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Arm exercises are the ones I hate the least! I don’t know why but I have very little upper body strength and so it is always a chore to work them out!

woman stretching to the side with house in the background and text overlay - Top 4 no equipment arm exercises

I think because I use my arms every day, I just assumed they would take care of themselves, but shockingly this is not the case! Arm exercises seem to be the way forward for toning them and getting rid of some of the extra waving flab (you know what I mean!).

That being said, I am not looking to bulk out my arms but my goal is to tone them and add some strength in there too (but I want that sneaky kind of strength that doesn’t look like I am strong, and then BAM – look how strong I am – you know?)

So I decided to put together a list of arm workouts and exercises that are most useful for your arms, that don’t require weights or equipment that helped me get my arms back on track and dreading the arm workout a little bit less…. only a little though.

1. Push-ups

I know I know – you hate them (I do too), you can’t do them blah blah blah! but honestly, they are one of the top arm exercises for a reason and you just have to build them up! I never used to be able to do “proper” push-ups but now I can do 10 at a time!

Plus to keep things interesting you can change intensity by switching your arm position OR there are different variations too! Such as:

  • The row pushup
  • Plank Pushups
  • Uneven Pushups

Here is a great video by Calisthenic Movement that shows some great Pushup variation workouts that you can do at home!

2. Mountain climbers

These use your own body weight (and I have plenty!) against you and if you do them properly I guarantee you will feel the burn! Try to keep a plank back, keeping your spine neutral to reduce the stress on your lower back in particular and reduce the risk of injury. Also, the lower to the ground you are the harder it is so you get more of a workout!

Here’s a perfect video to show you how to do the best Mountain Climbers:

3. Tricep Dips

Technically you can do these on the floor BUT it is better (and harder) if you can get more of a “Dip” so you should try to use a chair or the sofa! (I am not counting this as equipment! because who doesn’t already have a chair, sofa, edge of bed, garden wall outside… you get the idea!). You can also make these arm exercises easier or harder by changing the positioning of your legs and using them as increased weight!

Here’s the best way to do a tricep dip properly!

4. Plank

These are a great all rounder and I love them! They are my favourite arm exercises and I find doing them in sets, really work my arms as well as my core (depending on the variation!). Here’s a great video to show you good form in several plank positions including variations!

See, you don’t need a fancy gym or workout regime, just add some of these arm exercises to your routine and you will be off and away with more toned arms!

What are your favourite arm exercises?

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The four best no-equipment arm exercises to workout and tone your arms, including some instructional videos to show you how to do it best.

*Before starting any new regimes seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.

by | 30 Comments

30 comments on “Top 4 No-Equipment Arm Exercises”

  2. My arms and stomach are my biggest problem spots and I just don’t have the time or money to go to the gym. Thanks for sharing these awesome workout tips.

  3. I love these kinds of exercises! I don’t have a lot of money to buy equipment or a gym membership but this is just perfect for me!

  4. Oooo so many great workout suggestions!!! As much as I hate doing planks, they really do make you look fab!!!

  6. I love the plank! Weird, right? I can’t do it for all that long, but I definitely feel that it gives me a lot of bang for my buck! Pushups are great too – except when the kids come and jump on my back – that is not so great 🙂

  9. I love workouts that don’t require equipment (although a simple weight is alright). These are perfect exercises!

  13. I like plank dips or anything that works my triceps. My least favorite arm exercises are the ones that involve my shoulders. I don’t know why but they always give me such problems.

  14. I need to start out slowly but these 4 exercises look like great ones to start with. Your body looks great so I have something to shoot for.

  16. These are fab – I’m always on a look out for arm exercises because I have one of those flabby sausage arms haha x

  17. I love a good at home workout that doesn’t require any equipment. I am pretty novice, and I din’t really have any equipment, so I make due with what I have.

  18. Awesome arm exercises! It’s nice to be able to exercise at home without having to worry about lack of equipment. Thanks for the suggestions!

  19. That looks like a serious workout. I am a little overwhelmed by it all! I don’t work out much, so this is quite the workout to me.

  20. That chair one has me really wanting to give it a try. That could be so helpful for me!

  23. For so long I neglected my arms. I can still remember my first arm workout..OUCH! But now I love finding new moves to try. Thanks for sharing!

  24. I do push ups and planks for my non equipment arm toning exercise and it helps and it works! I love having toned arms!

  26. My arms definitely need to be exercise but not because the flabbier anything I just need to build more strength. A lot of these exercises would be very hard for me because I don’t have the strength in my arms yet .

  28. Your writing style is perfect for talking about a topic that can be particularly boring! I love it! Keep up the good work!

  29. Mountain climbers are hard, but they work! I was always a fan of push-ups, but they are wicked hard, too.

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