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Boost Your Confidence with This Amazing Arm Workout

Summer is here, which means it’s tank top season. The truth is that many of us don’t have the confidence to pull out the tank top and show off our guns, but don’t worry – I’ve got a plan for that! This amazing arm workout will help tone and strengthen your arms, AND build the confidence needed to rock the summer outfit!

Of course, it goes without saying that any fitness plan should be accompanied by a well-balanced diet, and these exercises will help tone up the areas that you see in a tank top – arms, shoulders, chest and back. You don’t need to have a gym membership either. Just grab some light dumbbells or weight plates for added resistance.

Tank Top Workout

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Mountain climbers	4	30 seconds	45 seconds
E-Z curl bar bicep curls	4	12	45 seconds
Arnold press	3	15	45 seconds
Lateral raise with dumbbells	3	8-10	45 seconds
Front raise with dumbbells	3	8-10	45 seconds

Mountain climbers

Start in a pushup position, but bend at your elbows and rest on your forearms instead of your hands. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. (Don’t lift your butt up higher!) Suck in your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
Lift your right foot off the floor and raise your knee as close to your chest as you can.
Touch the floor with your right foot.
Return to the start position.
Alternate with the left foot, like you are running in place.

E-Z curl bar bicep curls (just the bar if you are a beginner)

Lisa Traugott performing an e-z curl bar biceps curl

Grab an E-Z barbell with a shoulder-width underhand grip and hold it at arm’s length.
Bend your elbows and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders.
Pause at the top, then slowly bring your arms back down to the start position.
Tip – If you are swinging then you are not getting the full benefit because you are using momentum to help you lift. To stop this, stand against a wall with your feet slightly in front of you and your head and shoulders against the wall.

Arnold press with dumbbells (8-10 lb.)

Lisa Traugott performing an arnold press

This move, created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, gives a new twist to the standard shoulder press.
Sit on a bench. Grab a pair of dumbbells and raise them straight above your head, with palms facing forward.
Bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells down towards your shoulders, until the dumbbells are level with your ears. Your elbows should be out to the sides (not down towards your ribs).
Bring your elbows in front of your face until they almost touch each other.
Return the dumbbells to the sides of your ears.
Pause at the bottom, then slowly bring your arms straight up to the start position. That’s one rep.

Lateral raise with light dumbbells (3-5 lbs.)

Lisa Traugott performing a lateral raise

Grab a pair of dumbbells and bend forward slightly.
Let the dumbbells hang straight down with your palms facing each other.
Keeping your torso in place, raise your arms out straight by your sides.
Pause, then slowly return to the start.

Front raise with plate (5-10 lbs.)

Grab the sides of a weight plate with both hands.
Raise the weight to shoulder height until your arms are parallel to the floor.
Pause, then slowly lower to start position.

If you want to challenge yourself – add more resistance with heavier weight or more reps. If you find these exercises too tough at first, lower the weight or decrease the reps. Do this work out consistently three times per week (with a rest day on those muscle groups in between) and you will see results in no time.

Stay healthy!

Photo Credit: Taylor Prinsen Photography