If you want to tone your arms without weights in your home workout routine, but aren’t sure where to start, these exercises are easy, effective, and can be done almost anywhere . All you need is your body weight, so they are useful to include in your training if you are traveling, on a business trip or even in the office.
Arm Muscle Anatomy
If your goal is to tone your arms without weights or any other sports equipment , it is important to understand the anatomy of the muscles in this area of the body. In most cases, the biceps and triceps are the muscles that most people tend to work when doing arm exercises and they are the ones we are going to focus on in this routine.
The biceps tend to show a marked difference in volume faster than the triceps, leading some people to overwork them. However, it is essential to develop both muscles equally . Exercising to tone both your flexor (biceps) and extensor (triceps) muscles will help you maintain a balanced body, healthy posture, and normal range of motion, as well as prevent injury.
Biceps
When you think of the typical flexed arm, the biceps are usually the image that comes to mind or the classic bodybuilder pose. Located in the front of the arm between the shoulder and the elbow, the biceps (biceps brachii) is the muscle that works the most when lifting. The biceps itself is made up of two muscles , one short and one long, that extend past the elbow and shoulder, helping to stabilize the arm and shoulder joints . The biceps helps flexion and also supports the back muscles when working.
Triceps
While the biceps is responsible for flexing the arm, the triceps (triceps brachii) is primarily responsible for extending the elbow joint – straightening the elbow and, in turn, the arm. This three-part muscle is located on the back of the arm, between the shoulder and the elbow. The triceps can work with the pectoral muscles to achieve a stronger and more toned chest .
Exercises to tone arms without weights
Inchworm or the worm
Reps: 5 .
Muscles you work: arms, shoulders, chest, upper back, core, hamstrings, and glutes .
Instructions:
- Stand with your feet together.
- With your legs straight, bend your hips and put your hands on the floor just in front of your feet.
- Walk slowly with your hands forward, alternating hands.
- Keep walking until your body is parallel to the ground in a push-up position, then hold the position for three seconds.
- Put your hands in place and slowly walk your feet toward your hands, moving only a few inches per step.
- Once your hands reach your feet, lift your torso and return to the starting position.
Plank up
Reps: 10 total, 5 on each side.
Muscles that works: triceps, chest, shoulders and core .
Instructions:
- Place your elbows on the ground directly below your shoulders with your forearms parallel, keeping your legs straight, with your feet together.
- Tense your muscles to keep your body in a straight line from head to toe.
- Push yourself up with one hand, then push up with the other until you’re in a plank position.
- Lower your back to your elbows, one arm at a time to return to the starting position.
Triceps background
Reps: 10 .
Muscles you work: triceps, shoulders, and upper back
Instructions:
- Place your hands behind you on a bench or chair, keeping your shoulders directly above your wrists and your fingers toward your body.
- Stretch your legs forward with your heels on the floor.
- Bend your elbows and lower your hips toward the ground while maintaining control.
- Stretch your arms to lift your body to the starting position.
Wall push-ups
Reps: 8 .
Muscles you work: shoulders, triceps, chest, core, upper and lower back and glutes.
Instructions:
- Place your hands directly under your shoulders and your elbows on the ground, at a distance longer than shoulder width apart.
- Put your legs straight behind you, placing your feet on a raised surface.
- Tense your muscles to keep your body in a straight line from head to toe.
- Lower your torso until your chest touches the ground, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Stretch your arms as you lift your torso up and off the ground, then return to the starting position.
Diamond push-ups
Reps: 8 .
Muscles that works: pectorals, triceps, abdominals and lumbar .
Diamond pushups are not easy at all, but if done correctly, they are one of the best exercises for toning arms without weights .
Instructions:
- Begin the exercise with a push-up position with the thumbs and index fingers of each hand touching to make a diamond shape.
- While keeping your elbows as close to your side as possible, lower your body until your chest touches the back of your hands.
- Keep your body tight (abs, glutes, thighs) throughout the movement.
- Push yourself up to the starting position and repeat again.
Bending dog pose
Reps: 8 .
Muscles that works: pectorals, triceps, abs, lumbar, glutes and quadriceps .
Instructions:
- Begin in a four-legged position with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Squeeze your core, lift your knees and stretch both legs as your head naturally falls between your biceps and you create an inverted V.
- Keep your arms and back straight and your hips raised toward the ceiling. Your heels don’t need to touch the ground, but you should feel a nice stretch in the back of your legs.
- From this position, raise your right hand and reach back to touch the toes of your left foot. Allow your torso to rotate to open and you can touch your toes naturally. If you can’t reach your toes, touch your shin or knee.
- Return to downward facing dog position and roll forward into a plank position (gently lowering your knees toward the floor).
- From a plank position, do an elbow bend or push-up by bending both arms at the elbows and lowering your chest toward the floor in one smooth motion.
- Push yourself back into a plank position, then move your hips back to a downward dog position. Now raise your left hand and try to touch the toes of your right foot.
- Once you’ve done this, slide forward into a plank position and do another push-up.
Doing this set of exercises 2-3 times a week can make you feel stronger, more resilient, and more confident . Remember that following a healthy diet is essential if you want to achieve real results. When it comes to losing weight or gaining muscle, what you eat plays as important a role as exercise. Diet and exercise is a great combination , especially in the long term.