At-Home Arm Workouts to Keep Fit Under Quarantine

With the coronavirus pandemic, staying at home and social distancing has become the norm. While no one will be heading to the gym anytime soon, it doesn’t mean that you get to skip workouts. Although you may have your go-to machine for arm day at the gym, it’s possible to pack on muscle on your forearms, triceps, and biceps without picking up any weights. So you don’t emerge from quarantine with spaghetti-string arms, let’s talk about killer at-home arm workouts you can do from the comfort of your living room.

You already know that pumping iron builds muscle. But strength training benefits so much more. It can help fend off depression, boost your mood, benefit your heart, and even lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. Whether you have your own set of weights or just your bodyweight to work with, you can effectively work out your arms from home. If you have equipment already, that’s great. But you can build muscle and tone up your arms without any equipment.

At-Home Arm Workouts: Bodyweight Exercises

Bodyweight exercises use your body as resistance instead of machines or weights. These types of exercises don’t need any equipment and are very effective. Bodyweight training is ideal for getting stronger, developing better balance, increasing flexibility, and staying lean. Bodyweight exercises can provide a full-body workout to train all of the muscles in the body. Try these bodyweight exercises that target the arms.

Dips

A woman doing a dip exercise at home for her arm workout.
Dip Exercise Uses Your Body As Resistance Instead Of Machines Or Weights (Image Source: Shutterstock)
  1. Start by standing facing away from either your bed or a chair. 
  2. With your hands shoulder-width apart, grab the edge of your bed or chair. Your fingers should be facing towards your body. 
  3. Extend your legs out in front of you and straighten your arms. 
  4. Slowly lower your body without sitting completely. Bend your elbows; your forearm should create a ninety-degree angle. 
  5. Keep your heels on the floor and repeat the exercise.

Plank to Push-Up

A woman doing plank to push-up exercise.
Plank To Push-Up (Image Source: Shutterstock)
  1. Place your elbows underneath your shoulders with your legs straight behind you. Keep your feet together and curl your toes under. 
  2. Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line from your head to your toes. 
  3. Push up onto your hands, one at a time, until you’re in a push-up position.
  4. Lower back down to your elbows, one at a time, to return to the start position.

Push-Up

The Perfect Push Up / Do It Right! – Calisthenicmovement
  1. Start this at-home arm workout in a high plank with your palms flat on the ground shoulder-width apart. Stack your wrists below your shoulders. Extend your legs out behind you and engage your core and glutes. 
  2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest down to the floor. You can drop your knees to the floor if needed. 
  3. Drive back up, pushing through your palms, and straighten your arms.

Handstand Wall Walk

A woman doing a handstand wall walk.
Handstand Wall Walk (Image Source: Shutterstock)
  1. Start in a push-up position with your feet against the bottom of the wall. 
  2. Start walking your feet up the wall. At the same time, walk your hands closer to the wall. 
  3. Walk until you’re in a complete handstand position against the wall as flat as you can get.
  4. Keep your core engaged and straight. 
  5. To come out of the position, walk your hands away from the wall. At the same time, move your feet down the wall until you’re back in a push-up position.

At-Home Dumbbell Workouts For Arms

Dumbbell workouts are versatile and easy-to-use weights that can help to improve cardiovascular health, burn calories, build muscle, and boost muscular endurance. You can tone and bodybuild with dumbbells. If you currently can’t get your hands on dumbbells, you can use items around the house like canned goods, paint cans, packets of rice, filled water bottles, or a large bottle of laundry detergent. Here are a few dumbbell arm workouts to try at home.

Bicep Curls

Man doing a bicep curls.
Bicep Curls (Image Source: Shutterstock)
  1. Start by standing with a dumbbell in each hand. Your elbows should fall to your side. Extend your forearms out in front of you. 
  2. Bend the elbow and bring the dumbbell up to your shoulder and squeeze for a second. 
  3. Reverse the bicep curl slowly, returning to the starting position.

Lateral Raise

Man doing lateral arm raise with a dumbbell.
Lateral Raise (Image Source: Shutterstock)
  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hang your arms by your side with a dumbbell in each hand. 
  2. Engage your core and lift your arms sideways. Your palms should be facing the floor. 
  3. Once your arms are at shoulder height, pause for a moment. 
  4. Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.

Bent-Over Row

How To Perfect Your Dumbbell Row – Men’s Health
  1. With a dumbbell in each hand, start by standing feet hip-width apart.
  2. Bend the knees slightly, then move the hips until your torso is parallel with the floor. Your arms should hang to the floor.  
  3. While holding your torso in place, lift your weights by driving your elbows behind you. 
  4. Engage your back muscles and squeeze your shoulders together, holding the movement for a moment. 
  5. Slowly return the weights to the floor to start again.

At-Home Kettlebell Workouts For Arms

Kettlebell workouts combine strength and cardio and improve functional strength. These exercises target multiple muscle groups that help with everyday tasks and increase strength and flexibility. Strength training benefits from variation, so mix up your routine with these kettlebell exercises that hit your arms.

Kettlebell Lunge and Press

A woman doing a lunge and press with a kettlebell.
Kettlebell Lunge And Press (Image Source: Shutterstock)
  1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the kettlebell in front of your chest with your left hand. 
  2. Lunge with your right leg. 
  3. Extend your left arm up overhead. 
  4. Return to standing. At the same time, bring your kettlebell back to your chest. 
  5. Repeat with the opposite hand and leg.

Kettlebell Renegade Row

Renegade Rows With Kettlebells For Stronger Wrist And Arms – Criticalbench
  1. Start in a standard push-up position. Place two kettlebells in front of you where your hands should be. 
  2. Position your legs slightly wider than in a standard push-up. 
  3. Push one kettlebell into the floor while lifting the other toward your chest. 
  4. Return the kettlebell on your chest to the floor. 
  5. Repeat with the opposite kettlebell.

Kettlebell Sit and Press

Kettlebell Sit And Press / Great For Core And Shoulders – Greg Brookes
  1. Start by lying flat on your back. 
  2. Hold the kettlebell close to your chest. 
  3. Sit up while pressing the kettlebell up and overhead. 
  4. Keep your abs engaged. 
  5. Lower the kettlebell back to your chest and slowly lower back to the floor.

Stay Fit and Healthy with Arm Workouts at Home

There’s a ton of options when it comes to at-home arm workouts. Whether you have a home gym already set up or no equipment whatsoever, you can still get work your arms. Simply bring your own bodyweight and feel the burn. Always listen to your body. If you need to work up to bigger weights or a harder progression, that’s all good. Everyone is on their own journey.

The Perfect Home Arm Workout – ATHLEAN-X™

Staying at home for prolonged periods of time can pose a significant challenge to staying physically active. Low levels of activity and sedentary behavior can have seriously negative effects on your health. It’s essential to keep fit and healthy under quarantine. Just because you’re on lockdown doesn’t mean you should skimp on your workouts. It’s more important than ever to stay active, eat well, and get plenty of sleep so that you can look and feel your best.

Download a free at-home workout plan from 1AND1 Life!