Arm Workouts & Toning Exercises For Women

back of woman with pony tail and toned arms core home fitness

Whether you’re new to working out or already have a regular fitness routine, you probably have some areas where you’re not completely happy with. For many women, the arms, specifically the triceps, are one of those spots where they want to put a little extra attention. 

Why It’s Hard for Women to Tone Their Arms

There are several reasons why toned arms are so tricky for women to achieve. One reason is that muscle mass declines as you get older. In order to keep your muscle tone as you age, you’ll need to increase your weight resistance exercises. Another reason is that the effects of weight gain or loss can cause the skin on your arms to sag. And pregnancy and other hormone changes, like perimenopause and menopause, can also affect your muscle tone and skin, and make your arms look flabby. 

woman doing one arm overhead press with dumbbell core home fitness

On top of that, don’t forget that women aren’t often encouraged to lift heavier weights, for fear of getting “bulky”. So, you may not be giving your arms the attention they deserve in your workout routine.

That’s something that should change—today. After all, adding arm exercises for women to your routine pays off in many ways, beyond the shapely arms. Whether you’re a beginner just starting out or already have a fitness regimen, weight training can help improve fat loss while you gain strength. You’ll also protect yourself against injury and osteoporosis, keep your mind sharp, improve your mood, and reduce your risk of heart disease.

How Much Can You Tone Your Arms at Home?

Everyone has their own fitness goals, from weight loss, to tight, toned muscles, or building strength  and adding muscle mass so you can lift heavy things. Before you start an exercise routine, decide what you want your results to look like. Do you want to look better in your sleeveless tops? Do you want to tighten your “bat wings”? Do you want to be able to lift heavy items without help? Maybe you just want strangers to think, “Wow, she’s strong!” 

Before you go any further, it’s time to put to rest a couple of common misconceptions about women and strength training. One is about women developing big, bulky muscles. Remember, how you look after weight training depends a lot on your genes, as well as how much and how often you lift, and your diet. It takes a lot of focused training and effort for women to get the big muscles you see in professional bodybuilders. You won’t get big muscles unless you’re specifically trying to build them. So put aside any worries about getting bigger muscles than you want, and focus on what everyone can achieve: stronger, toned arms.

Another misconception is that you need a gym membership and complicated fitness machines to get a great arm workout for women. In fact, you can tone your arms at home, without a gym membership or professional weight machines. All you need are some free weights, like dumbbells, and arm exercises with weights to tone and strengthen flabby arms at home. As long as you are consistent and lift enough weight to challenge your muscles, you can get just as toned at home as you can at any fitness facility. 

Finally, there are misconceptions about how long arm toning exercises takes for females to tone their arms. Once you begin your arm toning regimen, you’ll start experiencing benefits from day one. Results like better body composition, improved sleep and mood show up right away. It may take a little longer to notice your stronger arms in the mirror, however. Most fitness experts say it’s normal to feel stronger within 4 weeks and visually see the results after about 8 to 12 weeks of consistent training. 

As we mentioned, arm workout consistency is your key to success. Make your arm exercises part of your morning or post-work routine, or keep your dumbbells next to your desk and do reps during breaks. If you’re brand new to strength training, start with light dumbbells. If you’re already fit but want additional toning and muscle definition, increase the weight.

Arm Exercises for Women You Can do at Home

Here are some dumbbell exercises for women that target the arms, as well as strengthen the back, shoulder, and upper body. All you need to begin is a set of dumbbells and comfortable clothing. Beginners can start with a comfortable weight of 5-10 lb. Keep using it until it stops challenging you, then move up to the next weight.

Begin with repeating each exercise 10 times per set, one to three sets per session. Build up to three arm toning sessions per week. The following exercises will work a combination of biceps, triceps, shoulders, upper back, chest, and core.

  • Dumbbell Curls
  • Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extension
  • Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
  • Military Press/Overhead Press with Dumbbells
  • Dumbbell Floor Press

Why Adjustable Dumbbells?

Invest in good quality equipment for your home workouts. You can buy well-made adjustable dumbbells that are within your budget, easy to use, will last, and that doesn’t take up too much space in your home. The Core Home Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell  set fits the bill, and gives you the range of weights you need whether you’re a beginner or experienced in strength training. 

 

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