The ability to perform many exercises depends on the strength of the arms, and therefore they should be strengthened first. Despite the fact that the arm muscles are involved in many exercises, working them separately will help you significantly improve your physical capabilities.
We present to you a selection of the best arm exercises without equipment for men and women that can be performed at home, as well as 3 ready-made plans for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels.
- 10 exercises without equipment for beginners (more suitable for women)
- 10 exercises without equipment for intermediate level (suitable for both men and women)
- 10 exercises without equipment for advanced level (more suitable for men)
Arm training without equipment (for beginners)
The first collection for beginners contains simple exercises with your own weight, the emphasis in which is on working the shoulders and forearms. Regular exercise will help you strengthen your deltoids, biceps and triceps, as well as work on problem areas on the inside of your arms. The workout is more suitable for women or very beginner men.
See also:
- Top 20 exercises for arms with dumbbells
- 8 minutes from sagging arms for girls
- 12 exercises for slender arms without equipment
Hand rotations
Get on your knees and extend your arms to the sides. Keep your arms in one line, do not bend them at the elbows. Start simultaneous rotations with straight arms with a small amplitude. Keep your back straight and your body still. When performing rotations, do not swing your arms; the pace should be even and measured. A simple exercise for training your arms at home will tone your shoulder muscles and also develop joints and ligaments, which is important for the prevention of arthritis.
How much to perform: 15-20 rotations, first in one direction, then 15-20 rotations in the other direction.
Kneeling plank with arms raised to shoulders
Get into a plank position on your knees, placing your palms under your shoulder joints. Now lift one hand off the floor and touch your palm to the opposite shoulder. Go back and repeat with the other hand. Alternately raise your arms, touching the opposite shoulder with your palm, while maintaining an even pace. Perform a simple arm exercise at home to tone problem areas and strengthen your biceps, triceps, and shoulder muscles.
How much to do: 12-15 shoulder touches on each side.
Kneeling Arm Extension
Get on your knees and bend your elbows in front of you. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor and in the same plane as your shoulders, with your palms facing down. Now spread your arms out to the sides, straightening them at the elbows, and then bring them back in front of you. At the extreme point, do not straighten your arms completely and perform the exercise at an average pace without jerking. Incorporate the exercise into an at-home arm workout to work your shoulders, problematic backs, and inner arms.
How much to do: 15-20 arm extensions.
Scissors while kneeling
While kneeling, straighten your arms in front of you, palms down. Keep your back straight, chin raised. Now perform simple scissors with a small amplitude. To do this, spread your arms to the sides, and then bring them together in front of you with an overlap, changing hands alternately. A simple and effective exercise for training your arms at home tones the entire surface of the shoulders and forearms, focusing on working the triceps, which are often a problem area. Additionally, the pectoral muscles work.
How much to do: 20-25 arm raises.
Elbow abduction from the plank
Get into a plank position on your knees and then lower yourself onto your elbows. Now raise your right arm without straightening it at the elbow and move it to the side. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other hand. When doing this, do not twist your body, only your arms work. Exercise for arms without equipment will help you strengthen the problematic inner side, as well as work the triceps, toning the muscles.
How much to do: 10-12 arm abductions on each side.
Raising your arms up with elbow extension
Kneel down and then sit on your heels in a comfortable position. Spread your arms to the sides and bend your elbows at right angles, pointing your forearms up. Palms are open, facing forward. Now raise your arms up, straightening them at the elbows and touching the ribs of your palms at the top point. Do not straighten your elbows completely, feel the load in the biceps and triceps area. Extension raises tone the inner sides of the arms, as well as strengthen the shoulder girdle and make the shoulders round.
How much to do: 15-20 arm raises.
Plank transition into downward-facing dog
Stand in a plank position with your arms straight, making sure your palms are directly under your shoulder joints. From the plank, lift your pelvis up, arching your back and straightening your legs. Lower your head between your shoulders, but do not tilt it. Pause for a moment in downward-facing dog and then return to plank, gently lowering your pelvis and torso. Try not to change the position of your legs as you move from pose to pose. A comprehensive arm exercise at home strengthens the muscles of the entire body, especially the upper body, making you stronger and more resilient.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.
Swimmer with ripple
Lie on your stomach, place your arms along your body, palms up. Raise the top of your body with your arms. Make sure your arms are straight and parallel to the floor. In this position, perform pulsating movements with both hands up and down, maintaining balance. At the same time, do not throw your head back, keep it slightly lowered. This exercise works the upper arms, especially the triceps.
How much to do: 20-25 pulsations.
Seated Bent Arm Reversals
Sit on your knees and lower your pelvis onto your heels. Stretch your arms to the sides and bend them at the elbows, and then lift them up. The palms are in a vertical position and directed forward. Now lower your forearms until they are parallel to the floor, with your palms facing down. Rotate your arms at the elbow joints without using your shoulders. Another effective arm exercise at home that works your biceps and strengthens your inner arms.
How much to perform: 20-25 turns.
Raising your arms with bending in a plank on your knees
Get into a plank position with your arms straight and knees down. From this position, raise your right arm and straighten it, and then move it back a little, bending it at the elbow, and then lower it down. Bend your elbow and lift it until your shoulder is parallel to the floor. Repeat with your left hand. Incorporate this exercise into your at-home arm workout to work your biceps, triceps, and forearms.
How much to do: 10-12 arm raises on each side.
Advanced people can repeat the workout in 2 circles.
Types of simulators
There are block designs that work the muscles by pulling weight plates on cables, and designs that provide good insulation and allow you to work with free weights. There are also models in which weighting discs are used instead of plates, which is a very convenient solution. It’s difficult to say which system works more efficiently. Both have their pros and cons, but overall they are very similar. Here are three machines that are the best among others for training biceps.
Arm training without equipment (for intermediate level)
The intermediate workout includes functional bodyweight exercises that effectively work the upper body, especially the arms. Include them in your home workouts to effectively work all the muscle groups of your arms and strengthen your core. The workout is suitable for both men and women.
See also:
- Arm and shoulder workout using planks: 10 exercises
- Arms and shoulders workout for men with dumbbells: 8 exercises
- Top 10 chest exercises for girls with dumbbells
Walking in a plank with shoulder touching
Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lean forward to touch your hands to the floor. Now take small steps forward with your hands, transferring your body weight to them. “Walk” all the way while lying down. When you find yourself in the plank, lift your right hand off the floor and touch your left shoulder, and your left hand touch your right. Return to the starting position by walking your hands toward your feet and then straightening up completely. Functional exercise with an emphasis on the arms at home additionally strengthens the muscles of the core, back and abs.
How much to do: 10-12 passes.
Bench push-ups
Stand in a lying position with your support on a bench. At home, you can rest your hands on a sofa or a reliable chair. Make sure that the body is elongated in one line. Now bend your elbows and do push-ups while resting on a bench. When doing push-ups, your elbows should be pointed back to emphasize the triceps, the three-headed muscles on the upper back of your arms. Classic push-ups strengthen not only your arms, but also your chest, back, core, and rectus abdominis.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.
Elbow plank with arms straightened
Get into a plank position on your forearms. The elbow joints are located under the shoulder joints, the body is elongated in one line. From this position, straighten your left arm and touch the floor in front of you. Then straighten your right one and touch the floor in the same way at arm's length. Make alternating touches with each hand, trying to keep the body motionless. A good exercise for training your arms at home, as it additionally strengthens not only the arm muscles, but also the abs, back, chest and core.
How much to do: 10-12 arm extensions on each side.
Reverse push-ups with arm raises
Sit on the floor, place your hands on the floor behind you and bend your knees. Now lift your pelvis up, slightly lifting it off the floor, while keeping your arms bent at the elbows. Then straighten your arms completely and raise your pelvis until it is parallel to the floor. At the top point, raise your right arm up, turning your body behind it. Lower yourself down, but without touching your pelvis to the floor, and on the next rise, raise your other arm up. A complex exercise for working the biceps, triceps and shoulder girdle additionally involves the legs and abs.
How much to perform: 8-10 repetitions on each side.
Swimmer with elbow flares
Lie on your stomach with your feet flat on the floor. Lift your body up slightly and straighten your arms in front of you. From this position, raise your body even higher, while simultaneously raising your arms and bending them at the end point. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to feel maximum stress on your arms and shoulders. An exercise from the arm workout at home will also help you tone your back and pump up your shoulder girdle, forming a beautiful relief.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.
Push-ups with two hands
Stand in a prone position, and then lower your knees down, lifting your shins. Perform triceps push-ups, keeping your arms close to your body and your elbows pointing back. Now spread your arms wider and do a wide-arm push-up. Alternate between push-up variations to maximally engage your shoulders and inner and outer arms. In addition to strengthening your arms, push-ups also work your chest and back muscles, developing core strength.
How much to do: 8-10 repetitions (two types of push-ups are one repetition).
Rotation of arms in plank
Stand in a plank position with your arms straight, find a stable position without sagging your lower back and lifting your pelvis. Now lift your right arm off the floor and rotate the shoulder joint, moving your arm first back, then up and forward. Once you have completed the full rotation, return to the starting position and repeat with your left arm. During rotations, do not make sudden movements, keep a moderate pace. This exercise for arms without equipment will help you strengthen the muscles of your shoulders and forearms, and will additionally develop your shoulder joint.
How much to perform: 10-12 arm rotations on each side.
Raising the body on the stomach with hands held
Lie on your stomach and spread your arms straight to the sides. Place them palms down, legs pressed to the floor. Raise your body up, lifting your palms off the floor, but without changing the position of your hands. After lifting with full amplitude, return to the starting position. Keep your arms suspended while lifting, touching the floor only with your palms at the bottom. Despite the dynamics of this exercise, it gives the arms a static load, which works the deep muscles and significantly increases physical strength. The exercise also works the rear deltoids.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.
Plank Curl
Stand in a plank position with straight arms, place your palms under your shoulder joints, keep your back exactly in line with your legs. Lift your right arm off the floor and bend your elbow, moving it back and up. Then go back and repeat with your left hand. This exercise is similar to the dumbbell plank row, and therefore uses not only the triceps, but also the latissimus dorsi muscles, strengthening the upper body.
How much to do: 10-12 arm raises on each side.
Boxing from elbow plank
Stand in a plank position on your forearms, clench your palms into fists. Maintain a stable static body position without raising your pelvis or arching your back. Lift your right hand off the floor and forcefully push it forward, as if punching a punching bag. Bring your hand back and repeat the straight punch with your other hand. Perform strikes alternately with each hand, while avoiding sudden movements. The exercise strengthens the shoulders and arms, and also works the back and core muscles.
How much to perform: 10-12 punches on each side.
Advanced people can repeat the workout in 2 circles.
What does it take for muscles to grow?
Firstly, you need to train the muscle regularly, and secondly, let it recover. And if there are no problems with arm training: we pump it up every workout, or we pump it up on a separate day, then recovery, as a rule, is a problem, and precisely because we use our arm muscles so earnestly. What's the point? The biceps and triceps, themselves, are fairly small muscle groups, but with very important functions in terms of helping large muscle masses. Thus, biceps is a traction muscle group that actively assists the back in the same movements, triceps is a pushing muscle group that “helps” the deltoids and pectorals. Accordingly, by loading large muscle groups, you simultaneously train your arms, therefore, without using specialized exercises for the biceps and triceps at all, you can add solid muscle volume to the latter. But there are several conditions:
- you must work with very substantial weights;
- you should feel very well the work of the “target muscles” (lats, pectoralis or deltoids);
- for a certain time, abandon the “spot” pumping of the arm muscles;
- Be sure to train your leg muscles hard - do deadlifts and squats - it is exercises for the lower body that lead to the strongest activation of your hormonal system and lead to a powerful natural release of testosterone.
Following all of the above tips on how to pump up big arms will lead to an increase in overall muscle mass, that is, all your muscles will increase in volume, including the arm muscles. At the same time, they will become much stronger - this will definitely be useful to us, but more on that below. So, we have created a certain muscle mass in our arms, but we want more.
We have divided our material into 2 conditional blocks of basic exercises for the arms: 1 are exercises for triceps, 2 are, respectively, exercises for biceps. Let's start with 1st.
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Arm training without equipment (for advanced level)
Exercises for the advanced level are designed for targeted and deep work of the arm muscles. In addition, various plank and static boat exercises develop body strength and endurance, increasing your physical capabilities. The workout is suitable for men and strong women. Move on to this program once you are confident in the intermediate level arm workout option.
See also:
- How to pump up your shoulders with dumbbells: 10 exercises + plan
- Top 6 shoulder exercises with barbell + 4 training plans
- Top 15 strength exercises for triceps with dumbbells and without equipment
Classic push-ups
Stand in a lying position, straightening your body. Make sure you are in a comfortable, stable position. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart for classic push-ups. Now bend your elbows, lowering yourself into a push-up, while pointing your elbows back. In this position, the arms are best worked, especially the triceps area. Be sure to include push-ups in your at-home arm workout to strengthen your triceps, shoulders, and give your upper body a good workout.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.
Plank arm abduction
Stand in a plank position on your forearms, with your body extended in one line. Lift your right arm off the floor and move it back, straightening it at the elbow. Extend your arm until it is parallel to your body. Then return to the starting position and repeat with the other hand. Plank exercises are most effective for working the arms and upper body. In particular, this exercise works well on the triceps and the inner surface of the arm.
How much to do: 8-10 arm extensions on each side.
Plank twists with arm raises
Stand in a plank position with straight arms, following the execution technique. Now lift your right hand off the floor and lift it up, turning your whole body behind it. At the same time, do not lift your right leg off the floor; only the upper body works. Then go back and repeat the lifting turn in the other direction. The exercise not only tones your arms, but also pumps up your core muscles, including your abs, core, and back.
How much to do: 10-12 turns on each side.
Hand-to-hand boat
Lie on your stomach, place your arms along your body, palms down, head down, toes resting on the floor. Raise your legs and upper body along with your arms without changing their position. At the top point, spread your arms straight to the sides and bring them in front of you. Then return to the starting position, repeating the movements in reverse order. A great exercise to strengthen all muscle groups in your arms, including your biceps, triceps, forearms, and even your deltoids.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.
Diamond push-ups
Stand in a prone position and place your hands as close to each other as possible. The thumbs of your palms should touch. From this position, bend your elbows, lowering yourself down. At the same time, try to move your elbows back. The exercise puts the most stress on the triceps, but due to the complexity of the exercise, it also strengthens the muscles of the entire surface of the arms, pectorals and deltoids. At first, you can perform diamond push-ups on your knees.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.
Raising the body in a side plank
Get into a side plank position using your right arm and leg. The left leg lies on the right, the left arm is freely placed along the body. From this position, lower your body down until your thighs touch the floor. From the bottom point, lift your body up to the side plank position. Repeat for the other side. This exercise focuses on working the muscles of the arms and shoulders, as well as the oblique abdominal muscles.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions, first on one side, then 10-12 repetitions on the other side.
Side step plank
Get into a plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line. Do not sag in the lower back, do not raise your pelvis. Feel stable by placing your palms and toes firmly on the floor. Now step to the right while moving your right hand one step to the side. Bring your left arm and leg down, returning to the classic plank position. From this position, step to the left with your arm and leg, now bringing your right arm and leg forward. The dynamic plank strengthens the entire body, but also puts more stress on the arms and shoulders.
How much to do: 8-10 passes on each side.
Boat with arms and legs spread
Lie on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you. Palms touch the floor, head lowered, legs lying freely. Lift your legs and torso up into the classic boat pose. Now simultaneously spread your arms and legs to the sides with maximum amplitude, feeling the tension in the muscles. Then push back down and return to the starting position. Incorporate boat pose exercises into your at-home arm workout to strengthen your biceps, triceps, and target problem areas in your upper and lower body.
How much to perform: 10-12 repetitions.
Plank with alternating hand positions
Stand in a plank position with straight arms using the correct technique. Then bend each arm at the elbow in turn, lowering yourself into a forearm plank. From the elbow plank, extend each arm in turn, rising into a classic plank. Perform the exercises at a calm rhythm, alternately changing the position of your hands in the plank. Remember to lift first with your right hand, then with your left, alternating between them with each new repetition. This challenging exercise will help you strengthen your arm muscles and work your entire upper body.
How much to do: 8-10 lifts with each hand.
Torso rotations from elbow planks
Get into a forearm plank position, placing your elbows under your shoulders and keeping your back straight. Now raise your right hand, placing it on your belt, and follow it with your whole body, without lifting your right leg from the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat the rotation with the other hand. When moving to the side plank, do not make sudden movements so as not to injure your shoulder joints. The exercise strengthens the arms and shoulders, and also works the core and obliques, increasing endurance and strength of the body.
How much to do: 10-12 turns on each side.
Advanced people can repeat the workout in 2 circles.
See our selection of exercises:
- Top 60 Best Cardio Exercises
- Top 50 best leg exercises
- Top 50 best exercises for buttocks
- Top 50 Best Abdominal Exercises
- Top 30 best arm exercises
How to train your hands and fingers?
Many novice athletes, when training their arms, underestimate the role of hand and finger strength. However, by working the extensor muscles, overall arm strength can be achieved.
It is generally customary to focus on the shoulders and forearms. But if you pay attention to training your hand, the strength of your forearm will increase.
Experienced trainers note that developing the fingers and wrists helps to properly hold the weights and increases the impact of strength exercises on the shoulders and forearms. Classes are conducted in several areas.
Compressive force is developed using an expander and a tennis ball. By squeezing and unclenching them, as well as twisting the expander in the form of a figure eight, you can achieve good results in strengthening the hand. There are 3 methods of training your hands with a wrist expander. You can train anywhere several times a day.
Also find out about 10 incredible benefits of a hand expander .
On a note! A thick barbell or bodybar will help improve your holding power. Pinching power in your fingers can be developed by holding the plate away from the barbell with your fingertips.
