By Anna Cohen, Contributing Blogger
Hooray for tank top season! Sunny days are made for skinny straps and bare arms. And here’s the best part: toned arms and shoulders are an achievable goal!
You don’t even need a gym membership or uber-expensive personal trainer. Dumbbells, dedication, and 15 minutes a day will give you the strong, sculpted arms and shoulders of your dreams!
The key to defined arms is working three main muscle groups: your deltoids (shoulders), biceps (front of your upper arms), and triceps (back of your upper arms). Once you fire up those muscles, your arms will be burning… in a good way!
What do you need? We recommend two sets of weights, one heavier for biceps/triceps and one lighter for shoulders. And if at all possible, work out in front of a mirror; it’s the best way to make sure your form is correct.
Pro Tip: Your shoulders are a smaller muscle group that might not be worked as often, so start light. You can even do shoulder exercises without weights to start, if you get too sore.
Are you ready to build those strong arms? Incorporate our favorite arm exercises into a full-body workout, add them on at the end of your cardio routine, or just hit “Arm Day” 2-3 times per week. Your guns will be sleek and sculpted in no time!
Instructions:
Choose six exercises from our list below. Variety is key! Go for 2 shoulder moves, 2 triceps, and 2 biceps. Pump out 8 to 12 reps, then move on to the next exercise. Once you’ve completed all six, take a 30- to 60-second break (shake those arms out!), and repeat for 2 to 3 sets.
Shoulder Exercises:
Get those delts burning! Remember: lighter weights (or even no weights) are better for shoulders. Work your way up to avoid injuries!
Upright Row
- Stand with your heels under your hips, arms in front of your body, palms facing in, core tight, one dumbbell in each hand.
- Slowly lift the dumbbells by raising your elbows until the weights are at chest level. Push your shoulders down; don’t let them shrug up.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Rear Deltoid Fly
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees bent slightly, core tight. Hinge over at your waist, making sure to keep your back flat.
- Let your arms hang at your sides, elbows slightly rounded, palms facing in, one dumbbell in each hand.
- Raise both arms out to the side and squeeze your shoulder blades together… imagine holding a pencil in between them.
- Slowly lower arms; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Lateral Raise
- Stand with your feet under hips, knees slightly bent, core tight.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in, arms hanging at your sides, elbows slightly bent.
- Raise your arms out to the side until the dumbbells are shoulder height. Don’t let your wrists or elbows go past your shoulders!
- Slowly lower your arms; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Shoulder Press
- Stand with your heels under your hips, knees soft, core tight. Push your shoulders back and down.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand at your shoulders, palms facing forward.
- Keeping your shoulders down, lift your arms until your elbows are almost straight (not locked), weights over your shoulders.
- Slowly lower your weights back to your shoulders; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Biceps
You’ll be flexing your biceps every time you lift your glass of summer-y lemonade, thanks to these super moves!
Bicep Curl
- Stand with your heels under your hips, core tight, chest up, chin off your chest. Your hands should be at your side, palms facing up, one dumbbell in each hand.
- Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows to bring the weights up to your shoulders.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Hammer Curl
- Stand with your heels under your hips, core tight, chest up, chin off your chest. Your hands should be at your side, palms facing one another, one dumbbell in each hand.
- Keep your upper arms still and bend your elbows to bring the weights up to your shoulders.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Biceps Row
- Stand with your feet under your hips, core tight, and hinge forward at your waist with a flat back.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up, down and away from your body.
- Contract your biceps to pull the weights up and in toward your ribcage.
- Release your biceps to lower the weights; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Isometric Biceps Hold
- Stand with your heels under your hips, core tight, chest up.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand, arms at your side, palms facing up.
- Curl dumbbells up until your arms form a 90 degree bend at the elbow.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Slowly lower back to the starting position; repeat 3-4 times.
Triceps
Get those “I flexed and the sleeves fell off” triceps with the muscle-building moves below.
Triceps Kickback
- Stand with your heels under your hips, core tight, knees bent. Hinge over at the waist, careful not to arch or curve your back. Hold one dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in.
- Bring your elbows into your ribcage with a 90-degree bend.
- Push dumbbells back away from your body. When your arms reach the top (straightened behind you), squeeze your triceps.
- Return to the starting position; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Overhead Triceps Extension
- Stand with your feet under your hips, knees soft, core tight, chest up and chin off your chest.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand and lift your arms overhead. Keep your biceps close to your ears and elbows pointing forward.
- Bend your elbows to lower the weights to the back of your neck.
- Straighten arms to return to your starting position; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Triceps Floor Press
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet close to your bottom, lower back pressed against the floor.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand, directly over your shoulders, palms facing one another.
- Bend your elbows and lower them to your sides until your triceps touch the floor.
- Slowly straighten your arms to return to the starting position; repeat for 8-12 reps.
Floor Dips
- Sit on the edge of a bench or chair, with your hands on the sides of your hips, fingertips pointing forward, core tight, legs extended in front of you.
- Lift your hips and slide forward just far enough to clear the edge of the bench/chair.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body. Your elbows should bend between 45 and 90 degrees.
- Push your palms into the bench/chair to return to starting position; repeat for 8-12 reps.
