Top 8 Arm Toning Exercises for Women

Gone are the days of people thinking arm workouts are just for men. Building strong arm muscles is especially important for women because genetics often bless us with more muscle in our lower body than our upper body. As a result, we often aren’t as motivated to do exercises that we don’t feel confident doing, and we neglect our arms. 

Plus, there’s a common misconception that working out upper body muscles will promote bulkiness and you’ll wind up bursting out of your shirtsleeves. Let me assuage your fears. Building large amounts of muscle mass is a long and patient process. Don’t worry, you can’t get bulky by accident. 

This is all to say—genetics aren’t destiny, and strong arms are sexy arms!

With consistent resistance training and healthy nutrition, women can develop strong arm muscles that will empower you to:

• Throw a solid punch

• Carry your kids or fur babies

• Support athletic performance (Hello, Runners! You need strong arms, too!)

• Feel confident in every tank top and sleeveless dress

• Haul all those bags from the car to the house in one trip 

So, how can a woman get toned arms? Build a full arm workout by choosing 6 of these best arm exercises for women below. 

Arm Exercises for Women

Complete 12 reps of each exercise, rest for 60 seconds, and then repeat for 4 total sets.

*Equipment Optional: Dumbbells (5-15lbs), kettlebell (10-15lbs), or hand weights. Equipment weight will depend on your level of fitness

1. Plank With Bicep Curl

Target Muscles: Biceps & Core

• Begin in plank position, holding two dumbbells on the floor

• Curl one dumbbell to your shoulder at a time, keeping your upper arm and core as still as possible

• Maintain plank position and repeat with the other arm

2. Overhead Tricep Extension

Target Muscles: Triceps

• Hold the weight overhead with both hands

• Slowly bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head as far as possible

• Straighten your elbows and extend the weight overhead

• Hold the fully extended position for a moment, then repeat slowly

*This exercise can be done sitting or standing, and with dumbbells or a kettlebell

3. Upright Row 

Target Muscles: Traps & Deltoids

• Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart

• Lift your barbell or dumbbells straight up toward your chin

• Pause at the top of the lift, lower, and repeat

4. Lateral Arm Raise

Target Muscles: Triceps & Shoulders

• Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, lift the dumbbells up and out on each side

• Keeping your arms almost completely straight, stop when your elbows reach shoulder-height, and your body is forming a “T” shape

• Lower and repeat

5. Dumbbell Bench Press

Target Muscles: Front Deltoids, Triceps, & Pectorals

• Begin laying on a bench with your feet flat on the floor

• Lift the dumbbells to chest height, with your hands facing forward

• As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended (don’t let the dumbbells touch)

• Lower your arms and repeat

6. Tricep Dips

Target Muscles: Triceps

• With your feet flat on the floor, press your hands against a chair or bench and lift your body up and slide forward so that your bottom clears the edge

• Lower your body until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees

• Push yourself back up until your arms are almost straight, and repeat

7. Decline Push-Up

Target Muscles: Anterior Deltoids, Triceps, & Biceps

• Put your feet on a chair, step, or bench, and place your hands in a push-up position on the ground in front of you

• Brace your core and glutes, and lower yourself down into a push-up

• Extend your elbows to push yourself up, and repeat

8. Diamond Push-Up

Target Muscles: Anterior Deltoids, Triceps, Biceps, & Pectorals

• Start in a standard push-up position and move your hands toward each other so that your index fingers and thumbs are touching each other (the space between your hands will form a diamond shape)

• Lower your chest toward your hands and stop just before your chest touches the floor

• Push yourself back up and repeat

We challenge you to build arm workouts for at-home or in-the-gym by picking 6 of these arm toning exercises for females and doing them 2-3 times a week. Your arms will be burning but you’ll thank us later! Let us know in the FightCamp Community which 6 exercises you’re picking to build your arm-toning workout! 

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As Mike Tyson said - “FightCamp is the next level of training!”