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10 Arm Toning Exercises for Women

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | July 1, 2025

Build strong, defined arms at home with these arm-toning exercises. These confidence-boosting exercises target every muscle in the upper body, including the biceps, triceps, back, chest and shoulders.

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As someone who naturally carries more strength in my lower body, I’ve had to be especially intentional about building upper body definition. After years of trial and error, I’ve found these 10 exercises to be the most effective for strengthening and toning the arms, shoulders, and upper back.

This workout includes a mix of dumbbell isolation (single-muscle) and compound (multi-muscle) movements to target all of the major muscle groups in the upper body. This makes it a great fit for beginners, experienced lifters or anyone looking for an efficient, at-home workout.

While requests for toned, defined arms are among the most common questions I get from women, as a certified personal trainer, I believe upper body strength is about more than aesthetics.

A strong upper body makes everyday tasks – like pushing a stroller, unloading groceries or lifting a suitcase – easier. It also supports better posture, improves core control, enhances lower-body movement and contributes to overall functional strength.

women performing an overhead tricep extension as example of how to tone arms

It’s important to clear up a common misconception: lifting heavy weights won’t make you bulky. In fact, the key to “toned” arms comes down to 2 things:

Building Muscle Mass. Strength training creates the shape and structure of your arms.
Lowering Body Fat. Fat loss through consistent training, cardio and nutrition helps reveal the muscle definition underneath.

In other words, visible tone is the result of a low enough fat-to-muscle ratio for muscle definition to show. If toning your arms is the goal, picking up heavy weights and lifting within 2-3 reps of failure is one of the best things you can do.

Ultimately, the most effective approach is a combination of targeted strength exercises and progressive overload (gradually increasing weight or intensity over time). Let’s dive into the 10 exercises that can help you get there.

Note, this is a list of my favorite upper-body exercises. If you prefer a full guided workout video (complete with a warm-up and cool-down), try this toned arms workout!

1. Bicep Curls

Targets: Biceps (the front of the arm), specifically the biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis.

two women performing standing bicep curls with dumbbells as example of exercise to build mass in arms

How To Do a Bicep Curl

Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart and core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing outward (underhand grip or supinated grip).
Exhale, squeezing the biceps muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder height. Think about keeping elbows tucked into your sides and shoulder blades pulled down.
With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your sides. Return to the starting position and repeat.

2. Tricep Dips

Targets: The triceps (back of the arm), specifically the lateral and medial heads of the triceps.

two women performing tricep dips as part of the best tricep exercises for women

How To Do A Tricep Dip

Grip the edge of a chair or bench, fingertips pointed toward your butt or toes, elbows bent. Note, you can also perform tricep dips sitting on the ground with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your hands behind you (fingertips facing your butt).
Keeping your back close to the chair, lower yourself, bending at the elbows until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle.
Press through your palms, using your triceps to push you back up to starting position.

3. Hammer Curls

Targets: The long head of the bicep as well as the brachialis (another muscle in the upper arm located at the elbow joint) and the brachioradialis (a forearm muscles).

two women performing hammer curls as example of bicep exercise

How To Do A Hammer Curl

Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in towards each other (hammer curl grip, or neutral grip).
Squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weight in your right hand up to your right shoulder, before lowering it with control, performing a single-arm hammer curl. Keep the upper arms stationary as you curl.
Then repeat on the left side, curling the dumbbell in your left hand up to your left shoulder before lowering with control and returning to starting position.

4. Tricep Kickbacks

Targets: All three heads of the tricep muscle (lateral head, medial head, and long head). The tricep kickback is one of best isolation exercises for targeting the triceps brachii muscle.

two women performing single arm tricep kickbacks in a tricep workout at home

How To Do A Tricep Kickback

Start with feet hip-distance apart, slight bend in the knees and hinge forward. Option to stagger the feet to support the lower back.
Hold one dumbbell in your left hand at your side (palm facing your body) with your left arm bent at a 90-degree angle. Think shoulders down and back away from your ears.
‘Kickback,’ extending the left elbow so your left arm forms a straight line as you push the dumbbell back past your hips. At the top of the movement, the elbow is fully extended.
With control, slowly return the dumbbell to the starting position.

5. Shoulder Presses/Overhead Presses

Targets: Shoulders, triceps, rear delts and upper back muscles.

two women performing narrow dumbbell shoulder presses as example of best shoulder exercises for women

How To Do A Shoulder Press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing in towards each other (neutral grip). Your shoulder blades are pulled back and down.
Engage your core, slightly tucking your pelvis to protect your lower back. Push the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
Lower the dumbbells down to shoulder height, returning to the starting position.

6. Lateral Raises

Targets: The lateral deltoid (also engages the anterior deltoid and posterior deltoid).

two women performing lateral raises as example of best shoulder exercises for women

How To Do A Lateral Raise

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with a slight bend in your knees. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at hip level, palms facing in towards each other.
Engage your core as you lift the dumbbell in your right hand out towards your right side, keeping a slight bend in the elbow. Lift the dumbbell just to shoulder height.
Slowly lower the dumbbell to the starting position.
Repeat, this time performing a lateral raise with the dumbbell in your left hand.

7. Push-Ups

Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and core muscles.

two women performing a classic push up, using proper push up form in a push up workout at home

How To Do A Push-Up

Start in a standard high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers. Pull your kneecaps up towards your belly, feet hip-width apart. Option to place your hands on weights if you have wrist pain.
Hold this plank position, maintaining a straight line with your body, and gaze slightly in front of you.
Slowly lower your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips (not out to the sides, keep elbows tight to the body).
Once at the bottom of your push up, exhale as you push back up into a high plank position (top of your push up position).

Modification: If you can’t do a full push-up on your toes, you can substitute one of these push-up modifications. I also highly recommend working through my free 12-week push-up progression program. If push-ups hurt your wrist, substitute one of these exercises for wrist pain.

8. Tricep Extensions

Targets: The triceps (back of the arm). This move also engages all the stabilizing muscles in the shoulders, core, glutes and lower back muscles.

two women performing overhead tricep extensions as part Arm Toning Workout

How To Do A Tricep Extension

Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, back straight, core engaged and knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell vertically between your palms overhead.
Slowly bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle, bringing the dumbbell behind your head. Think ‘hide the dumbbell, show the dumbbell, if you were watching yourself in a mirror. Keep your elbows close to your ears throughout the entire movement (don’t let your elbows flare out as you fatigue).
Squeeze through the back of your arm as you exhale, pressing the dumbbell overhead, arms fully extended.

9. Pull-Ups

Targets: Upper and lower back – latissimus dorsi (lats), erector spinae, trapezius (traps), biceps, pectoralis major and minor (chest) and core.

woman performing pull ups and woman modifying to perform a dumbbell back row in a full body workout

How To Do A Pull-Up

Start standing underneath your pull-up bar, feet hip-width apart, neck and shoulders relaxed.
Reach up and grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing away from your body (overhand grip), hands slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart.
Allow your body to hang freely with your arms fully extended.
Initiate the pull-up by squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling your chest towards the bar. Keep your elbows pointed downward throughout the movement.
Continue to pull your body, pulling your chest up until your chin is above the bar, or as high as you can comfortably go. Keep your core engaged and your body straight throughout the movement.
Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position, extending your arms fully.

Modification: Pull-ups are a notoriously difficult exercise, which is why I’ve created a free 12-week pull-up progression program to help you get your first pull-up. You can substitute assisted pull-ups if you are unable to perform a full pull-up.

10. Bench Presses (Chest Presses)

Targets: Chest (pecs), shoulders (deltoids) and triceps.

one women performing a chest press on the ground and another performing chest press on a bench as part of a push day chest shoulders triceps workout

How To Do A Bench Press

Lay flat on your back (on the ground, on a bench, incline bench, or on a stability ball) with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell in each hand (palms facing knees), elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
Exhale as you push both dumbbells overhead at the same time; dumbbells stacked over shoulders at the top of the press. Make sure your wrists are strong and in line with your shoulders.
Lower the dumbbells back towards your chest with control.

FAQs

How long does it take to tone arms?

Although some viral “instant toned arms workout” may promise results in 2 weeks, it generally takes 4-6 weeks to see initial results from resistance training/weightlifting, including improved endurance and muscle tone. It will likely take at least 12 weeks to see significant changes in body composition, like decreased body fat and muscle growth. Overall, this timeframe will vary based on individual factors and consistency.

How do I tone my arms after weight loss?

To build lean muscle after weight loss, I recommend focusing on progressive overload (increasing intensity over time) as part of a well-rounded fitness plan. Because spot-toning (burning fat from one area of the body) arm fat doesn’t work, it’s important to build overall lean muscle by training both the upper body and lower body.

How do I tone my arms without weights?

While lifting weights is the most effective way to build muscle, bodyweight and no-equipment arm exercises like planks and push-ups can be effective, too. Resistance band arm workouts are another way you can tone your arms without weights. A well-rounded workout routine will challenge you in a variety of ways, including cardio, abs workouts, lower body workouts and upper-body workouts.

Let’s Get Stronger, Together

Toned, strong arms are the result of intentional training, consistency and a balanced approach to both muscle development and body composition. The best arm exercises outlined above are designed not only to build upper body strength, but also to enhance muscle definition, helping you feel both capable and confident in your body.

With each repetition, you’re not only shaping your arm muscles and working towards your fitness goals – you’re also building resilience, strength, and self-confidence that extends far beyond the gym.