Got ambitious J.Lo-status sculpted arm goals in mind? You don’t need a superstar-level personal trainer (or even a gym membership) to build the toned arms of your dreams.
Believe it or not, the best arm exercises for women don’t differ much from the moves you might see dudes working on in the weight room. After all, to build your strongest, most defined arms yet, you’ll want to fire up three key muscle groups: your deltoids (shoulders), biceps (the insides of your upper arms), and triceps (the backs of your upper arms).
Luckily, there’s no shortage of great moves out there to get those muscles burning.
My favorite arm exercises involve basic equipment, so you can sculpt from anywhere (living room, included). Some even get the job done with just your body weight.
Use this list of my go-to moves to make sure your full- or upper-body strength workouts show your arms some love *or* pull out a handful of them to make your own arms workout. Just make sure to select a variety that’ll hit your biceps, triceps, and shoulders.
For truly amazing arm results, crank out a full arms-focused workout two or three times a week.
Time: 20 minutes
Equipment: Dumbbells, medicine ball
Good for: Arms, total body
Instructions: Choose five moves below. Complete three to four sets of 12 reps of each, resting for 30 seconds between sets. Then, rest as needed and continue to the next move.
How to: Start in plank position, placing right hand on top of a medicine ball. Do a lopsided pushup, keeping core engaged and hips stable, then roll the ball from right hand to left. Repeat on the other side to complete one rep. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Place yoga block or book under right hand and assume a high plank position. Slowly bend elbows and lower, keeping core engaged to maintain a straight line with body. Once left arm is at a 90-degree angle, push up to return to start. Perform four sets of 12 reps (two on each side), resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Kneel on left knee and hold a dumbbell with both hand by left outer thigh. Shift hips forward and engage core to twist torso and drive the weight up and to the right, keeping left arm straight throughout the move. Perform four sets (two on each side) of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms relaxed, and dumbbells resting on quads. Bracing core and keeping arms straight, lift weights straight up to shoulder-height. Lower back down, then raise weights out to sides and up to shoulder-height. Return to start. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Hold dumbbells at shoulder-height and stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Press dumbbells up until arms are fully extended. Hold for one second, then lower to start position. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with knees bent with a dumbbell in each hand. Lean forward slightly and row dumbbells up so upper arms are in-line with sides and elbows form 90-degree angles. Then, extend arms and squeeze triceps to press dumbbells back and up. Return to starting position. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at sides, palms facing forward. Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and curl weights up toward shoulders. Slowly lower the dumbbells to starting position. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand. Take a big step forward with right foot and lower into a lunge until both legs form 90-degree angles. Curl dumbbells up to shoulder height. With control, lower dumbbells. Then, press through right foot to step back into starting position.Perform four sets (two on each side) of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold dumbbell in front of chest, elbows bent, palms facing each other. Keeping elbows in tight, circle dumbbell around head until it returns to starting position. Perform four sets (two in each direction) of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Sit in a chair and grip the front edges with hands. Keeping arms straight, scoot butt forward to hover just off the seat so legs form 90-degree angles. Lower down until elbows form 90-degree angles. Engage back of arms to press back to start. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell with both hands in front of pelvis. Extend arms straight out in front of chest. Slowly and with control, write your name in the air, keeping arms almost straight, with a slight bend in elbows. Each letter counts as one rep. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Start in plank position, holding dumbbells in either hand on the floor directly beneath shoulders. Keeping shoulders and hips square, pull right elbow toward the ceiling until right wrist nears ribs, then lower. Repeat on opposite side to complete rep. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Start in plank position, with dumbbells in hands on floor directly beneath shoulders. Keeping core and hips stable, slowly curl right dumbbell toward right shoulder. Lower with control. Repeat on other side to complete one rep. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms resting in front of body and a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping arms straight, lift dumbbells up to chest-level. With control, slowly lower to complete one rep. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees bent with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend forward at hips and let arms hang straight down from shoulders, palms facing each other. Keeping core engaged, lift arms out to sides and squeeze shoulder blades together. Lower weights to complete one rep. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Glue elbows to sides, and hold forearms out at a 45-degree angle away from body. Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and curl dumbbells toward shoulders. Slowly lower dumbbells back to starting position. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet planted on floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and press arms straight up toward the ceiling. Slowly bend elbows to lower weights to near temples. Pause, then slowly press weights back to starting position. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells near hips, palms facing forward. Without moving upper arms, slowly curl dumbbells toward shoulders. At the top of the curl, rotate wrists inward so palms face forward. Lower arms slowly. Once arms are extended, rotate wrists and dumbbells back to starting position. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing forward. Hold dumbbells so palms face forward and hands rest on quads. As you inhale, bend knees and sink hips down until thighs are parallel to the floor, while curling dumbbells up to shoulders. As you exhale, drive through heels to stand up and return to starting position, while slowly lowering dumbbells to complete one rep. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at sides. Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and curl dumbbells until arms form a 90-degree angle. Hold for 30 seconds, then lower back down with control. Perform three to four sets, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
Pro tip: This is a great way to end your workout!
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