Don’t feel like shelling out a ton of money on weights or a gym membership? I don’t blame you. Luckily there are a lot of easy and effective weight-free exercises that are great for working out at home with no expensive or bulky equipment. If you’re looking to tone your muscles and get amazing arms, check out these 10 weight-free arm exercises! They’re super easy and actually provide the results you want without wasting a ton of money on gym stuff. Plus, with no weights needed, you can do these exercises wherever!
Arm circles are super easy and make a great warm-up to any arm work-out. They require no equipment and actually provide a great exercise even though they look so simple! You may remember doing arm circles in elementary P.E. class, but they’re really making a comeback in the fitness world for their simplicity and arm toning powers.
Holding your arms out, make circles going forward or backward. You can change the speed you rotate your arms and the size of the rotation for different levels to this easy exercise! Arm circles are a great way to get warmed up for arm day.
While they might not be everyone’s favorite exercise, push-ups are a great way to tone your arms. They can be tough, especially if you’re just starting out, but don’t worry! There are a few different variations of push-ups that make it easier to execute them without losing the gains to your arms.
If push-ups are too much right away, try kneeling and doing a push-up from your knees rather than a plank. That still works your arms while lessening the strain on your core muscles! They’ll get easier the more you practice them.
Plank taps are a nice way to tone your arms and aren’t too difficult to get used to. You start in a raised plank (like how you would start a push-up!) and then tap one hand to your opposite shoulder, then the other. Repeat this for a few reps and your arms will be burning! In a good way, of course.
If you prefer, you can try a variation of plank taps that is just like the classic push-up variation. Instead of working from a raised plank position, try kneeling and working from there to ease any strain you may feel. Once you’re comfortable with the variation, you can try the regular position!
The tricep dip is a really effective exercise that doesn’t rely on weights that’ll cost you a lot of money. This exercise relies only on your own body weight and gravity to tone your, you guessed it, triceps.
There’s a popular variation of this exercise using a chair or stair, but if those aren’t available to you, there’s even a variation using just the floor. Sitting with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, place your arms behind you and raise your body up from your hips. Once there, begin to dip down towards the ground, using your arms to push yourself back up! You’ll feel the burn in no time.
A side plank is a great option for toning your arms! It looks simple, but this exercise is a really effective way to work out your arms and core. You can hold the position for 30 seconds or longer, or if that’s too easy, you could try a popular variation on the side plank: The side plank with rotation!
To do this, get into a side plank position. From there, take the arm that’s in the air and twist to rotate it sideways and under your body. This provides a good stretch, and when you move to bring your arm back above your head into the side plank position, you get a really good stretch in both arms. Try this for a few reps and you’ll be feeling it!
The popular superman stretch is really effective for toned arms. You can choose to hold the pose for a length of time, or you can switch it up and do pulses, raising your upper body and arms up and then down and repeating. Both are good ways to get your arms and abs working hard.
To perform the superman, lay on your stomach with your arms stretched out in front of you. From there, use your arms and ab muscles to raise your upper body (and legs too) up off the ground about 2 inches or so. Hold here for 30 seconds, or try pulsing! It’s up to you how you perform this exercise, but you’re sure to love the results.
This one is very similar to the raised plank or the plank tap exercise. It’s great for toning and stretching your arm muscles and you should feel the burn with this one! Starting in a raised plank position, first lower one arm down so you’re resting on your forearm, then follow with the other until both arms are resting on the floor.
From here, bring one arm back up, then follow with the other until you’re back in the raised plank position you started in. It’s a 4-move exercise, so it’s easy to break it into four parts. First lower one arm, then the other, then raise one, then the other. Keep at this for a few reps and your arms will be working hard!
The reverse plank may look a little strange (and even feel a little strange), but it’s a great choice if you want exercises that don’t require any weights and will really challenge your arms. Planks in general are great for strengthening your arm muscles and giving you toned arms, but the reverse plank shouldn’t be counted out! It’s just as effective as other plank variations.
Starting on your back, raise yourself up onto your forearms with your legs stretched out in front. From here, push up with your hips until you’ve raised yourself onto your arms and heels. Hold this position for 30 seconds or so and your arms should be shaking! If you want to activate your leg muscles too, try pointing your toes!
This one is fun! It reminds me a bit of a burpee without the jumping. It’s a great stretch and exercise for your arm muscles! Start standing up straight, then move to touch your hands to the floor in front of you. From this position, walk your hands out, following with your body until you are in a raised plank position.
Then, do a push-up! Once you’ve completed your push-up, inch your body backward using your arms and hands until your back leaned over with your hands on the floor in front of you. Then unfold so you’re standing upright again, and repeat! The process of inching forward and back using your arms (plus the push-up in between!) is a really effective way to get your arms working.
These are another really fun but challenging exercise for your arms. Starting in a raised plank position, keep your feet together. Then, when you’re ready, jump and move your feet apart, like you’re doing a jumping jack but on the floor rather than standing upright.
Then, jump and bring your feet back together. It’s a lot tougher than it sounds, and it’s sure to have your arms weak when you’re finished!
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