Get Sculpted, Sexy Arms For Summer With These Beachbody-Trainer-Approved Moves

Updated on 6/24/2018 at 5:00 AM

POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

With so much skin showing during the Summer — tank tops, sleeveless dresses, and bikinis, to name a few — you may be looking to tone up your arms and show off your muscles. Luckily, we tapped Joel Freeman, Beachbody super trainer and creator of the new lifting program called LIIFT4, for some of his favorite moves to strengthen and tone your arms.

Some of these moves require dumbbells (Joel recommends five to 20 pounds for women), or you can use resistance bands; the LIIFT4 program, available on the fitness streaming platform Beachbody On Demand, shows variations for exercises with dumbbells and resistance bands. Other exercises just require your bodyweight.

Joel also recommends doing three sets of 10 reps for each exercise. "If you're doing three sets of 10, then usually by the eighth rep, you're starting to feel it," he told POPSUGAR. "You feel it's getting a little heavy. And then as you get into the third set, you're really starting to fatigue to the point where once you get to that 30th rep of all three sets, you're very happy it's over."

Take a look at some of Joel's favorite moves for sexy, sculpted arms. The best part? If you have resistance bands or a set of dumbbells at home, you can do these right in the comfort of your living room.

Triceps Push-Ups

This push-up variation targets the backs of the arms like no other.

Begin in plank position with the arms and body straight, shoulders over the wrists. Keep the core engaged.
Bend your elbows behind you and lower your chest to the floor. Keep your upper arms tight to your body so your elbows are against your ribs on both sides.
Straighten the arms, coming back to plank position.
This counts as one rep. Do as many reps as you can with correct form (shoot for 10).

Diamond Push-Ups

Although the diamond push-up is more common in military workouts, we civvies can still reap the benefits and target our triceps more with this variation. This narrow arm position also focuses the work more on your inner pecs.

Begin in plank position. 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.
After an inhale, exhale to bend your elbows, lowering your chest toward the floor.
Inhale to straighten the arms.
This counts as one rep.
If this is too difficult, try separating your hands a couple of inches or widening your feet slightly. Still too hard? Then lower the knees to the ground.

Bicep Curl

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

Triceps Kickback

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, hinge forward from your hips, bending the knees slightly. Bend your elbows behind you.
Straighten your arms behind you with your palms facing in. Your arms should be parallel to the floor. Squeeze your triceps and then return to the starting position.
This counts as one rep.

Triceps Dips

Grab a chair or bench to perform the classic triceps dip.

Position your hands shoulder width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
Move your bum in front of the bench with your legs bent and feet placed about hip width apart on the floor.
Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
Now slowly bend at your elbows and lower your upper body down toward the floor until your arms 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, slowly press off with your hands and push yourself back up to the starting position.
Do 10 reps for three sets.

Overhead Triceps Extensions

Here's a move you probably know and love that'll target the backs of the arms.

Stand with your feet hip distance apart.
Hold one dumbbell (go for your heavier weight) with both hands, bending the elbows behind your head.
Straighten your arms to lift the dumbbell into the air, then slowly bend the arms to lower.
This counts as one rep.

Lateral Arm Raise

Here's a basic yet effective move to target the shoulders.

Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand so your palms face in toward the sides of your body.
Start with the right side first. With control, keep your arm straight (but don't lock that elbow), and as you inhale, raise your right hand up toward the ceiling. You want your palm to be facing down and your arm to be parallel to the floor. Then, as you exhale, slowly lower your hand back to your body. You should be able to see your hand in your peripheral vision. Your arm won't be directly out to the side but slightly forward.
Do the same move with your left arm.
Then do both your right and left arms at the same time.
Continue these moves of right, left, together, right, left, together for a total of two to three sets of 10 reps.

Overhead Shoulder Press

Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above the shoulders, palms facing in.
Straighten the arms above you.
Bend the elbows, coming back to the starting position, to complete one rep.