10 Arm Exercises You Can Do Without Weights
Gyms and weights seem to be very necessary for arm exercises. When you don’t have weights, you’ll be using mostly your body weight to lift and work your arm muscles. This can still give you a good workout by just adding more reps. Sure, you can use makeshift weights with things around your house, but if you want to start off with something a little easier or you just want to do some simple arm exercises to stay in shape than look no further. We have a list of 10 arm exercises you can do without weights which means you don’t even have to leave your house to get those gains!
1. Arm plank with arm raises
Let’s start off with a simple one. For this exercise, you will begin in a regular plank. Then while you hold this position, you’ll raise one arm up in front of you and set it back down. You can also raise it to the side if this feels more comfortable.
Alternate raising each arm about 25 times. You’ll not only feel this in your arms with the raises but also you’ll be giving your abs a workout while you are holding the plank position.
2. Tricep dips
Start in a reverse tabletop position. This is when you are on all fours, facing upward like you are about to do a crab-walk. Then, bend at your elbows and lower yourself so your body is about to touch the ground. Do the tricep dips about 30 times.
For an extra challenge, you can do the dips while lifting one leg up in the air. Switch to the other leg about halfway through the exercise.
3. Push up to bear squat
Regular push-ups are a classic arm exercise that you can add to any workout. For this exercise, you can take the push-up to another level if you add the bear squat. Begin in a plank position and do a push-up. When you come back up, bend at the knees and bring your hips back toward your feet for the bear squat. Straighten your legs and come back to the plank position.
Do this about 20-25 times. This will work your abs, arms, and glutes. It’s a great workout to target multiple areas.
4. Spider-crawl to push-up
This is another modified push-up exercise by having a spider-crawl added to it. Start by standing up straight with your arms overhead. Bring your arms down like you are going to touch your toes, and begin crawling with your hands on the ground forward. When you finally crawl to a plank position, finish with a push-up. When you come back up from the push-up, start to crawl back toward your feet. Stand up and reach your hands back overhead and repeat.
Do this about 20-25 times. You should feel this in the shoulders, biceps, and core.
5. Shoulder push-ups
Push-ups normally work the bicep and tricep muscles. This exercise can help work the shoulder muscles that you normally would need weights for but with a push-up. Simply start in a plank position and instead of bending at the elbows, focus your attention to the shoulders and begin to raise and lower them.
This is a slight motion that does not make a big dip like a push-up. Do this about 25-30 times.
6. Side plank with reach throughs
Start with propping yourself up on one arm and stacking your legs to keep your balance in the side plank position. While you hold this position, raise the other arm up to the sky, and then bring back down under you.
Repeat this motion about 25 times each side. You should feel this in your arm and shoulder muscles as well as your core.
7. Shoulder touches
This is a simple, yet effective exercise. It starts in a plank position. While holding this, you’ll alternate raising your hands to touch the opposite shoulder.
Do this for about 30 seconds. You’ll feel this in your arms and abs.
8. Wide-lung to twist
Start in a runners or wide-lunge. To get in this position, come to a plank and then bring one leg up next to your arm. Next, take the arm that is on the same side as the leg that is forward, and stretch it up to the sky. When you bring the arm back down, place the your leg back next to the other so you are back in a plank position. Repeat the same steps to the other side.
Do this about 25-30 times total. You’ll feel this in your shoulders, abs, and thighs.
9. Circle push-ups
This is another great push-up exercise. Begin in a plank position. Then, instead of going straight down for a push-up, lower to one side beginning in clock-wise motion and come all the way down in a slow circle. When you complete the circle you should be back up in a plank position and then you can alternate to another side in a couterclock-wise motion.
Do this about 20-25 times. This really works the abs, shoulders, and biceps.
10. Superman arm pulses
Any exercise you can do while laying down is a good one. This exercise starts off with you laying on your stomach with your arms and legs extended. Lift both your arms and legs so they are hovering over the ground. This requires you to engage your core and hold this position throughout the exercise. While you’re holding this, start to pulse your legs up and down at a fast pace for about 30 seconds.
This is a great workout to finish with because you’ll feel it in multiple areas like your shoulders, glutes, and abs.
