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10 Beginner Strength Training Arm Exercises

Strong and amazing arms are not easy but they are attainable. Check out these strength training arm exercises that you can do at home!

10 Beginner Strength Training Arm Exercises

Here are 10 simple arm exercises for women to achieve those coveted toned arms!

Today we are continuing with the best exercises for each part of the body. Last we we focused on how to get stronger legs and this week we are focusing on how to get strong arms with 10 strength training exercises!

I was chatting with a friend about health and fitness, she confessed to me that sometimes she walks into a gym and she is so overwhelmed by all the options that she gets on the elliptical for 30 minutes and calls it a day.

What?! It’s true, the options CAN be super overwhelming, but there are some simple and effective workouts that you can do at the gym AND at home that can get you strong arms!

Why have strong toned arms?

Let’s be honest, they LOOK great! But more than that, strong arms are great for when you need to lift things–like children or heavy boxes–and it is one of the most satisfying feelings to know that you can do so without anyone’s help. Plus, I strongly believe that all parts of the body should be strengthen equally. The stronger the better!

Strength training exercises targeting the arms primarily focus on two major muscle groups: the biceps (front of the upper arm) and the triceps (back of the upper arm). A well-rounded arm strength training routine would incorporate exercises that target both of these areas. Below are some of the best exercises for developing strong arms:

  1. Bicep Curls:
    • How to do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms fully extended, palms facing forward. Keep your elbows close to your torso. Curl the weights towards your shoulders while keeping your elbows stationary. Slowly lower the weights back down.
    • Variations: Hammer curls (with palms facing each other), concentration curls, preacher curls, and barbell curls.
  2. Tricep Dips:
    • How to do it: Using parallel bars or the edge of a bench, grip the bars/bench and lower your body by bending your elbows until they’re at a 90-degree angle, then push yourself back up. Ensure your elbows don’t flare out too much; they should be relatively close to your body.
    • Variations: Bench dips (using a bench behind you with your feet extended out).
  3. Tricep Pushdowns (using a cable machine):
    • How to do it: Stand in front of a high pulley with a rope or bar attachment. Hold the attachment with both hands, palms facing each other (or down if using a bar). Push the attachment down by fully extending your arms, and then slowly release back to the starting position.
  4. Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extensions):
    • How to do it: Lie on a bench holding an EZ curl bar or dumbbells with arms extended toward the ceiling. Bend your elbows to lower the weights toward your forehead (hence the name “skull crushers”), then extend your arms back to the starting position.
  5. Pull-ups and Chin-ups:
    • How to do it: Grip a pull-up bar with an overhand grip (for pull-ups) or underhand grip (for chin-ups). Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, then lower yourself down with control.
    • Note: Pull-ups and chin-ups are advanced exercises that target not only the biceps but also the back muscles.
  6. Push-ups:
    • How to do it: Begin in a plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows until your chest almost touches the floor, then push yourself back up.
    • Variation for triceps: Diamond push-ups – keep your hands close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
  7. Close-Grip Bench Press:
    • How to do it: Lie on a bench and grip a barbell with hands closer than shoulder-width apart. Lower the bar to the middle of your chest and then push it back up. This primarily targets the triceps.

To achieve strong and well-balanced arms, it’s crucial to incorporate a mix of exercises that target both the biceps and triceps. It’s also beneficial to progressively increase the resistance or weight used in these exercises to continue challenging the muscles and promoting growth. Furthermore, proper form is essential to avoid injury and ensure effective muscle activation.

 
 
 
Regenerate

Here are 10 manageable exercises you can do do get strong toned arms. As usual start with a light weight that feels manageable then graduate from there!

1) Tricep Dips: You can do this one anywhere!

2) Upright Rows: Great use of the barbells at the gym!

 

3) Bicep Curls

4) Reverse Flys

5) Push Ups

6) Bent Over Row – One of my favorites!

7) Dumbbell Tricep Extensions

8) Hammer Curls

9) Arm Raises

10) Overhead Shoulder Press – Somehow I feel really strong when I do these!

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If you enjoyed these you might want to check out:

Which of these strength training arm exercises are in your normal routine? Which ones would you add to the list?

Must Have Fitness Apps For Your Smartphone - Brooklyn Active Mama

Sunday 27th of December 2015

[…] 10 Beginner Strength Training Arm Exercises […]

Leslie

Monday 31st of August 2015

These are all great, classic moves. My last office had a gym full of gym rats - including women - who were always there and were incredibly fit. But no one cares, really. The most important part is to just get in and do it!

Tamara

Monday 24th of August 2015

For a long time, I was hauling babies and toddlers and had great arms. It was inconsistent exercise but I suppose it was consistent in that it happened daily. It's definitely time to get my strong arms back!

Artadorned

Monday 24th of August 2015

Great work outs! I'm looking to get my arms and back more toned so I'll definitely do these workouts!

www.artadorned.com

Britt

Monday 24th of August 2015

Tricep dips! All.the.time. I love doing variations on them like lifting one leg or doing the can can. They are so tough! Great bodyweight training.