, but take your time as you move. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good form during planned repetitions. If you can finish your workout and still feel ready for another 5-10 reps, increase the weight.
The FED Fitness Feierdun Series DB1 Quick Adjustable Dumbbell is a good choice for this as it adds 2.5-pound increments up to 52.5 pounds total.
How Often Should You Train Back and Biceps?
Shoot for 2 to 3 times per week. That is a practical training point that allows you enough time to recover. When combined with proper nutrition, sleep, and hydration, you should see results, but be sure to document your progress so you have clear measurements.
Can You Build Your Back and Biceps with Dumbbells Alone?
Yes. Dumbbells, especially adjustable sets like those from FED Fitness, provide sufficient resistance and a variety of exercises. They can be used for a complete back and bicep dumbbell workout series and scaled up in volume as you get stronger.
References
- Tiwana MS, Charlick M, Varacallo MA. (January 30, 2024). Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Biceps Muscle. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
- Robinson ZP, Pelland JC, Remmert JF, Refalo MC, Jukic I, Steele J, Zourdos MC. ( September, 2024). Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy: A Series of Meta-Regressions. Sports Med. 2024 Sep;54(9):2209-2231.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have questions about your health or a medical condition, please consult your physician. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional before starting any exercise program or fitness routine. FED Fitness assumes no responsibility for any consequences resulting from the use of this information.
Leave a Comment
We’d love to hear from you — your insights can inspire others!