15 Ways to Tone Your Arms Without Leaving Your Home

Updated on Feb 8, 2018 at 6:30 PM

POPSUGAR Photography | Kathryna Hancock

No gym? No problem! Sculpt tank-top-ready arms even when you feel like taking a break from your overly crowded gym. All you need is your favorite mat, a few home gym accessories, and room for you to get your muscle building on. Whether you're looking to save some money by opting out of your gym membership this month or want to start sneaking in some quick workouts before or after work, at-home arm workouts are convenient, fun, and challenging.

Ahead, you'll find 15 arm workouts you can do to sculpt lean muscles without leaving the comfort of your own home.

Push-Up Rotation

This easy workout move will have you feeling like you spent hours at the gym. Challenge yourself with a fun twist on the basic push-up.

Start in a plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists and legs out behind you with your feet hip-distance apart. Pull your navel in and keep your back straight.
As you lower and exhale, bend your elbows outward to the sides. Hold at the bottom for one breath.
Raise back up to top push-up position. As you reach the top, keep moving in a fluid motion to side plank position: release your right arm and raise it to the ceiling, keeping your body in a long diagonal line. Hold for one breath, then move back into plank position.
Repeat the push-up, twisting the opposite direction, bringing your left arm toward the ceiling. Return to plank position to complete one rep.
Perform 15 reps.

Plyo Push-Up Prep

Not feeling that evening commute to the gym? Roll out your mat and try out this strengthening move. You'll be working out your chest, arms, and core.

Start in a plank on your knees. Move your left hand out to the side, then bend both elbows, lowering your torso toward the mat. Straighten your arms to return to plank. This completes one rep.

Switch your hands, bringing in the left hand while stepping the right hand wide — this is where you should try to jump off your hands. Perform a push-up. This completes one rep.
Perform 15 reps.

Lying Chest Fly

You don't need a fancy bench to do this move. If you have a pair of weights at home, you can do this exercise to work out your pecs and arms.

Lie on your back with your hips and knees both at 90-degree angles. Using your lower abs, press your lower back into the mat. Raise your arms toward the ceiling, palms facing each other, keeping the elbow joint slightly bent.
Keeping your torso stable, open your arms out to the side until your elbows are about two inches from the floor.
Raise your arms back to the ceiling, bringing the weights together over your chest. This completes one rep.
Do 10 reps to complete a set.

Reverse Fly

Put on those old leggings and grab a pair of five-pound weights — sneaking an arm workout into your day just got easier.

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with knees slightly bent. Keeping your back flat, bend forward at the hip joint.
Exhale and lift both arms to the side, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Then, with control, lower the dumbbells back toward the ground. This completes one rep.
Do 10 reps to complete a set.

Side Elbow Plank With Pulse

Take a break from your Netflix marathon to improve your arm strength.

Start in a side elbow plank on your right side.
Lower your hips slightly and then lift your pelvis up, feeling the right side of your body engage, especially your abs. This completes one rep.
Lower your hips, and raise your pelvis and keep pulsing for 20 reps, then switch sides.

Up-Down Plank

Start off your day right by doing this easy arm workout before heading to work. No early gym sessions required.

Begin in a full plank. Lower your right elbow to the mat and then your left, coming into an elbow plank.
Put your right hand on the mat and straighten your right elbow. This completes one rep. Do four more starting with your right elbow, then switch sides, lowering your left arm for five more reps.

Upright Row

This workout is super easy to sneak in during a long commercial break. You'll be breaking a sweat in no time.

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and place a dumbbell in each hand. Your closed palms should be facing your body. The shoulders should be over your pelvis, with knees slightly bent.
Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, raise them to your shoulders, bending your elbows out to the sides.
Slowly lower them to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
Complete two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Elbow Plank

Spending a relaxing night at home? That doesn't mean you can't break out the mat and work on improving your planks.

Start on the floor, resting on your forearms and knees.
Step your feet out one at a time, coming into a plank position.
Contract your abs to prevent your booty from sticking up or sinking. Your spine should be parallel to the floor, with your abs pulling toward the ceiling.
Hold for as long as you can. Aim for 20 to 30 seconds in the beginning and work your way up to one minute as you get stronger.
Repeat three times.

Side Walking Plank

Move that coffee table aside and get sweating with this fun move.

Begin in plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders, body in one straight line.
Simultaneously cross your right hand over your left as you step your left foot to the left. Then simultaneously step your left hand and right foot to the left, so you're back in plank position. Your hands move together as your feet step apart.
Repeat this for three steps to the left and three steps to the right. Be sure to keep the hips low as you move, drawing the navel toward the spine.
Repeat 10 times, alternating sides

Triceps Dips

You can do this workout on the side of your bed, with a bench, or by grabbing on to a sturdy ledge.

Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
Slide your butt off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you.
Straighten your arms, keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. This completes one rep.
Keep your shoulders down as you lower and raise your body. You can bend your legs to modify this exercise.
Repeat 20 times.

Side Elbow Plank

Tighten up your belly and improve your balance with the side elbow plank.

Begin by lying on your side and bringing your right elbow to directly under your right shoulder. Stagger your feet so your left foot is just in front your right one. Engage your core, press your right elbow in into mat, and rise into side plank.
Reach your left arm up toward the ceiling, which will help you lift your waist.
Hold for 30 seconds and work up to holding the position for one minute. Repeat on the other side to complete a set.
Perform 10 sets.

Biceps Curl

Give your biceps a little love with this classic workout move. Stand in front of your television and make that movie marathon even more fun.

Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand at the sides of the body.
Keeping your elbows close to your sides, slowly raise the dumbbells to the chest.
Moving with control, lower back to the starting position.
This counts as one rep.
Repeat 20 times.

Frogger

Start your morning off with a bang by sweating it out with this move before heading out to work.

Begin in plank position with straight arms and legs.
Gently hop the feet forward behind the hands. Then hop the feet back to plank position. This counts as one rep.
Complete as many reps as you can for 30 seconds.

Superwoman Plank

Another move you can do on your mat.

Come into plank position.
Bend the elbows and lower the belly to the floor. Take a lift by actively bending the elbows behind you, squeezing the shoulder blades together and raising the legs as high as you can.
Plant the palms on the floor underneath the shoulders and press back up to plank. This counts as one rep.
Repeat for 30 seconds.

Diamond Push-Ups

Work out your triceps and increase your strength with the diamond push-up.

Start in the plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in one straight line; separate your feet so they're about shoulder-width apart to help you stay balanced throughout the exercise. If you can't do a push-up this way, then just lower your knees to the floor.
Place your hands together directly under your sternum, with the tips of your index fingers and thumbs touching. Your fingers and thumbs should form a diamond or triangle shape.
As you inhale, bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your chest toward the floor. Then exhale to straighten your arms. This counts as one push-up.
Complete as many push-ups as you can in one minute. To modify this move, do the push-ups on your knees and focus on form over reps.