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Bodyweight Arm Workout

Be Warned! Your Arms Will Be So Sore After This 15-Minute Bodyweight Workout

Dec 29 2019

No dumbbells? That's OK! You don't need them if you choose effective bodyweight moves like these. The 10 exercises below will target your upper body including your biceps, triceps, forearms, shoulders, and upper back. Be warned — you will absolutely be sore after this workout, but that's what you want in order to build strong muscles.

If you have access to a wall and want more of a challenge, CrossFit competitor and coach Dani Jenny said instead of the plank side walk, you can do handstand wall walks. For this entire workout, she also advised to focus on form over speed.

Bodyweight Arm Workout

Equipment needed: none

Directions: After a five-minute dynamic warmup, complete three rounds of the below 10-move workout (each round should take about five minutes). Try not to rest between exercises, but if you need a one-minute break between rounds, take it.

After the workout, be sure to do a cooldown including these upper-body stretches.

Exercise Reps
Triceps push-ups 10
Side elbow plank leg lifts 10 per side (20 total)
Up-down planks 5 per side (10 total)
Triceps dips 10
Dolphin dives 10
Crab walk 10 steps forward and five steps back (20 total)
Donkey kicks 10
Side plank 15 seconds per side
Plank side walk 5 steps to the right and 5 steps to the left (10 total)
Elbow plank with side step 10 per leg (20 total)

Image Source: Getty / skynesher

Triceps Push-Up

  • Start in a plank position with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above the wrists. Rest your knees on the floor if you need to.
  • Keeping your upper arms parallel, bend your elbows lowering your chest until your shoulders are in line with your elbows. The elbows should touch your ribcage.
  • Inhale to straighten the arms. This counts as one rep.
  • Do 10 push-ups.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios

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.
  • This completes one rep. Do 10 reps on each side for a total of 20.
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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.
  • This counts as one rep. Perform five per side for a total of 10 reps. Rest your knees on the floor if you need to.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

Triceps Dip

  • Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your hands behind you, with fingertips pointed toward your butt. Lift your pelvis off the ground, straighten your elbows, and shift your weight back so your shoulders are directly over your hands.
  • Slowly bend your elbows to lower your pelvis toward the floor, then press into the floor to straighten, but not lock, your elbows; this completes one rep.
  • Complete 10 triceps dips.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

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Crab Walk

  • Sit on the ground with your knees bent, your hands two inches behind you, and your fingers pointing away from your body. If this is too much weight on your wrists, slightly turn your fingers out to the sides of your body. Lift your hips two to three inches off the ground.
  • Step your right foot forward as you simultaneously move your left hand forward. Then repeat on the opposite side. This completes one rep. Focus on perfecting the contralateral movement (moving opposite body parts at the same time).
  • Do 10 steps forward and five steps backward for a total of 20.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

Donkey Kicks

  • From a standing position, bend at the hips and place your palms flat on the floor in a short Down Dog position. Make sure your fingers are spread wide and you're pressing firmly into the fingertips. Gaze at a spot on the floor slightly in front of you.
  • Gently rock your weight forward as you push off the balls of the feet, trying to get space between your feet and the floor. Take small hops at first to get comfortable with having all your bodyweight in your hands.
  • Take bigger hops as you're ready. Think about getting the hips over the shoulders, and, if possible, bring the soles of the feet to clap together. Use your core muscles to slowly and softly lower the feet back to the floor.
  • Take 10 hops.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Side Plank

  • Begin in a plank position and roll to your right side, allowing your feet to roll too, so you're balancing on the outside of your right foot and the inside of your left. To advance this move, stack your right foot on top of your left.
  • Reach your left arm toward the ceiling and lift your waist away from the floor to make your obliques fire away.
  • To take pressure off of your wrist, press your right fingertips into the floor.
  • Hold for 15 seconds on each side.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Plank Side Walk

  • Begin in plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders, body in one straight line.
  • Simultaneously cross your right hand over your left as you step your left foot to the left. Then simultaneously step your left hand and right foot to the left, so you're back in plank position. Your hands move together as your feet step apart.
  • Repeat this for five steps to the left and five steps to the right (10 total). Be sure to keep the hips low as you move, drawing the navel toward the spine.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

Elbow Plank With Side Step

  • Start in an elbow plank and alternate stepping your legs to the side, keeping your toes off the floor. To modify, tap your toes to the floor.
  • Complete 10 reps with each leg for a total of 20 reps.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman

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