For most females, having toned arms is not an easy feat. We're constantly changing our workout routines; switching between bicep days and tricep days, hitting the gym with high-intensity training, following a specific arm workout for women… you name it.
But if you don't have time to go to a gym, you're a mom of three and can't fit a workout into your schedule, or you just want some at-home arm exercises to do while you watch TV, we've got the workout for you!
These seven quick and efficient arm exercises will tighten your arms and tone your muscles so you can achieve the toned arms of your dreams anytime, anywhere. All you need is a chair and some water to get the job done.
To plan your workout, set a timer for each exercise with ten seconds of rest in between. If you're looking to boost your workout intensity, add a couple of ankle weights while doing these exercises.
7 Quick Exercises to Tone and Tighten Your Arms
1. Tricep Dips.
Begin by sitting with your hands on the edge of the chair, fingers facing forward, and your back up straight.
Lean back slightly so your body leans towards the ground while keeping your abs engaged.
Slowly bend your arms to lower yourself down.
Keep lowering yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, then press yourself back up. Make sure to keep your elbows close to your body.
2. Chair Squats.
Stand in front of a sturdy chair with your toes pointed slightly outward and shoulder-length apart. Keep your back up straight, your abs engaged, and your arms extended out in front of you.
Slowly lower yourself down into a squat position by bending at the knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Press yourself back up by extending your legs to come back into an upright position.
3. Bicep Curls With Chair.
Stand in front of a sturdy chair with your feet shoulder-width apart so your toes are slightly facing outward.
Keep your shoulders rolled backward, palms facing inward, and arms by your side while maintaining correct posture.
Slowly lift your arms up so that you bring your elbows to 90 degrees while keeping them close to the side of your head.
Once at 90 degrees, slowly lower your arms back down until they are outstretched by your side. Make sure to keep your shoulders pressed back away from the ears throughout the entire exercise.
4. Tricep Extensions With Chair.
Stand facing a sturdy chair with feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly facing outward. Keep legs straight, abs engaged, shoulders rolled back, and palms together behind you (fingers pointing towards your thighs).
Slowly begin lowering yourself down while bending at the knees until you reach a 45-degree angle where the upper body is bent over while the hips remain knee level; this position can be seen as a modified pushup.
Once at this 45-degree angle, place your palms on the edge of the chair and slowly begin pushing yourself back up by extending your arms behind you. Keep elbows close to the side of your head.
Once you reach a full arm extension (elbows unlocked), lower yourself down and repeat this same motion several times.
5. Chair Squats With Side Leg Raise.
Stand in front of a sturdy chair with feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly facing outward. Place hands together in front of chest with fingers interlaced and thumbs pointed outwards (prayer position).
Engage abs by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, then slowly lift both legs up to align knees over toes.
Slowly lower one leg down so your knee is facing the ground while keeping your toes pointed upwards, then return to an original standing position and repeat this same motion on the other side.
Make sure to keep abs engaged throughout the entire exercise and maintain correct posture with shoulders rolled back and chest open.
6. Tricep Extensions With Side Leg Raises.
Begin in a pushup position (modified 45-degree angle) with palms on edge of the chair and fingers pointing towards thighs, abs engaged, legs extended out behind you, and feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Slowly lift one hand up by extending the arm backward while also lifting that leg up so it is parallel to the ground; this position looks like an advanced tricep pushup.
Slowly lower that same arm and leg to return back down into a modified pushup position, then repeat the same movement with the opposite side. Make sure not to let either shoulder roll forward as you are lifting yourself up during this exercise.
7. Chair Squats With Bicep Curls & Front Shoulder Raises.
Begin in front of a sturdy chair with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart so toes are pointed slightly outward.
Place hands together in front of chest with fingers interlaced and thumbs pointed outwards (prayer position).
Engage abs by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, then slowly lift both arms behind your head while also lifting your legs off the floor so that knees align over toes.
Slowly return your arms and legs to the floor, then proceed with standing up into a standing position while performing bicep curls by alternating your arms.
Once you've lifted yourself out of the chair, continue to raise your arms straight up above head level so they are parallel to the ground.
Slowly lower these same arms back down so that they are back behind your head, then repeat this same motion several times.
Be sure to not lean forward or arch your back during any of these exercises; maintain correct posture at all times by keeping shoulders rolled back and abs engaged.
Complete the full set of 7 quick arm exercises to tighten and tone for females 3 times through (21 repetitions on each side/21 total repetitions per exercise).
The Bottom Line
Although it can be tempting to think that you can get rid of your arm fat with only a few simple exercises, the key is to not only focus on arm exercises but also incorporate cardio and strength-training exercises into your weekly workouts.
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet while engaging in cardiovascular activities like running, biking, or swimming for at least 30 minutes several times a week.
Strength training can be done with heavy weights, resistance bands, or even small hand-held weights; be sure not to overdo it with the weights, though -- doing too much may result in injury.
