12 Best Equipment-Free Arm Exercises That Are 100 Percent Effective

Who doesn’t want toned arms? The arms are one of the most common problem spots as a combination of genetics and an unhealthy lifestyle can cause arm fat to droop.

However, sometimes there’s just no time to go to the gym due to work, commitments or other reasons. To help you achieve toned arms at home, we’ve compiled a list of the best equipment-free, weight-free arm exercises that have been proven to be very effective.

Plank Tap

To do a plank tap, simply follow these steps:

• Start in a high plank with palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked just about your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged
• Tap your left hand to your right shoulder while engaging your glutes and core. Try to keep your hips as still as possible
• Continue doing so, alternating sides

This exercise targets your deltoid, triceps, glutes and latissimus dorsi and is a great way to tone your butt, stomach and arms at the same time.

Side Plank

• Lie on your left side with your left hand outstretched directly under your left shoulder
• Extend your legs and stack your right foot on top of your left foot
• Then squeeze your core and gluts to lift your hips off the floor
• Extend your right hand straight up towards the ceiling
• Hold for a set amount of time

This exercise targets your core, obliques, deltoids, and latissimus dorsi. It’s a great way to cinch your waist and simultaneously tone your stomach and arms.

Plank

• Place palms flat on the floor
• Hands should be shoulder-width apart with your shoulders stacked directly above your wrists
• Extend legs behind you. Feet should be hip-width apart
• Engage your core, quads, and gluts
• Hold for set amount of time

This exercise targets your glutes, core, latissimus forsi and deltoids and is a great way to tone your stomach, butt, and arms at the same time.

Plank Up-Down

• Start in a high plank with palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked just about your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged
• Lower you right arm so that your forearm is on the floor. Then, do the same thing with your right to get into the forearm plank position
• Reverse your actions to return to a high plank position
• As you move, remember to keep your hips as still as possible

This exercise targets your deltoids, triceps, glutes, core, and latissimus dorsi, and is perfect for giving your butt, stomach and arms the toning they need.

Push-Up

• Start in a high plank with palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked just about your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged
• Then, bend your elbows and lower your chest down to the floor, stopping just before you touch it
• Push using your arms and palms of your hands to straighten your arms
• Repeat

This exercise targets the pectorals, deltoids, triceps, and core.

Lateral Plank Walk

• Start in a high plank with palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked just about your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged
• Step left, leading with your left hands and left foot
• Maintain your plank as you move
• Do reps in one direction, then repeat in the opposite direction.

Bodyweight Triceps Dip

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent and with your feet in front of you, resting on your heels
• Place palms on the floor behind you, directly under your shoulders with your fingers facing towards your body
• Straighten your arms in order to lift your butt
• Bend your elbows in order to lower yourself
• Make sure to stop before you sit down completely
• Keep your heels on the floor, with your elbows pointing directly behind you and not flared out to the side

This exercise targets the triceps and pecs and is an effective way to tone your arms.

Inchworm

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and arms at your sides
• Bend your waist forward and place your hands on the floor
• Walk forward using your hands until you come to a high plank position
• Hold for 1 second
• Walk back, still using your hands, until you go back to your starting position. Repeat

This exercise targets the glutes, core, deltoids and latissimus dorsi.

Diamond Push-Up

• Start in a high plank with palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked just about your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged
• Bring your hands together so that your forefingers and thumbs form a triangle
• Bend your elbows and lower your chest onto the floor
• Straighten your arms to push your body back up

This exercise targets the triceps, pecs, and deltoids. It’s a modified version of the push-up that really focuses on toning your arms.

Triceps Push-Up

• Get into a push-up position
• Bring your hands together until they are under your chest. Your hands should be closer together than in a regular push-up
• Engage your core, then bend your arms bringing your chest towards the floor
• Push off from the floor. Repeat

This exercise is another modified version of the push up that targets your triceps.

Plank With Spinal Rotation

• Start in a high plank with palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked just about your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged
• Rotate your entire body to the left into a side plank
• Do so in such a way that your left shoulder is stacked above your left wrist, and your right hand is extended towards the ceiling
• Pause, then return to start. Repeat

This exercise targets the core, deltoids, glutes, and latissimus dorsi.

Plank Jack

• Start in a high plank with palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked just about your wrists, legs extended behind you, and core and glutes engaged
• Jump your feet much like you would when doing jumping jacks. Try not to let your hips and butt bounce as you jump
• Continue for a period of time

This exercise targets your deltoids, triceps, glutes, core, inner thigh muscles, and latissimus dorsi.