Hard to imagine having toned arms from working out at home? You don’t need to solely rely on the gym or a fitness studio to get results; all you need is some space in your living room and a little motivation to get you ready to work out your arms.
No weights? No worries, there are plenty of exercises for your arms that will still make for a killer workout and leave you feeling fit and loving your arms.
Although you can get away with not using any exercise equipment during your workouts, weights and dumbbells are extremely effective and a healthy addition to your exercise routines.
The best part about working out your arms is that certain exercises keep your core engaged and work on strengthening your upper body as well. Looks like it’s a win-win with more than just good-looking arms.
Arm Exercises to Try at Home
Clear out some space in your living room and get going on these simple yet effective exercises for your arms.
1. Plank Taps
An exercise that works on your arms, shoulders, and core muscles.
Directions:
- Get into a high plank position with your shoulders stacked above your wrists and your feet hip-width distance apart and in line with your shoulders.
- With your core tight and engaged, tap your right shoulder with your left hand and put it back down on the mat to switch to tapping your left shoulder with your right hand.
- If you feel your hips start to swing and move up, try to keep them still and in position as you tap each shoulder.
- Continue this exercise for 45 seconds.
2. Triceps Push-Backs
This exercise is extremely effective for the triceps, especially when it comes to toning and strengthening. You will need light dumbbells for this exercise.
Directions:
- Holding a light dumbbell in each hand, place your arms by your sides, palms facing towards the back, and stand with a slight bend in your knees with feet shoulder-width distance apart.
- Slowly lift your arms towards the back, higher than your hips and return them to your sides.
- Perform this exercise for 20 reps. (1 rep = 1 arm raise and return)
3. Arm Circles
Arm circle exercises target your shoulders, back, triceps and biceps. You have the option of using 3-pound dumbbells for this exercise.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart and extend your arms out horizontally to form a “T” shape with your body.
- With your shoulders relaxed, perform 20 small circles in a counter-clockwise rotation.
- Pause for 2 seconds and then perform 20 small circles in a clockwise rotation.
4. Burpees with Push-ups
Get ready to challenge yourself with this intense exercise that targets your shoulders, triceps, core, and legs.
Directions:
- Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked above your wrists and your feet hip-width distance apart. Your core will be tight and your hips will be lifted.
- Bend your elbows to lower your body into a push-up, and push back up into the high plank position.
- Jump your feet to the outside of your hands and stand up quickly to end with a high jump, bringing your hands overhead to clap.
- Lower back down on to a high plank and repeat the burpees with pushups exercise for about 30 seconds.
5. Lateral Plank Walks
Lateral plank walks work out your shoulders, arms, and core.
Directions:
- Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked above your wrists and your core tight and engaged.
- Step your right foot and your right palm to the left side, immediately followed by your right foot and right palm.
- Take a few steps in this direction and then plank walk your way back to the starting position and repeat.
- Continue this exercise for 30 seconds.
Quick FAQs
1. How often should you work out your arms?
With 2 to 3 days of rest in between your workouts, it is recommended to train your arms about twice a week unless you are a bodybuilder or have other fitness goals in mind.
2. How many reps should you do when exercising the arms?
If you are looking to build muscle, aim to complete an exercise with at least 8 reps but not more than 12.
The content of this Website is for is for informational purposes only, is general in nature and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and does not constitute professional advice. The information on this Website should not be considered as complete and does not cover all diseases, ailments, physical conditions, or their treatment. You should consult with your physician before beginning any exercise, weight loss, or health care program and/or any of the beauty treatments.
References:
Tucker, A., & Lappe, M. (2017, December 12). 11 No-Equipment Arm Exercises for a Strong Upper Body. Retrieved from https://www.self.com/gallery/sexy-arms-no-equipment-slideshow
Tone Your Arms in 3 Moves. (2015, February 04). Retrieved from https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/arms/exercises/tone-your-arms-in-3-moves/?page=1
