Best arm exercises to do at home
No matter what your goals are, toned arms are a priority for everyone. We’re going through some of the best arm exercises to do from home, using just household equipment. Perfect for keeping your arms looking great.
In the videos below, SnowDome Fitness' own Abi takes you through the correct technique for these exercises.
We’re starting off with the back of the arms. The triceps make up 2/3s of the upper arm, so it’s important to spend time on them.
- Tricep dips
When it comes to triceps exercises, dips are one of the best. Dips are second only to triangle push-ups and just about tie with kickbacks in terms of triceps activation.
Here’s the method… sit on the edge of a chair/flat surface and grip the edge with your hands. Slide forward just far enough so that your behind clears the edge of the chair, then lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees.
- Overhead extensions
Tricep extensions are an excellent exercise to build and shape the upper posterior arm muscles.
To do this, grab a carton of milk or tins from the cupboard. Lift the weight until your arms are fully extended with palms facing the sky and elbows pointing forward. This is the start position. Then, bend at the elbows and squeezing your triceps, slowly lowering the weight behind your head.
- French press
The French press is a brilliant tricep exercise. It creates tension on the long head of the triceps without shifting stress to the shoulder and elbow joints.
For this, again grab some household items… if you’ve got a couple of encyclopaedias on the shelf, it’s time to blow the dust off them! Lie down on the floor or a bench. With your palms facing each other, bend your elbows, and slowly lower the dumbbells toward your shoulders until your lower arm is at a 45-degree angle to your upper arm.
Now we’re going to looking at some of the best bang for your buck bicep exercises. These bicep exercises can be done at home with everyday household items.
- Hammer curls
Hammer curls help build the brachialis and brachioradialis in a way other curl variations simply do not, allowing you to develop additional strength and size.
Hold a weight in each hand with arms at your sides, palms facing each other. Then bend at the elbows, while keeping your palms facing each other. Keep your shoulder blades retracted throughout the exercise.
- Bicep curls
If you’ve got a bar at home, great. If not, grab those tins out of the cupboard. The staple bicep curl engages both the short and long heads of the biceps muscle.
Hold the weights with your hands just outside of your hips, using an underhand grip. Keep your chest up and your elbows tight to your sides. Curl the bar up to shoulder height, keeping your core braced throughout.
