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25-Minute Toned Arms Workout for Women

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | May 27, 2025

Build strong, sculpted arms with this 25-Minute Arm Workout for Women. This efficient workout targets all the major muscle groups in the upper body, including the back, chest, biceps, triceps and shoulders. There are no push-ups in today’s workout, making it great for beginners or anyone dealing with wrist or shoulder pain, as well.  

Jump To Workout

Biceps, triceps, back, chest and shoulders – build total upper-body strength at home with this toned arms workout.

These are the best dumbbell arm exercises for women to build strength, muscle and definition in the upper body. If you want to tone your arms quickly, the best advice I can give you is to start focusing on lifting heavier weights. 

One of my biggest gripes with the fitness industry is the myth that lifting heavy weights will make you bulky, while lifting light weights will make you look “toned.” Here’s the hard truth: “looking toned” is simply having a low enough ratio of fat to muscle so that the muscle definition shows through. To “look toned,” you have to build muscle!

While the best bicep workouts, shoulder workouts and other isolation workouts are great, this efficient dumbbell arm workout targets every upper-body muscle group. It’s my go-to arm workout when I’m short on time, but still want to crush my fitness goals.

Besides aesthetics, a strong upper body is incredibly functional. Strong arms and back muscles help you lift groceries, carry babies, and push open doors. Unilateral arm exercises (like a plank and row) also build core strength and stability, which translates to better balance and control.

two women performing a quarter get up as part of toned arms workout for women

Workout Details

This arm workout for women is designed to build muscle definition and strength in the upper body, without a barbell or fancy gym equipment. Modifications are offered throughout, making this suitable for any fitness level.

I recommend incorporating 1-2 arm workouts into your weekly workout plan, spaced out with rest days and other split training workouts.

Workout Equipment

Medium to Heavy Set of Dumbbells. I recommend between 5-25 lbs, depending on your fitness level. I’m using 15-20 lb dumbbells in today’s workout.

When training arms, I like to choose a weight I can perform 10-15 reps per exercise x3 sets. This allows you to fatigue the muscle without increasing risk of injury from lifting weights that are too heavy.

Workout Instructions

Follow along with the guided Upper-Body Workout with Dumbbells, led by me — your certified personal trainer, Lindsey Bomgren.

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • Guided Warm-Up and Cool-Down
  • 3 Circuits (2 arm toning exercises per circuit)
  • Timed Intervals (30 seconds of work per exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Perform as many repetitions as you can in the timed interval.)
  • Repeat Each Circuit x3 Sets

Note: I re-filmed this toned arms workout to improve video and sound quality (and changed up some of the moves). You can find the original workout video here.

Workout Outline

CIRCUIT ONE: BICEPS AND TRICEPS

  1. Half Bicep Curls
  2. Overhead Tricep Extensions

CIRCUIT TWO: CHEST AND BACK

  1. Dumbbell Chest Press
  2. Single Arm Plank Rows and Plank Walk

CIRCUIT THREE: SHOULDERS, TRICEPS AND CORE

  1. V-Sit Hold and Shoulder Press
  2. Dumbbell Pullover

1. Half Bicep Curls

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

two women performing half bicep curls as part of Arm Toning Exercises for Females

How To Do A Half Bicep Curl

  1. Start standing, feet hip-width apart and core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing out away from the body (underhand grip or supine curl).
  2. Keeping your elbows locked by your sides, perform a half bicep curl, curling the weights up to around belly button height. Pause at the top to hold both arms at a 90-degree angle. Think about keeping your shoulder blades back and down to avoid neck strain.
  3. Then, slowly lower the dumbbells with control, returning the weights to your thighs.

2. Overhead Tricep Extension

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 Overhead Tricep Extension

  1. Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, back straight, core engaged and knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell vertically between your palms overhead.
  2. 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).
  3. Squeeze through the back of your arm as you exhale, pressing the dumbbell overhead, arms fully extended.

Modification: If the overhead press isn’t comfortable for your shoulders, you can substitute a tricep kickback or skull crusher. 

3. Dumbbell Chest Press

Targets: Pectoral muscles (chest) and both the anterior and lateral heads of the deltoid (upper arms and shoulders).

two women performing dumbbell chest presses as part of Toned Arms workout for women

How To Do A Dumbbell Chest Press

  1. Lie flat on your back (on the ground or on a bench to perform a bench press) with knees slightly bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell in each hand (palms facing knees), elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
  2. 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.
  3. Lower the dumbbells back towards your chest with control.

4. Single Arm Plank Rows and Plank Walk

Targets: All of the arm muscles, specifically engaging the upper back, biceps, triceps, shoulders and core.

two women performing a plank row (or renegade row) and plank walk

How To Do A Single Arm Plank Row and Plank Walk

  1. Place a pair of dumbbells 2-3 feet apart on the ground.
  2. Start in a high plank position in front of the dumbbell on your right. Right hand is on the dumbbell and left hand is on the ground. Core is engaged, forming a straight line from your heels through the top of your head.
  3. From this plank position, perform a single-arm back row by pulling the dumbbell back towards your right hip and elbow up towards the ceiling. Focus on keeping both hips square to the ground as you perform this row.
  4. Lower the dumbbell back to the ground slowly and with control. 
  5. Then, perform a lateral plank walk over to the dumbbell on your left: moving laterally to the left by stepping your left hand and left foot out, right hand and right foot to follow.
  6. Holding the dumbbell in your left hand, right hand planted on the ground, perform a plank row on the left side of the body.
  7. Then, reverse the plank walk, moving to your right and returning to the starting position.

5. V-Sit Hold and Shoulder Press

Targets: Deep transverse abs, rectus abdominis, lower abs, shoulders, top of the thighs and hips.

two women performing a v sit and shoulder press as part of Toned Arms Women workout

How To Do A V-Sit Hold and Shoulder Press

  1. Start sitting on your mat on your “sit bones”, knees bent at 90 degrees and feet planted on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your collarbones.
  2. Engage your core as you lean back and lift your heels off the ground. Your body should form a “V” shape between your torso and knees.
  3. Exhale as you press the dumbbells overhead, performing a shoulder press.
  4. With control, lower the dumbbells, returning the dumbbells to shoulder height and returning to the starting position.

Modification: If the v-sit position causes pain in your lower back, try performing a shoulder press from a seated position (on a bench or chair) or standing position instead.  

6. Dumbbell Pullover

Targets: Mainly the triceps, lats (latissimus dorsi) and pecs (pectoralis major and pectoralis minor) while also targeting the core and abs for stability.

two women performing a dumbbell pullover as part of Arm Toning Exercises

How To Do A Dumbbell Pullover

  1. Start lying on your back, with legs bent at 90 degrees, feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell horizontally between your hands, elbows slightly bent, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing in.
  2. Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips into the air, performing a glute bridge.
  3. Keeping arms straight, with a slight bend in the elbows, slowly lower the dumbbell overhead towards the ground.
  4. Then pull the dumbbell back overhead, engaging the lats, to return to the starting position.

Modification: If you’re working on pull-ups, this is a great exercise to substitute for pull-ups. 

FAQs

Can I tone my arms without using weights?

While lifting weights is the most effective way to build muscle, bodyweight 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, lower body workouts and upper-body workouts.

How long does it take to tone arms for a female?

It generally takes 4-6 weeks to see initial results from strength training, 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.

What is a good arm workout for a beginner?

The best arm exercises for beginners are the classics: bicep curls, tricep extensions, back rows, chest presses, and shoulder presses. These are staple moves for a reason: they’re effective at building strength and definition in the upper body. They’re also low-impact and scalable for all fitness levels, which reduces your risk of injury. For best results, follow a Beginner Workout Plan. 

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10 comments

  1. I really liked this format, and really appreciated your thorough instructions – especially for the bonus core move. I always struggle with the v-sit or a boat pose. When I did it, I immediately felt a sharp pain in my low back, so I came here to read the precise instructions. What am I doing wrong?
    Also, I am really glad that you now can film workouts at your home. I’ve been following along for a while, and I know you had to film a lot in one day for the studio space. This change made me really happy for you! wishing you all the best!

    Reply

    • So happy to hear you have been part of the NML community for years and are loving the new format! I would suggest doing seated press instead of the v-sit to protect your lower back! Thanks for sweating with us and keep coming back for more!

      Reply

  2. Great workout! I did it twice as I never know when I’ll get to workout for longer than 20min – mom life!! Thanks again for the awesome content.

    Reply

  3. Just wanted to say that I really appreciate all your efforts and the amount of work you put into make these videos AND to give free access! You are awesome and I whole heartedly wish you nothing but the best!

    Reply

  5. I look forward to giving all these 6 exercises a try and then continuing to do it weekly! I was doing weight work with my upper body today and it hurt way to much, need some major strengthening to occur!

    Reply

    • Hi Amanda! Yes, these 6 exercises are staples in my upper body training routine and a fun way to mix things up! Women are usually weaker in our upper bodies because we focus on them less + there are so many benefits to strength training! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey

      Reply
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