When the weather is nice, you want to show some skin. You haven't hit the gym as often as you wanted and your arms look a little flat. You may want to devote some time to exercises specifically targeting your arms to make them slim, sexy, and shaped so that you are ready to go to the nightclubs, go on vacation with your best friends, or take photos while out to look great at an upcoming event.
To shape your arms and prepare them for photos, here are 10 exercises to help you inflate your arms with items that you can find almost anywhere (no gym or exercise equipment required).
Repeat each exercise for 5 sets of 30 seconds each (in other words, repeat as many repetitions as possible for 30 seconds), taking 20 seconds to rest between sets.
pushups
There's a reason pushups are the first exercise most of us learn. Push-ups strengthen the front of your shoulder and chest, as well as your triceps, which make up the back of your arm.
This really is the king of body weight arm exercises Due to the fact that you are training your pulling muscles on the concentric (lowering) component of the exercise, and you are training all three heads of your triceps equally on the eccentric (pressing) component.
Instead of doing a traditional push-up, you can make a variation here to increase the intensity. With your hands slightly outside the width of your shoulders, lower your body and push your elbows in as far as possible to activate your lats and chest. Lower your chest to the floor, then push yourself up.
Curls
With just two dumbbells in hand, curls pump up your biceps. However, if you don't always have dumbbells, you can use whatever you have available that has some weight and that you can easily hold on to and maneuver, such as a gym. B. a water jug. Your biceps is the forward-facing part of your arm.
Curls emphasize every component of the biceps and work all parts of your biceps evenly.
If you do this correctly, you will be working on both the long and short heads of your biceps, the deep part of your biceps that is responsible for the shape of your arm that is closer to your elbow, as well as your forearms.
Start with your hands at thigh level. Then, raise your hands to your shoulders, twist them inward, aiming to point your pinky finger outward, toward the outside of your arm.
Equipment needed: a pair of dumbbells, a pitcher of water, or other household items.
Diamond pushups
Diamond pushups will continue to work your triceps. By inserting your hands, you emphasize the collarbone head of your rib cage. It will also emphasize the side head of your triceps, the outer head. This variation allows you to feel more in your triceps.
Use the same movements as the basic push-up. With this push-up variation, however, you bring your hands in to shape a diamond on the floor. From there, lower yourself to the floor until your chest touches the floor. Then get up again.
Hammer curls
As the name suggests, hammer out the long head of your biceps with hammer curls.
This variation in curl accentuates the long head of your biceps, making your arms fuller.
Using a pair of dumbbells or a pair of weighted household items, hold your palms facing each other at thigh level and bring the weights onto your shoulders.
Focus on squeezing your biceps muscles during the curl movement. Each rep should be quick and last at least two seconds each.
Equipment needed: a pair of dumbbells, a pitcher of water, or other household items.
High low plank triceps extension
The high-low-herbal triceps extension will engage your core. This accentuates the long head of your triceps which gives your arms width and size. Your core strength is a factor in your ability to perform the exercise smoothly.
Start on a high plank or push the position up and lower your body into a low plank. Your body will not rock from left to right during the entire movement.
You will know that you are getting this right by hitting your elbows and forearms on the floor at the same time. Your elbows will be highlighted at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.
Then, pressing your hands down into the floor, extend both arms and raise them together, bringing them back into a push-up position. Make sure you keep your triceps squeezed throughout all of your movements.
Flat curls
Yes, you read that right, a different type of curl – we're going to frizz and frizz and frizz even more. We'll make these arms scream!
These curls accentuate the short head of your biceps which gives your arm the climax. This will most likely be the toughest arm exercise for you.
This time, keep your palms facing outward and do a curling motion. Focus on holding your upper arms by your side and bringing your palms up to your shoulders. Push your arms firmly towards your body and don't let go of the weight.
Equipment needed: a pair of dumbbells, a pitcher of water, or other household items.
Dips
Dips are another total arm movement that involves pressing on the triceps, deltoids, and pectorals.
Dips can be done with your feet and hands on various surfaces to increase or decrease difficulty and core activation as needed.
An L-sit dip is a great dip for activating your core. Use two chairs for an L-sit dip (larger chairs provide more stability. The bigger the better). With one hand on each chair, lift yourself up and kick your legs out.
You want to get a perfect 90 degree angle with your body. Lower until your hands are roughly in your armpits. Then press up until your arms are straight again while maintaining the L-sitting position to optimize the engagement of the core.
Equipment needed: 2 large chairs.
Concentration ripple
Yes, another curl! This variation removes any movement from the back of your arm by propping it against your leg. As the name suggests, you will make sure that all of your energy is focused on the biceps (and not being fooled).
You will work your biceps evenly if you have your hands up towards the ceiling. This variation on curls will make your arms burn if they aren't already.
To do a lock of concentration, press your triceps against your inner thighs to keep your arm from moving. Then put your weight on your shoulders. Again, focus on squeezing the triceps muscles. Don't rush through your repetitions.
The amount of time you spend under tension is one of the most underrated variables when it comes to exercise. By increasing the amount of time under tension, you increase the amount of work your body has to do.
Equipment needed: a pair of dumbbells, a pitcher of water, or other household items.
Slide up to the side
Side pushups will get your shoulders doing a lot of work. You're removing one of your arms from the movement you're doing, forcing a deeper, more intense burn in your triceps.
With this type of push-up, push your hands out as far as you can reach on both sides of your body. Then bend one elbow to push your body toward your elbow while keeping the other arm straight. Then go to the other side and contract your triceps on each rep.
Zottman curls
Yes, for our final arm-specific exercise, we're going to do another variation of a curl! The Zottman curl will add significantly to your time under tension.
You force the brachialis to do additional work with the rotation at the top and bottom of the exercise. The movement will squeeze you, pushing even more pump into your arms. These will consume extra energy that you left in your arms and let it go completely.
On the way up, do a traditional curl and twist your arms outward with your pinky finger. Then, at the top of the motion, flip the dumbbells over so your little finger is pointing inward. Then bring the dumbbells back up to your thighs. Turn back and repeat.
Equipment needed: a pair of dumbbells, a pitcher of water, or other household items.
See more fun workouts and easy exercises to do at home.