Build arm strength without needing a gym membership or dumbbells by trying these bodyweight arm workouts.
Bodyweight training works well to train larger muscle groups such as your chest and back; however, smaller muscle groups (biceps and triceps) often need additional resistance than simply bodyweight alone can provide.
1. Strengthen Your Arms
Arm strength is a critical element of overall upper body strength. Strengthening your arms prevents injury and promotes long-term bone health; many believe they require weights in a gym setting for this process; however, bodyweight exercises such as planks, pushups and arm circles are just as effective at working all of your major arm muscles such as your biceps and shoulders.
Strength training arm exercises regularly will help to define your arms and improve posture, but won’t necessarily help to build large muscle mass. That’s because large muscle groups require greater resistance for growth; bodyweight exercises don’t usually offer enough resistance on their own for most people without access to additional equipment. That’s why it is crucial that any beginning strength trainer include weight-free arm workouts as part of their fitness regime.
This straightforward arm-strengthening circuit targets your triceps, shoulders and forearms – and all it requires to get done is a mat and your own bodyweight! Perform each exercise for 30 seconds followed by 15 second rest periods in total three sets.
This bodyweight arm workout is an excellent bodyweight solution for beginners or those without access to a gym. The moves engage all major muscle groups of your upper body – including triceps and shoulders – as well as core and back engagement during plank holds. Over several weeks gradually extend plank time until you can hold yourself up for 20 to 60 seconds per set.
2. Tone Your Arms
Arms workouts without weights are an excellent way to sculpt and strengthen the upper body. While you won’t get the same pump from curling with free weights, this equipment-free arm workout will still burn fat while strengthening arms, shoulders, and triceps – making it an excellent alternative when lifting heavy weights just isn’t your cup of tea!
For toning arms, the most effective bodyweight arm exercises are compound movements that utilize multiple muscles simultaneously. Furthermore, these exercises also improve balance, core stability and flexibility as well as increase metabolism to burn more calories even at rest.
Bodyweight arm workouts that utilize bodyweight include push-ups, tricep dips, and plank taps. To perform push-ups effectively, place both hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart on the floor and slowly lower yourself until your chest nearly touches the ground. To perform plank taps effectively, put both feet firmly against a wall a few inches from where your arms rest (similar to performing planks with weighted arms). Adjust the difficulty of push-ups by beginning with modified versions that rest hands on forearms instead of shoulders, or by gradually increasing reps over time to build strength. Dips target your triceps muscle group, and can be performed either with palms flat on the floor or using a bench for support. Plank taps are challenging yet intense exercises designed to work your arms, back, and core simultaneously. Position yourself in a high plank position with hands directly below your shoulders, hands extended straight forward, legs straight back behind you and feet hip-width apart. Engage core tightness and glute engagement before bringing right elbow down onto mat and then left elbow to switch sides lowering yourself into forearm plank position.
Target three sets of 30 reps each and complete as many rounds within 10 minutes, adding more reps as your strength and endurance increase; be sure to take recovery breaks between sets if possible. Repeat this workout one or twice each week in order to tone and strengthen arm muscles; for beginners it would be wise to consult a fitness professional prior to beginning this or any exercise program.
3. Increase Your Metabolism
Bodyweight arm workouts are an effective way to build strength while simultaneously burning more calories. To maximize results, combine bodyweight exercises with cardiovascular activities like running or cycling that improve cardiovascular health while helping shed excess body fat in order to reveal muscle beneath.
No equipment is necessary to tone your arms effectively with bodyweight workouts; many effective exercises can be completed at home, in a park or even on the beach using simple bodyweight moves that use bodyweight resistance instead. By adding in more challenging push-ups or tricep dips in addition to increasing reps/sets/wider hand position exercises you can increase difficulty and build overall strength in no time!
Most bodyweight arm workouts don’t require equipment; however, some require benches or steps at home or in fitness centers. Furthermore, certain exercises work more than just arm muscles – for instance some push-up variations target chest muscles as well. So when designing bodyweight arm workouts it is wise to avoid repeating exercises that target similar muscle groups back-to-back.
Danyele Wilson, an NASM-certified trainer, HIIT master trainer, and Tone & Sculpt coach provides effective bodyweight arm workouts that target shoulders, core strength, biceps, arms and plank up-downs to strengthen your shoulders, core, biceps and arms for full upper-body conditioning. You can do just one set or all five at once! Begin with arm circles as a warmup before moving on to bear holds with arm raises on a bar as well as eccentric hand release push-ups before finishing with plank up-downs to increase cardio and give your upper-body conditioning!
4. Reduce Body Fat
Bodyweight arm workouts can do more than simply tone your muscles; they also work wonders at burning off body fat. By including these exercises in your routine, you’ll find yourself burning calories at an increased rate even while sitting still – leading to long-term weight loss and helping achieve an appearance of tonedness.
Diet and exercise work hand-in-hand for effective body fat reduction. Eating more whole foods while cutting back on processed items is key to maintaining a healthy weight; try not skipping meals to cut calories down further. Also perform moderate to high-intensity bodyweight exercises that target chest, triceps, and biceps such as pushups, biceps dips and plank taps – the latter of which help you develop strength faster!
Arm fat may be particularly difficult to shift compared to visceral or subcutaneous fat deposits that cover organs in your abdomen. While body fat plays an essential role in keeping bones strong, too much may have adverse health implications. Excess body fat has been linked with heart disease and diabetes. Excess arm fat in particular may increase risks.
Losing excess arm fat requires creating a caloric deficit through targeted exercises, eating healthily and living an active lifestyle. Bodyweight arm workouts are an ideal way to tone and reduce arm fat without costly gym equipment – you can do them both at home and when on-the-go!
Weight training can be an effective way to build muscle and burn fat, yet many individuals worry about bulking up. But bodyweight arm workouts provide just as much leanness and toned arms without lifting weights! They target all the major muscles like weighted exercises but require no additional equipment or gym membership; plus you can customize intensity by changing reps, sets or times for each exercise.
Start small by doing simple bodyweight arm workouts to build muscle and burn fat, then increase repetitions, sets, and time as your strength increases. When ready, move onto more advanced progressions like one-arm push-ups and planks. For optimal results, aim to do two or three lightweight bodyweight strength workouts every week.
