From bodyweight [1] to dumbbell exercises [2], here is the ultimate guide to the best arm-sculpting moves. Bookmark this to take to the gym or to use at home. Just mix and match five to 10 exercises to create your own arm-day workout [3]!
Overhead Shoulder Press
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above the shoulders, palms facing in.
- Straighten the arms above you.
- Bend the elbows, coming back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Plank Dumbbell Row
- Start in a plank position with your legs wider than hip-width distance; the wider stance makes you more stable. Hold onto your dumbbells, keeping your wrist locked to protect the joint.
- With your core tight and your glutes engaged, exhale, stabilizing your torso as you lift your right elbow to row; feel your right scapula sliding toward your spine as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling.
- Keeping your neck long and energized, return the weight to the ground.
Push-Ups
- Begin in plank position with the arms and body straight, shoulders over the wrists. Keep the core engaged.
- Bend the elbows behind you and lower your chest to the floor. Keep your upper arms tight to your body so your elbows are against your ribs on both sides.
- Straighten the arms, coming back to plank position.
- This counts as one rep. If this is too hard, rest one or both knees on the floor [5].
Upright Row
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, and place a dumbbell in each hand. Your closed palms should be facing your body. Your shoulders should be over your pelvis, with knees slightly bent.
- Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, raise them to your shoulders, bending your elbows out to the sides.
- Slowly lower them to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
Overhead Triceps Extensions
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Hold one dumbbell (go for your heavier weight) with both hands, bending the elbows behind your head.
- Straighten your arms to lift the dumbbell into the air, then slowly bend the arms to lower. This counts as one rep.
Plank With Bunny Hop
- Begin in a plank position with your feet touching.
- Pull your abs in, and jump your feet to the right, bringing your knees toward your right elbow. Your torso will twist to the right.
- Jump your feet back to plank to complete one rep.
Up-Down Plank
- Begin in a full plank. Lower your right elbow to the mat and then your left, coming into an elbow plank.
- Put your right hand on the mat, and straighten your right elbow. Do the same on the left to return to a full plank.
Bent-Over Row
- Lean forward and bend both knees, remembering to keep a flat back.
- Extend your arms so they are straight. Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do. Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don't arch your back.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Triceps Dips
- Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
- Slide your butt off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you.
- Straighten your arms, keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
- Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
- Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. This completes one rep.
- Keep your shoulders down as you lower and raise your body. You can bend your legs to modify this exercise.
Sumo Squat With Biceps Curls
- Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands with your arms straight and your palms facing away from you. Step your feet apart so there's about 20 inches between your heels. Point your toes out slightly.
- When you're ready, bend your knees and elbows at the same time. Keep your shoulders over your hips, and lower down so your weight is back in your heels. Then straighten your legs and arms. This is one repetition.
Lying Chest Fly
- Lie on your back with your hips and knees both at 90-degree angles. Using your low abs, press your lower back into the mat. Raise your arms toward the ceiling, palms facing each other, keeping the elbow joint slightly bent.
- Keeping your torso stable, open your arms out to the sides until your elbows are about two inches from the floor.
- Raise your arms back to the ceiling, bringing the weights together over your chest. This counts as one rep.
Spider-Man Push-Up
- Start in a traditional plank position, with your hands under your shoulders and your body in one straight line.
- Bend your elbows out to the side to lower your torso toward the floor; bring your left knee and touch it to your left elbow.
- As you straighten your arms, return to plank position, bringing your left foot next to your right, then repeat this move on the other side. This counts as one rep.
Reverse Lunge and Press
- Stand with your feet together, holding the weights at your shoulders with your palms facing out.
- Step your left foot back into a lunge, making 90-degree angles with your front and back knee.
- Push off your left foot, bringing your left knee forward so it is even with your left hip, while raising your arms above your head. Do this motion with control.
- Without touching the floor with your left foot, step back into the lunge to start your second rep.
Lateral Plank Walk
- Begin in the plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your body in one straight line.
- Simultaneously cross your right hand toward the left as you step your left foot out to the left. Then simultaneously step your left hand and right foot to the left, returning to the plank position. Your hands move together as your feet step apart. Take two more steps in this direction, keeping your abs pulled toward your spine and your pelvis level.
- Reverse directions, taking three steps to the right. This completes one rep.
Skull Crushers
- Grab a set of dumbbells, and start by lying on your back with the knees bent.
- With one dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms so they are above your chest, making sure your elbows are straight but not locked.
- Slowly lower both arms toward your head, bending your elbows to 90 degrees as the dumbbells reach the mat. Aim to lower your dumbbells so they are on either side of your head, elbows bent and pressing in toward your head.
- Lift your arms back to starting position. This is one rep.
Bent-Over Reverse Fly
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with the knees slightly bent. Keeping your back flat, bend forward at the hip joint.
- Exhale and lift both arms to the side, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Then, with control, lower the dumbbells back toward the ground. This completes one rep.
Elbow Plank
- Start on the floor, resting on your forearms and knees.
- Step your feet out one at a time, coming into a plank position.
- Contract your abs to prevent your booty from sticking up or sinking. Your spine should be parallel to the floor, with your abs pulling toward the ceiling.
- Hold for as long as you can. Aim for 20 to 30 seconds in the beginning, and work your way up to one minute as you get stronger.
Bicep Curl and Overhead Press
- Stand with your feet directly under your hips, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing out. Bend the elbows, bringing the weights to your shoulders, performing a bicep curl.
- Stabilize your torso and keep your arms moving upward, straightening the arms above you, performing an overhead press with the palms facing out.
- Bend the elbows coming back to the end of your bicep curl, then straighten the arms coming back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Single-Leg Scarecrow
- Stand on your left leg, and lift your right knee up until it is level with your hip. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms out to the side until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees.
- Maintaining a strong sense of balance, rotate your upper arms forward to bring your fists to the floor, then rotate the upper arm backward to bring the fists up. Do not lower or raise your upper arms; keep them parallel to the floor. This completes one rep.
Ball Slams
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width distant apart with the medicine ball on the floor in front of you.
- Squat down and pick up the medicine ball, keeping your head up and trying not to round the spine.
- Stand up, lifting the medicine ball above your head, fully extending the arms straight above you.
- Forcefully slam the ball down on the floor as hard as you can. If the ball is light enough, catch the ball as it bounces slightly off the floor.
- This counts as one rep.
Dumbbell Thrusters
- Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears.
- Bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels.
- Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing.
Side Plank Leg Lift
- Place your right elbow on the ground. Extend both legs out so that your body is in one straight line and you're balancing on the outside edge of your right foot.
- Flex both feet if you can, and either rest your top hand on your upper hip or extend it in the air. Keeping your spine lengthened and your abs engaged, lift your left leg up just higher than your top hip. Then slowly lower it back to your bottom leg.
Bridge With Chest Press
- Start on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-distance apart. Hold weights by your chest.
- Squeeze your glutes as you push your pelvis toward the ceiling, coming into a bridge. Keep your ribs aligned with your pelvis.
- Holding the bridge, press the weights to the ceiling directly above your shoulders.
Pilates Boxer
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Bend your elbows behind you, keeping your upper arms even with your back.
- Bend your knees to come into a half squat while creasing at your hips so your spine is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your spine neutral with the pelvis and head forming one long line.
- As you exhale, simultaneously extend your right arm straight out in front of you and the left arm straight behind you. Rotate both wrists so your front palm is down and your back palm is up.
- With control, return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. This completes one rep.
Push-Up and Rotate
- Begin in a plank position with your feet in line with your hips.
- Lower your body toward the floor, and then push through your arms, returning to plank.
- Twist to the left, reaching your left arm to the ceiling without letting your pelvis rise or lower.
- Return to plank position, bringing your hand back to the floor. This completes one rep.
Diamond Push-Ups
- Start in plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in one straight line.
- If your knees aren't on the floor, separate your feet so they're about shoulder width apart to help you stay balanced throughout the exercise.
- Place your hands together, directly under your sternum, with the tips of your index fingers and thumbs touching. Your fingers and thumbs should form a diamond or triangle shape.
- Bend your elbows out to the sides, and lower your chest toward the floor. Then exhale to straighten your arms. This counts as one rep.
Asymmetrical Push-Up
- Begin in a plank, then lower your left elbow to the ground, with your forearm crossing under your chest. From this position, bend your right elbow, lowering your body to the mat. Use your abs to keep your torso in one piece as you come to the floor.
- Exhale as you straighten your right elbow to return to the starting position. This completes one rep. Be sure to do the same number of reps on each side.
Frogger
- Begin in a plank position. Jump your feet to the outside of your hands, coming into a deep squat and keeping your hands on the floor.
- Jump your feet back to a plank to complete one rep.
Plank With Lateral Arm Reach
- Start in a plank position.
- Keeping your torso stable, slowly reach your left arm out to your side. Brace through the abs by pulling your navel to your spine. Hold this position for five seconds. If you feel too unstable, try moving your right hand so it is under the centre of your chest rather than under your right shoulder.
- Keeping your torso stable, bring your arm back to the plank position. Do not round your back or twist your spine.
- Repeat this same motion on the other side, extending your right arm to your side. This counts as one rep.