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Exercises

Exercises to tone arms: triceps, biceps and shoulders

Published October 29, 2026

The best exercises to tone arms are the overhead triceps extension and triceps kickback for the back of your upper arm, the dumbbell curl and hammer curl for the front, and the lateral raise and dumbbell shoulder press for the cap of the shoulder. Add push-ups and one-arm rows, which train your arms alongside your chest and back. Do 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 20 reps of each, two or three days a week, and end every set 1 to 2 reps short of failure. Add reps, then weight, as the weeks go on.

  1. Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension Triceps
  2. Triceps Kickback Triceps
  3. Dumbbell Curl Biceps
  4. Hammer Curl Biceps, Forearms
  5. Dumbbell Lateral Raise Shoulders
  6. Dumbbell Shoulder Press Shoulders
  7. Kneeling Push-Up Chest
  8. One-Arm Dumbbell Row Lats, Upper Back

Triceps for the back of your arm

The triceps are the larger of the two upper-arm muscles, so they decide most of how firm the arm looks. The overhead extension trains the long head with the arm stretched above you, the kickback and pushdown work the arm at your side, and bench dips use your own weight when you have no dumbbells.

Triceps, overhead extension

Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension

Triceps

Lowering the dumbbell behind your head stretches the long head of the triceps, the part that sits closest to your body and that people point to when they talk about arm jiggle. One dumbbell and a chair are all you need.

How to do it

  1. Sit tall on a chair and lift one dumbbell overhead, both hands under the top plate.
  2. Bend your elbows to bring the weight down behind your neck, upper arms close to your head.
  3. Feel the stretch, then press it back up to straight arms.
  4. Keep your back from arching as you press.

Cues

  • Elbows forward
  • Weight behind your neck
  • Ribs stay down

Common mistakes

  • Elbows drifting out to the sides: keep them pointed ahead.
  • Short lowering: take it as deep as your shoulders allow.

Swap for: Kettlebell Overhead Triceps Extension, Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

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Triceps, extension at the side

Triceps Kickback

Triceps

The kickback is hardest with your arm fully straight, which is the squeeze that firms the back of the arm. It works with the 5 to 10 pound dumbbells most people own, because the lever makes a light weight feel heavy.

How to do it

  1. Brace one hand on a chair or bench and hinge forward with a flat back.
  2. Lift the dumbbell arm so your upper arm sits against your side, elbow bent.
  3. Push the dumbbell back until your arm is straight, and hold it for a second.
  4. Bend back to the start; finish the set, then change arms.

Cues

  • Upper arm stays level
  • Hold the lockout
  • Light weight

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the weight up: lighten it so you can pause at the top.
  • Upper arm sinking toward the floor: lift it back to your side.

Swap for: Cable Triceps Kickback, Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension

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Triceps, cable pushdown

Cable Triceps Pressdown

Triceps

In the gym the pushdown is the easiest triceps move to load and progress in small steps, and the cable keeps tension on the muscle the whole rep. It is a good last exercise on an upper-body day.

How to do it

  1. Attach a bar or rope to a high pulley and grip it with your elbows at your sides.
  2. Push down until your elbows are straight.
  3. Let the handle rise until your forearms are just past parallel, then push again.

Cues

  • Elbows stay pinned
  • Lock out at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows rise and flare: keep them glued to your sides.

Swap for: Cable Cross Pushdown, Overhead Cable Triceps Extension, Close-Grip Push-Up

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Triceps, bodyweight dip

Bench Dip

Triceps

With only a chair or a bench you can still give your triceps hard sets. Bend your knees to make it easier, straighten your legs to make it harder.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the front of a stable chair, hands gripping the edge next to your hips.
  2. Move your hips off the seat and set your heels out in front.
  3. Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are level with the floor.
  4. Straighten your arms to come back up.

Cues

  • Hips close to the chair
  • Elbows point back
  • Stop at level

Common mistakes

  • Going so deep that your shoulders pinch: shorten the range.
  • Pushing with your legs: keep them relaxed and let your arms lift you.

Swap for: Floor Triceps Dip, Close-Grip Push-Up

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Curls for the front of your arm

Curls are the only direct work the front of your arm gets. Use a regular curl and a hammer curl for variety in the gym or at home, the cable curl when you want even tension from bottom to top, and a doorway curl when you have nothing to lift.

Biceps, dumbbell curl

Dumbbell Curl

Biceps

The standard curl trains the biceps through their full range, and the alternating version in the demo lets you watch each arm and keep the reps strict. It is the first curl to learn and the one to add weight to over time.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with one or two dumbbells, palms facing forward.
  2. Curl the weight toward your shoulder, keeping your upper arm still.
  3. Squeeze the biceps hard when your forearm is upright.
  4. Lower until your elbow is straight.

Cues

  • Upper arm still
  • Squeeze at the top
  • Straight elbow at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Rocking your body: brace against a wall.
  • Stopping short at the bottom: lower all the way.

Swap for: Kettlebell Curl, EZ-Bar Curl

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Biceps and forearm, neutral-grip curl

Hammer Curl

Biceps, Forearms

Holding the dumbbells with thumbs up shifts work to the brachialis, which sits under the biceps and pushes it up, and to the top of the forearm. It fills out the arm from the side, where most people look.

How to do it

  1. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing your thighs.
  2. Bend one elbow to bring that dumbbell up, thumb leading.
  3. Keep the dumbbell vertical the whole way, then lower it slowly to the start.
  4. Curl the other arm, and keep alternating until the set is done.

Cues

  • Thumbs lead
  • Dumbbells vertical
  • Elbows by your sides

Common mistakes

  • Swinging heavier weight with your back: keep your torso still.
  • Curling across your body: keep each dumbbell in line with its shoulder.

Swap for: Band Hammer Curl, Alternating Hammer Curl

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Biceps, cable curl

Cable Curl

Biceps

A cable pulls evenly from the bottom of the curl to the top, where a dumbbell goes light. It suits a gym session and small weight jumps.

How to do it

  1. Attach a bar to a low pulley and grip it palms up.
  2. Stand close and curl the bar toward your chest.
  3. Lower until your arms are straight, keeping tension on the cable.

Cues

  • Elbows pinned
  • Straight arms at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Stepping too far from the stack: stand close so the cable pulls straight up.

Swap for: EZ-Bar Curl, Dumbbell Curl, Band Hammer Curl

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Biceps, doorway curl

Bodyweight Bicep Curl

Biceps

Leaning back from a door frame and curling yourself in is one of the few ways to load the biceps with no equipment at all. The closer your feet are to the frame, the harder each rep gets.

How to do it

  1. Grip both sides of a door frame around hip level, step one foot ahead of the other and walk your feet in toward it.
  2. Lean back until your arms are straight and your body is rigid from heels to head.
  3. Bend your elbows to bring your chest to the frame.
  4. Lower back out under control.

Cues

  • Elbows pinned to your sides
  • Body rigid
  • Feet in to make it harder

Common mistakes

  • Rowing instead of curling: keep your upper arms still at your sides and bend only at the elbows.
  • Bending at the hips: tense your glutes and keep a straight line.

Swap for: Chin-Up, TRX Chin-Up

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Shoulder moves for a defined line

Rounded side delts are what make an arm look shaped from the front, even with a sleeve on. Lateral raises hit them directly with light weight, the shoulder press loads the whole shoulder heavier, and the pike push-up does the pressing with bodyweight.

Side delts, lateral raise

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Shoulders

The lateral raise builds the side of the shoulder, which gives the top of the arm a defined edge. Light dumbbells are enough, so it fits any home setup.

How to do it

  1. Pick light dumbbells you can raise for 12 clean reps, and stand with your feet hip width apart, the weights hanging by your thighs.
  2. Lean your chest forward a few degrees, pull your shoulders down away from your ears and soften your elbows.
  3. Sweep the weights out and slightly forward, leading with your elbows, until your upper arms are level with your shoulders.
  4. Hold that top position for a beat, then take two to three seconds to lower until the dumbbells are a hand's width from your thighs.
  5. Start the next rep from there without resting at the bottom or bouncing out of it.

Cues

  • Elbows lead, hands follow
  • Shoulders down, neck long
  • Push the weights out, not up

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the weight up: if your shoulders rise toward your ears, drop to lighter dumbbells and stop each rep where your upper arm is level.
  • Swinging the torso to start each rep: brace, stand still and keep the first inch of the lift as slow as the rest.
  • Bending the elbows more and more as the set goes on: set the bend on rep one and keep it, or the lever shortens and the set gets easier without you noticing.

Swap for: Cable Lateral Raise, Band Lateral Raise, Machine Lateral Raise

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Shoulders and triceps, overhead press

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Shoulders

The press lets you lift more weight than any raise, training the shoulders and the triceps together. It is the heaviest arm-adjacent lift in these plans and the one to warm up for.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench upright or one notch back from vertical, sit with your feet flat, and rest a dumbbell on each thigh.
  2. Kick one knee up at a time to bring the dumbbells to shoulder height, then set your back against the pad.
  3. Turn your elbows slightly forward so they sit a little in front of your torso, palms facing forward or angled in.
  4. Drive both weights overhead on a slight inward arc until your elbows are straight, keeping your ribs down and your back on the pad.
  5. Lower slowly until the dumbbells are around ear height or a bit below, then press again.

Cues

  • Ribs down, back on the pad
  • Elbows a little forward
  • Press up and slightly in

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back off the pad to finish reps: that turns it into an incline press, so lighten the weight and keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
  • Flaring the elbows straight out at shoulder height: bring them a little forward so the shoulder joint stays comfortable at the bottom.
  • Stopping each rep well above your ears: lower to around ear height so the delts work through a full range.

Swap for: Machine Shoulder Press, Arnold Press, Pike Push-Up

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Shoulders and triceps, bodyweight press

Pike Push-Up

Shoulders

With your hips high, a push-up turns into an overhead press with your own weight, so you can train shoulders hard without dumbbells. Raise your feet on a step once floor reps get easy.

How to do it

  1. Start in a push-up position with your hands a bit wider than your shoulders and fingers spread.
  2. Walk your feet toward your hands and raise your hips until your body forms an upside-down V, with your weight leaning over your hands.
  3. Bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward a point a few inches in front of your hands, so your head and hands form a triangle.
  4. Bend your elbows out to the sides and stop when your head lightly touches the floor or just above it.
  5. Press the floor away and straighten your arms, pushing your hips back up to the V.

Cues

  • Hips stay high
  • Head forward of hands
  • Push the floor away

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop as you lower: that turns it back into a regular push-up; keep the hips stacked over your shoulders as much as you can.
  • Lowering your head straight between your hands: aim slightly forward so your forearms stay close to vertical.
  • Cutting the range short: lower until your head is near the floor, using a yoga block or book as a target if you need one.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Band Overhead Press, Handstand Push-Up

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Push-ups and rows that work your arms too

Every push-up is a triceps exercise and every row is a biceps exercise, so these two give your arms extra sets without extra time. Kneeling push-ups let you take sets close to failure with good form before you move to full push-ups.

Chest and triceps, push-up from the knees

Kneeling Push-Up

Chest

Kneeling push-ups cut the load enough that most people can do 8 to 20 good reps and stop near failure, which is what tones the triceps. When you pass 20, move to full push-ups.

How to do it

  1. Kneel on a mat with your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders and walk them forward until your body is a straight line from knees to head.
  2. Brace your abs and tuck your hips so your back stays flat.
  3. Lower your chest toward the floor between your hands, elbows angled back.
  4. Push back up to straight arms and repeat.

Cues

  • Straight line from knees to head
  • Chest leads, hips follow
  • Full lockout at the top

Common mistakes

  • Bending at the hips so your bottom sticks up: that shortens the range. Keep the line from knees to shoulders.
  • Dropping the head toward the floor before the chest: look slightly ahead of your hands.

Swap for: Incline Push-Up, Close-Grip Push-Up, Band-Assisted Push-Up

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Back and biceps, one-arm row

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

Rows build the upper back and work the biceps at the same time, and a stronger back helps your arms look balanced from behind. Supporting one hand on a bench lets you pull heavier than a curl allows.

How to do it

  1. Put one hand and the same-side knee on a bench, or your hand on a chair seat with both feet on the floor, so your back is flat.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in the other hand with your arm hanging straight.
  3. Pull your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches your ribs.
  4. Lower it until your arm is straight again, finish all reps, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow to your hip
  • Back flat as a table
  • Full stretch at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Twisting your chest open to lift the dumbbell higher: keep both shoulders level.
  • Shrugging the shoulder up toward your ear: pull the elbow back, not the shoulder up.

Swap for: Band Bent-Over Row, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Seated Cable Row

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

At home with a pair of light dumbbells

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets28 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Flat Bench

You train at home with one or two pairs of dumbbells between 5 and 15 pounds and a chair, and you want firmer arms with two focused sessions a week.

Each day pairs a press or row with one triceps, one biceps and one shoulder exercise, so over the week your triceps get 8 direct sets plus the presses and push-ups, your biceps 6 plus the rows, and your side delts 6. Light weights only work when the set ends close to failure, so most sets stop 1 rep short and use higher rep ranges.

Arms A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Shoulder Press1 warm-up set firstSeated, back supported. 3 × 10–15 2 90 s
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps ExtensionElbows point at the ceiling. 3 × 12–20 1 75 s
Dumbbell CurlAlternate arms. No swinging. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 × 12–20 1 1 min
Kneeling Push-Up 2 × 8–20 1 1 min

Open Arms A in the session builder

Arms B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
One-Arm Dumbbell Row1 warm-up set firstPer arm. 3 × 10–15 2 75 s
Triceps KickbackSqueeze 1 s with the arm straight. 3 × 12–20 1 1 min
Hammer Curl 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 × 12–20 1 1 min
Bench DipBend your knees if straight legs are too hard. 2 × 8–15 2 1 min

Open Arms B in the session builder

How to run it
Do Arms A early in the week and Arms B two or three days later, for example Monday and Thursday. Fit them before or after any leg or cardio session.
How to progress
Keep each pair until all three sets land at the top of the rep range with the reps in reserve shown, then go up one pair. Out of heavier pairs? Take three seconds on the way down and pause where the move is hardest. Log how many reps you had left and RIRLift suggests the weight for your next session.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Arms inside two gym upper-body days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets29 a week
  • Per workout~35 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Adjustable Cable

You already lift in a gym that has cables and dumbbells, and you want firmer arms without adding a separate arm day.

Both upper days start with a row and a press for the back and shoulders, then finish with a triceps and biceps pair. Across the week that is 6 direct triceps sets, 6 biceps sets and 5 lateral raise sets on top of the presses and rows, which is plenty when the compound lifts are heavy.

Upper A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
One-Arm Dumbbell Row1 warm-up set firstPer arm. 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Shoulder Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
A1 Cable Triceps Pressdown 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
A2 Cable Curl 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 × 12–20 1 1 min

Open Upper A in the session builder

Upper B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Shoulder Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–12 2 2 min
One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension 3 × 10–15 1 75 s
Hammer Curl 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 2 × 15–20 0 1 min

Open Upper B in the session builder

How to run it
Run Upper A and Upper B on two non-consecutive days, with lower-body days in between. On Upper A, pair the pushdown and curl: one set of each, then rest.
How to progress
Climb through the rep range first. Once every set tops out at the listed reps in reserve, add the smallest plate next session. Cable stacks move in small jumps, so expect a step up most weeks.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

No weights yet, 15 minutes three times a week

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets27 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentFlat Bench

You have no dumbbells, a sturdy chair and a door frame, and you can find 15 minutes three times a week.

Bodyweight sets recover quickly, so the same short routine three times a week gives your biceps 9 hard sets and your triceps and shoulders 18 between push-ups, dips and pike push-ups. Four moves cover every part of the arm.

Bodyweight Arms
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kneeling Push-Up 2 × 8–20 2 1 min
Bodyweight Bicep CurlFeet closer to the frame to make it harder. 3 × 8–15 1 1 min
Bench Dip 2 × 8–15 2 1 min
Pike Push-UpHips high, head toward the floor. 2 × 5–12 2 75 s
How to run it
Train on three days spaced out across the week, for example Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. It works as a finisher after a walk or on its own.
How to progress
Add reps each session until you pass the top of the range, then make the move harder: lean further back on doorway curls, straighten your legs on dips, move from kneeling to full push-ups, and raise your feet on pike push-ups.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

Is it possible to tone your arms?

Yes. A toned arm is one with more muscle and less fat over it. These exercises build the triceps, biceps and shoulders, and the fat over them comes off as you lose body fat overall, not from the arms first. Both together give the firm look.

What is the 7-7-7 bicep exercise?

It is a curl set called 21s: 7 reps from the bottom to halfway, 7 from halfway to the top, then 7 full reps, without resting. It is a way to make a light dumbbell hard. Use it as the last set of curls, not every set.

Are 3 kg (about 6.5 pound) weights enough to tone arms?

For lateral raises and kickbacks, often yes, at least for the first months. For curls, presses and rows, a 3 kg pair gets easy quickly. Once you pass 20 reps with reps to spare, you need a heavier pair or a harder version of the move.

How often should I train my arms to tone them?

Two or three sessions a week, with at least a day between them. Aim for about 6 to 10 hard sets per muscle each week, spread across those days.

How long does it take to see toned arms?

Strength goes up within a few weeks. Visible change usually takes 8 to 12 weeks of steady training, sooner if you are also losing body fat.