15 Arm Workouts Without Weights To Lose Arm Fat Fast At Home
Reduce fat and tone your muscles to get those sculpted arms and chiseled look.
By , MSc (Biotechnology), ISSA Certified Fitness Nutritionist
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Arm exercises are good for shedding arm fat. They strengthen and tone the arms as well. Thankfully, you can do arm exercises without weights at home to get the same benefits of weighted arm exercises. Yes, you heard that right! You don’t need dumbbells or any other equipment – just your body weight. Do these 15 effective arm exercises without weights to lose arm fat fast. Let’s begin!
In This Article
15 Effective Exercises For Toned Arms Without Weights
1. Arm Circles (Warm-up)
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Steps To Do Arm Circles
- Stand straight with your arms by your sides.
- Lift your arms laterally to the shoulder level, with the palms facing away.
- Start circling your arms in the forward direction without bending or flexing your elbows.
- Complete 10 reps and then circle your arms in the opposite direction for 10 reps. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
2. Wall Push-ups
Wall push-ups are great arm toners. They work on the shoulders, lats, biceps, and triceps.
Steps To Do Wall Push-ups
- Stand in front of a wall, about 1-2 feet away.
- Raise your arms and place your palms on the wall, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your fingertips should point up.
- Keeping your legs stationary, bend your elbows, and bring your chest and chin close to the wall. This is your starting position.
- Take a deep breath, exhale, and push the wall until your elbows are slightly bent, and your chest and chin are away from the wall.
- Inhale and go back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
3. Push-ups
This exercise is slightly challenging because you will need to balance your body on your palms and toes. Your core strength is put to the test.
Steps To Do Push-ups
- Lie down on the mat, facing the floor.
- Place your palms flat on the floor, beside your chest, arms shoulder-width apart, elbows bent and pointed toward your feet, and fingertips pointing forward.
- Keep your feet together, flex your toes, keep your chin on the floor, and look ahead.
- Count 3, 2, 1, and raise yourself by straightening your elbows. Look down at the mat. Keep your core engaged and your head in a straight line with your heels. Basically, you will be on an arm plank.
- Exhale, flex your elbows, and lower your chest and chin back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
Variations
You can do knee push-ups, wide arm push-ups, or diamond push-ups to strengthen your arms, chest, and shoulders.
4. Tricep Dips
These target your triceps or the muscles present at the back of your upper arms. Toning these muscles will prevent flabby arms.
Steps To Do Tricep Dips
- Sit on a bench or sofa. Keep your knees flexed, legs close to each other, feet flat on the mat, arms behind you, elbows slightly flexed, and fingers pointing toward your body.
- Balancing your body on your arms, lift your hips off the bench or sofa, and take two steps forward.
- Slowly lower your hips.
- Right when your hips are about to touch the floor, lift them by extending your arms. This completes one repetition.
- Bend your elbows and lower your hips. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
5. Inchworm
This is a great exercise to do after doing a few arm exercises, especially floor dips. It will help stretch your entire body.
Steps To Do Inchworm
- Stand straight and keep your feet close together. Bend over and place your hands near your feet. Keep your legs straight.
- Start walking forward with your hands. Keep your legs straight.
- Stop when you are in an arm plank or push-up position.
- Start taking small steps forward with your legs. Stop when your feet are near your hands. Do 3 sets.
6. Floor Dips
These target your triceps or the muscles present at the back of your upper arms. Toning these muscles will prevent flabby arms.
Steps To Do Floor Dips
- Sit on the mat. Keep your knees flexed, legs close to each other, feet flat on the mat, arms behind you, elbows slightly flexed, and fingers pointing toward your body.
- Lift your body until your arms are fully extended.
- Hold this pose for a moment. Bend your elbows and bring your body back to the starting position. Do not allow your hips to touch the floor before completing one set. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
7. Plank Up-Downs
Planks help build your core strength. Plank up-downs help improve the shape and strength of your arms. They target the biceps, triceps, shoulders, and core.
Steps To Do Plank Up-Downs
- Assume the Dog Pose by placing your palms flat on the mat, knees flexed, spine straight, and neck in a neutral pose.
- Extend your legs behind, one at a time. Keep your arms extended and the head, spine, and hips in a straight line. This is your starting position.
- Supporting your upper body on your left palm, fist your right palm, flex your right elbow, and place your right forearm on the floor (like elbow plank). Bend your left elbow a little to support this move.
- Fist your left palm, flex the left elbow, and place the left forearm on the floor. You are in the elbow plank position now.
- Place your right palm flat on the floor, followed by the left palm. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
8. Plank Taps
These are excellent for building arm strength.
Steps To Do Plank Taps
- Assume an arm plank position.
- Keep your core engaged, neck in a neutral position, and look at the mat.
- Tap your left shoulder with your right palm and place it back on the mat.
- Tap your right shoulder with your left palm and place it back on the mat. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
9. Half-Cobra Push-up
This is an amazing exercise that will get rid of all that flab in no time. Avoid it if you have a lower back injury.
Steps To Do Half Cobra Push-up
- Lie down on your stomach with your elbows arched back and close to your body and hands on either side of your chest.
- Push yourself up (engaging your triceps muscles) into a half-cobra position by lifting your chest off the ground. Make sure your belly button is still touching the ground.
- When you push yourself up, use your arms and not the torso and hips.
- Hold the position for 2 seconds and then return to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 5 reps.
10. Lateral Plank Walks
Just like step climbers, lateral plank walks require you to be in a plank position and walk laterally.
Steps To Do Lateral Plank Walks
- Assume an arm plank position.
- Keep your core engaged and place your right palm and foot about 15-20 cm to your right.
- Bring your left foot and palm to the position where your right palm and foot were initially.
- Do the same on your left, i.e., move from your right to your left. Do 3 sets of 2 reps.
11. Plank Rotation
Planks are great for your core, shoulders, and arms. Plank rotation is an advanced plank pose, and you must start with slow plank rotations before proceeding to the fast version.
Steps To Do Plank Rotation
- Assume the plank position – body in a straight line, abs and arms tight, and elbows locked.
- Lift your body into a side plank – heel on heel, one arm reaching to the sky, and the other locked tight into position.
- Return to the plank and do it on the other side.
Plank rotation can be done in two ways – slow and fast.
- When you do it slowly, you get to hold the position for a minimum of 8 seconds and feel the stretch. Try reaching as far back as you can, expanding, opening up the chest, and squeezing those shoulder muscles. The slow version tones up the muscles and makes you stronger, burns the fat, and boosts your metabolism.
- While doing it fast, you are turning the rotations into a cardio move. End the reps in the fast version by holding the pose for 2 seconds on each side for one rep. Do3 sets of 12 reps.
12. Spiderman Push-Up
This move works on your biceps and triceps along with the glutes.
Steps To Do Spiderman Push-ups
- Start in the plank/push-up position. Keep your abs tight and involved.
- Extend one hand out to the side, reaching as far as you comfortably can, and lift your leg.
- Bending your elbows, go down in a push-up, bending the leg and touching the knee to the elbow at the same time.
- Beginners, or those who cannot balance while lifting their leg completely, should bend the knee and put the foot near the hand and do the push-up.
- Return to the original position and do it on the other side. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
13. Reverse Plank Leg Lift
This arm exercise without weights works on the arms, glutes, and abs.
Steps To Do Reverse Plank Leg Lift
- Get into the inverse plank position. Your body must be raised in a straight line, with only the palms and feet on the floor.
- Make sure your arms are locked into position. Balance your weight on your arms. Engage the abdominal muscles all the time.
- Lift one leg high in the air, depending on your flexibility, and then lower it. Do it with the other leg.
- Alternate the move on each side and repeat at least 10 times with each leg. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
14. Plank With Leg Lift
This exercise is the opposite of the reverse plank leg lift. It is a great core exercise and activates the biceps, triceps, and wrist extensors and flexors.
Steps To Do Plank With Leg Lift
- Get into a plank position, hold your core up, keep your elbows right below your shoulders. Keep breathing.
- Lift your left leg off the floor. Keep the leg extended, and hold it in this position for 3 seconds.
- Lower your left leg and raise your right leg off the floor. Hold it there for 3 seconds and lower it.
- Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
15. Single-leg Triceps Dips
Single-leg tricep dips are simple and effective, and one of the best things you can do for your arms.
Steps To Do Single-leg Triceps Dips
- Stand 2 feet away from a bench, sofa, or any sturdy object. Place your hands on it.
- Lift one leg off the floor and keep it extended.
- Flex your elbows and lower your hips.
- Get back up to the starting position.
- Do 10 reps and then lower the leg. Repeat with the other leg. Do sets of 10 reps.
These are 15 arm workouts without using weights you can do. Here’s what you should keep in mind when you do these exercises.
Points To Remember
- Breathe through every move. Inhale every time you start doing an exercise and keep alternating throughout.
- Warm-up and stretch. Make sure you start any routine with a nice warm-up. Do the following:
(a) Arm circles
(b) Shoulder rotation
(c) Forearm circles – Rotate the elbows clockwise and anticlockwise.
(d) Wrist rotation – Make mini golf-ball-sized circles in both directions.
(e) End with a nice stretch like Gomukhasana. - Spot reduction doesn’t happen. You have to work out your entire body to get the desired results. These bodyweight exercises are important because they help tone, sculpt, and strengthen your target spots. At the same time, they work on other minor muscles.
- Keep all the moves progressive. The exercises suggested above are beginners’ reps. You can increase the reps or time limit according to your level of fitness and stamina. The idea is to challenge your body constantly. It is okay if you cannot lift your leg straight. Do as much as you can, and push your limits slowly but steadily.
- In all the above arm exercises without weights, holding the position continuously is important. If you get tired while doing the spiderman push-ups, don’t just lie flat on the ground. Make plank your rest position, i.e., take a breath for a couple of minutes, holding the plank, and then start being the spiderman again.
While lifestyle and diet changes are vital to help prevent weight accumulation in your arms, exercises that target your bicep and tricep muscles can also help bring out visible changes. While you may be tempted to pick up a dumbbell or heavyweights for the same, many exercises and stretches don’t require any equipment and can thus be done from the comfort of your home. These not only help reduce the fat deposits, but also tone, stretch, and strengthen your arm muscles to make them look shapely and feel strong. Push-ups, tricep dips, arm circles, and inchworm are a few of the exercises mentioned above in detail that target your arm fats and muscles. Including any of these in your workout routine would help get your arms back in their best form and shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take to get toned arms?
It may take about a month to get toned arms. You need to follow a strict exercise routine that targets your upper arms and a healthy, balanced diet to observe visible results within 6 weeks.
How often should I work out my arms to tone them?
At least 3 times a week. Consult your trainer to plan an upper body workout catered specifically for your body.
Does walking tone your arms?
Yes, but only if you incorporate a certain range of motions. Walking generally tones your leg muscles. However, you could wear wrist weights and work on your arms as well.
Will skipping reduce arm fat?
Yes. While you skip, you use your arms to carry your weight and move them in circular motions, thus toning them.
Key Takeaways
- Doing arm exercises without weights helps strengthen and tone the arms.
- Push-ups, tricep dips, and plank taps are some exercises you can do to lose arm fat.
- Make sure you warm up before doing these exercises and gradually increase the number of reps according to your fitness level and stamina.
