If you’re short on time but still want arms that pack a punch, you’ve come to the right place. Chris Hemsworth’s trainer, Luke Zocchi, crafted a quick dumbbell routine that takes just five minutes. With no gym sessions required and from the comfort of your home, you can squeeze this into your day with just a pair of dumbbells and a yoga mat.
This workout is designed for anyone seeking stronger arms and better form. If you practice it consistently, you’ll get an efficient upper-body burn and see the desired results in your arms. Each repetition emphasizes mindful muscle engagement and helps you train smarter in a conscious and efficient way.
The foundation to train like Chris Hemsworth
Start with a pair of dumbbells. Gym-goers can use fixed-weight sets, but adjustable dumbbells are ideal for home workouts because they combine multiple weight options into one set, making it easy to modify your resistance as needed.
Exercise form is a focus here. Prioritize quality over quantity and center on the mind-muscle connection to deeply feel each movement. This approach sharpens technique and reduces injury risk, ensuring long-term progress. By engaging in a mindful practice, you can better target specific muscle groups and avoid unnecessary strain.
Next, you need to choose a weight that challenges you without compromising form. If your technique falters, drop the weight. Then, increase resistance gradually using the progressive overload method as you gain strength. This method involves slowly increasing the weight or resistance as your muscles adapt. It’s better to start with a lighter weight and perfect your form than to lift heavier weights incorrectly.
The 5-minute arm routine, step by step
Now, let’s get to the routine. It is split into two rounds and targets biceps and overall arm strength through varied curls.
First round
- Bicep curls: Perform standard curls for 30 seconds. Make sure to lower weights slowly (1 second count), and relax your shoulders. Rest for 20 seconds.
- Alternating bicep curls: 30 seconds of steady, controlled reps. Rest for 20 seconds.
- Double + alternating bicep curls: Single, single, double curl sequence for 40 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds.
Second round
- Hammer curls: Hold dumbbells thumbs-up for 30 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds.
- Alternating hammer curls: 30 seconds with a firm grip. Rest for 20 seconds.
- Double + alternating hammer curls: Repeat single, single, double sequence for 40 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds.
If a set feels too tough, reduce the weight mid-exercise. As you progress, incrementally add weight to keep challenging yourself.
This short but intense routine focuses on building arm strength and muscle definition. You can slot it into your day as a standalone session or a post-workout finisher. By committing to consistent practice and gradually increasing the difficulty, you can be sure you’ll achieve noticeable results. Stay focused on form and the mind-muscle connection during each exercise to enhance your workout experience and contribute to long-term training success.
And you can complement your workout with these bodyweight exercises to burn calories fast, also recommended by Luke Zocchi.