15 Best Toned Arm Workouts for Women

The idea of having toned arms seems to be a popular topic for many women. Whether it’s for the confidence boost that comes with a sculpted physique or the benefits of increased strength and fitness, women often seek to tone their arms through various exercises and training regimens.

Especially with celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Angela Bassett being praised for their well-defined arms, it is become an increasing trend for women to want to achieve that same look. So, here are the 15 best toned arm workouts for women!

Key Takeaways

• Arm muscles is essential for functional strength and to reduce the risk of injuries.
• Spot reduction is not possible but you can still do targeted exercises for muscle definition and improving the appearance of the area.
• Consistent exercise, balanced nutrition and rest are crucial for effective muscle toning.
• Include a number of arm toning exercises that targets the different arm muscles for a more complete muscle growth and strength development.
• Ideally, you should include both strength-training exercise and cardio exercise for an effective muscle toning.

Importance of Toning the Arm Muscles

There are several reasons as to why it is important to tone the arm muscles. The main reasons are functional strength and injury prevention. Having strong arm muscles would help to improve functional tasks like lifting, pushing and carrying, in a significant manner.

Toning the arm muscles would help with injury prevention by stabilizing the shoulder joints. These stabilization reduces the likelihood of you sustaining injuries as you carry out upper-body related workout. At the same time, it also helps with improving joint health.

Key Factors for Effective Arm Toning

Research shows that you cannot spot treat a single body part. A training can be effective in reducing fat mass but it would not lead to a reduction in the trained body part.

So then, isn’t it pointless to tone your arms?

Well, not exactly. Along with the reasons of functional strength and injury prevention mentioned, it can still help with muscle definition. Even if fat loss isn’t localized, toning exercises can enhance the appearance of your arms by increasing muscle tone.

Other key factors that will affect your arm toning journey are balanced nutrition, consistency and adequate rest. These are factors that you should never compromise on if you want to maximize your results.

15 Best Arm Exercises

Let’s explore some of the best arm exercises that is tailored for you women out there, looking to sculpt and strengthen your arms.

1. Dumbbell Hammer Curls

Hammer Curls is an arm workout that helps to target the biceps and forearms. All you need are a pair of dumbbells to strengthen those muscles and achieve toned arms.

How to do it:

1. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in the knees.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and ensure that your arms are bent slightly, in a neutral grip. Your palms should be facing the sides of your body.
3. With your palms facing towards your body, slowly bring the dumbbell upwards. Curl the dumbbells as you bring it up.
4. Squeeze your biceps at the top and then lower it back down to starting position.
5. Repeat the reps until you are done with the set.

2. Dumbbell Biceps Curl

The biceps curl is a strength-training exercise that works the upper arm muscles. It is a great exercise for improving strength and definition.

How to do it:

1. Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Ensure that your core muscles are tight and engaged.
2. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, ensure that your elbows are bent slightly and palms facing forward.
3. Bring the weights up until the dumbbell reaches the shoulder. Your arms should stay close to your body as you perform this movement.
4. Slowly lower the weights back down to starting position.
5. Repeat this movement until you are done with the set.

3. Hammer Curl to Press

This workout is a combination of the hammer curl exercise and overhead press exercise. It is a workout that targets primarily the biceps as well as the shoulders and forearms.

How to do it:

1. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in the knees.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and ensure that your arms are bent slightly, in a neutral grip. Your palms should be facing the sides of your body.
3. With your palms facing towards your body, slowly bring the dumbbell upwards. Curl the dumbbells as you bring it up.
4. Once the dumbbells are curled up at shoulder height, push the dumbbells straight up and over your head.
5. Lower it back down to starting position and repeat until the set is complete.

4. Bicep Curl to Press

This workout combines biceps curl and overhead press exercises. The workout mainly targets the upper arms for muscle definition and strength.

How to do it:

1. Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Ensure that your core muscles are tight and engaged.
2. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, ensure that your palms are facing forward and elbows bent slightly.
3. Bring the weights up until the dumbbell reaches the shoulder. Your arms should stay close to your body as you perform this movement.

5. Renegade Row

The renegade row is an exercise that combines both a plank movement and dumbbell row. It mainly works to target the upper body such as the biceps, back and chest.

How to do it:

1. Start by placing a pair of dumbbells in front of you. Get into a high plank position and position the dumbbells till they are just below your chest.
2. Grip onto a single dumbbell in each hand and position your arm directly parallel to your shoulders, feet shoulder-width apart.
3. In this position, lift one of the weight up, pulling it towards your ribcage. Ensure that you are keeping the dumbbell close to your body with elbows pointed upwards.
4. You want to also brace your core during this exercise so that your torso does not rotate while pulling the dumbbell up.
5. Lower your arm back down to the ground and repeat with the other side.

6. Tricep Kickbacks

Triceps are muscles that are located at the back of the upper arms. It is responsible for shoulder, elbow and forearm movements. Having strong triceps will help to ensure that your shoulder joints are stabilized. Thus, it is important to train the triceps.

There are a couple of ways that you can perform a tricep kickback. One is by using dumbbells and the other is by using the cable machines. So, feel free to choose a method that you are most comfortable with.

How to do it (Dumbbells):

1. Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. Keep your knees bent slightly.
2. Brace your core and keep your spine straight as you hinge forward at the waist. Make sure that your torso is almost parallel to the floor as you do this.
3. Keep your upper arms close to your body and look down at the ground. Your chin should be tucked slightly, forming a soft double chin.
4. Push and extend your arms straight behind you, engaging the tricep muscles.
5. Pause for a few moments and return your arms back to starting position. You should only be moving your forearms during this exercise.

How to do it (cable machine):

1. Start by facing the cable machine. Set the cable pulley at the bottom level.
2. Hinge forward at the waist such that your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
3. Brace your core and ensure that your head, neck and spine is in one straight line.
4. With one hand gripping onto the cable, pull and extend your arm back as far as you can. Make sure that you are keeping your arm close to the side of your body.
5. Pause for a few moments and return your arms back to starting position.

7. Overhead Tricep Extensions

The Overhead Tricep Extensions is another exercise that targets the triceps. It a simple exercise that does not require much equipment and can be done either by standing or sitting.

How to do it:

1. Start by cupping the end of a dumbbell with both hands. Ensure that you are adopting a shoulder-width stance.
2. Lift the dumbbell up such that it above your head and your arms are extended straight up.
3. Brace your core as you bent your elbows and bring the dumbbells down, behind your head.
4. Only your forearms should move during this exercise.
5. Bring it back up to starting position and repeat this until you are done with the set.

8. Tricep Dips

Tricep dips is again, an exercise that targets the triceps. However, it is not an isolation exercise but rather a compound exercise as it targets not just the triceps, but also the shoulders, chest and upper back.

How to do it:

1. To start, you will only need a chair. Sit at the edge of the chair and grip onto the edges of the chair. Your fingers and palm should be facing forward, in the direction of your feet.
2. Extend your legs out with feet hip-width apart and your feet flat on the ground.
3. Press into your palms as you lift yourself body up and slide forward. Your body should be slightly in front of the chair edge.
4. Lower your body by bending your elbows about 45 to 90 degrees. You should do this is a controlled motion.
5. Push yourself back up to starting position, until your arms are straight. Repeat this movement until the set is completed.

9. Lateral Raises

Lateral raises is an exercise that targets the shoulders and can be performed both standing and sitting. It is an exercise that is good for building the upper body.

How to do it:

1. Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other.
2. Stand tall by engaging your core muscles and pulling your shoulder blades back and down.
3. Keeping your body straight, lift the dumbbells up to your sides. Your elbows should be slightly bent.
4. Try to lift until your arms are parallel to the floor, then slowly lower it back down.
5. Repeat this until the set is completed.

10. Reverse Fly

This is an exercise that is perfect for working the rear shoulders and upper back. It is a fairly simple exercise that only requires the use of dumbbells.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the dumbbells at your side.
2. Hinge at the hips as you bring your chest forward until your torso is parallel to the ground.
3. Let the weights hang down. Then, raise both arms to your sides. As you perform this movement, you want to squeeze your shoulder blades together.
4. Lower the weights down and repeat this movement until the set is completed.

11. Upright Row

Upright row is a compound exercise that is great for targeting the upper back and shoulder muscles. It is important to maintain proper form as it could potentially lead to a shoulder injury if done improperly.

How to do it:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell or dumbbells in front of the thighs with an overhand grip. Your hands should be slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift the weights straight up toward the chin, keeping them close to the body, elbows pointing out to the sides.
3. Pause at the top, then slowly lower the weights back down to starting position. Repeat until the set is completed

12. Arnold Press

Named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, this workout is perfect if you are looking to target all of the deltoid muscles at once. It is an exercise that gives you a far greater range of motion in comparison to a conventional dumbbell press.

How to do it:

1. Use a bench or stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with palms facing towards you. Your elbows should be bent.
2. Press the dumbbells overhead while rotating your palms to face forward at the top of the movement.
3. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height while rotating your palms back to the starting position. Repeat until the set is completed.

13. Dumbbell Floor Press

This exercise is a variation of floor press and it is meant for strengthening the chest and triceps. So, this is great if you are looking to strengthen those triceps muscles!

How to do it:

1. Lie with your back against the ground. With your knees bent and feet flat, hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level.
2. Press the dumbbells upward until the arms are fully extended, keeping the elbows close to the body.
3. Lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder level, but do not let them touch the floor. Repeat until the set is completed.

14. Shoulder Tap

Shoulder tap is a great exercise if you are looking to activate a wide range of muscles in the upper body. This movement relies a lot on the upper arm strength for stability and support.

How to do it:

1. Start by being in a high plank position with your hands placed directly parallel to your shoulders. Your body should be in a straight line.
2. Lift one hand off the ground and tap the opposite shoulder. Then, return to the starting position.
3. Repeat with the other hand, alternating sides until the set is completed. Throughout this exercise, you should be maintaining core stability and avoid excessive hip rotation.

15. Commandos

The commandos exercise is an exercise that works the arm, chest and shoulders which is much more than the traditional plank variation. It is a pretty tough but highly effective exercise, considering the amount of strength you will need to support your body weight.

How to do it:

1. Start in a plank position on your forearms.
2. Push up onto one hand, then the other, coming into a high plank position.
3. Reverse the movement, lowering onto one forearm and then the other to return to the starting position.
4. Alternate which arm you push up with first and repeat until the set is completed.

For More Resources

For more workout resources, do check out our other JustFit articles:

12 Week Female Workout Plan PDF

Cuban Press

Ring Push Ups

Summary

In summary, training and toning the arms can be beneficial in various ways that is not just limited to aesthetics. Building the arm muscles helps with functional strength so that you are able to carry out daily tasks. It is also especially important for overall health and injury prevention. If you are a woman who wants to improve your arm strength and definition, incorporating these arm exercises into your fitness routine can help you achieve your goals.

FAQs

How can I tone my arms fast?

If you want to tone your arms fast, you will need to include both strength-training exercises and cardio exercises into your exercise regimen. Strength-training exercises like bicep curl, push ups, tricep dips, will help to build arm strength while cardio exercises will help you to burn excess fats.

Can flabby arms really be toned?

Yes, flabby arms can be toned through a combination of strength training exercises and cardiovascular workouts.

How quickly can a woman tone her arms?

It depends on various factors such as individual fitness level, genetics, diet, and exercise regimen. Some women may find that they only need a few weeks to see their desired results whereas others may take a few months to several months.

What is the best weight for women’s arm workout?

This would depend on individual strength and fitness level. Beginners should start with lighter weights to ensure proper form and prevent injury. Once you are more comfortable, you can gradually increase the weights to challenge the muscles further.

References

[1] Ramírez-Campillo, R., Andrade, D. C., Campos-Jara, C., Henríquez-Olguín, C., Alvarez-Lepín, C., and Izquierdo, M. (2013). Regional fat changes induced by localized muscle endurance resistance training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 27(8), 2219–2224. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31827e8681