Arm exercises without going to the gym

By Gabrielle Reese

Now that it's warming up, it's time to break out the hard bodies. Let's start nice and slow and begin with our arms. For a lot of us, our "wings" have been behind long sleeves, sweaters, and jackets, and they need a little love. You don't have to go to the gym, however, to work on your arms. (If you are a member of a gym then you can just add these moves to your workout.)

I am a big believer in doing multi-joint, multi-muscle moves, but for vanity's sake lets just focus on the arms. In case you didn't know, the tricep (jiggley part on the back of the arm) takes up 2/3 of your upper arm. So for all you bicep-minded boys out there, if you want real mass, focus on your tri's. For the ladies out there who do the wiggle test, tricep exercises are your friend.

While you're sculpting the back of your arms, why not work on your posture by doing rear delt (shoulder) and back moves to pull your back straight up since everything in we do in life hunches us forward (driving, computers, stress, gravity, etc). Use these exercises to pull your body upright -- it's not only good for your health, but good posture is sexy in and of itself.

I want you to do a circuit of these moves. So do one set of 8-12 reps for each move, and then move onto the next exercise without stopping. When you've completed all 8 exercises, begin again at the top of the list. Start with two times around the circuit, then work your way up to three and four rounds. No dilly-dallying or waiting around. This is meant to be done at an efficient and non-stop pace to keep the calories burning.

If you can get this workout done 3 to 4 times a week, you will see the changes quickly.

1. Dip into a bridge

I love this move! It was shown to me by the great trainer Adam Friedman. Sit on a bench or chair with your hands flat on the seat next to your hips and and your legs touching the floor a foot or two in front of you. Then extend your body away from the chair and lower your upper body down toward the floor, engaging the triceps in a dip. Then with your feet together and glued to the floor, push your hips up until your torso is parallel to the floor, making a bridge. Engage your glutes (butt muscle). Slowly lower your hips, push up with your arms and move backward until you are seated on the chair. That's one rep. This move is two exercises for the price of one. Squeeze at the top of both moves (tricep, then legs and butt).

2. Bicep curl to shoulder press

Hold a weight in each hand, arms at your sides. Then curl the weight up to shoulder level engaging your biceps, and press the weights all the way up toward the ceiling overhead. Pause at the top before slowly lowering the weight while bending your arms, pausing at shoulder level, back down to your sides. That's one rep. Make sure you don't swing your weight or allow it to drop suddenly on the way down from the press. It's a controlled motion. I would rather see you use less weight and have perfect form.

3. Push ups

If you can't do the traditional way then go down to your knees. It's imperative to keep your spine and neck angle straight (don't drop your neck or let your lower back sag). Don't use momentum but control the move from top to the bottom to get maximum benefit.

4. Standing squat dumbbell row

This exercise is great for legs, abs, and back. Stand with your feet at least shoulder-width apart, arms out in front at shoulder level with a dumbell in each hand. Sit down in a squat, engaging your abs to keep your back straight (even though you are slightly bent over) and pull your arms toward your body in a rowing motion. The weights should end up at your side with elbows behind you. Slowly stand up and return arms to the starting position. This is one rep.

5. Dumbbell kickbacks

Another one for the back of the arm. With legs shoulder width apart again, lean over at the waist, keeping arms straight by your side until your upper body is at angle to the floor. Bend at the elbow while curling the weight toward your bicep, then push the weights back and down to straight. Squeeze the tricep muscle at the top of the move. Be careful not to swing the weight and keep your elbows in a fixed position close to your body. You will work the legs again since you are in a mini-squat again.

6. 21's

This is a series of bicep curls broken down into two stages. Start with arms down by sides, weight next to legs. Curl up to the half-way mark (arms are now parallel to the floor) and back down 7 times in a row. Then from the half-way mark to the top of the curl 7 times. Finish with 7 reps at the full range of motion for a total of 21 reps.

7. Dumbbell chest press

Lay on your back with your legs and arms straight up, perpendicular to the floor, with a dumbell in each hand. Lower the weights while bending your arms out to the side in an L-shape until elbows touch the floor. Then push the weights back up while contracting your chest and triceps. That's one rep. Your leg position activates the abs while your arms do the work. If you want to challenge yourself more then do one arm at a time leaving the resting arm in the air.

8. Bent over, rear delt flies

Sit in a squat, slightly bent over at the waist, back straight and arms out in front. Pull your arms back until they are straight out to the side, perpendicular to your body, keeping them slightly bent at the elbow, while contracting your upper back and shoulder muscles. Return arms to front position for one rep. This works those rear deltoids in your upper back and balances out the front shoulders muscles, which are often overworked. This move is also good for posture.

That's it! Once you do the 8 moves, get some water and start again at the top. Really feel the muscles (even if you don't see them yet), and get into your body. Believe me, you will see those arms shaping up in no time. From a sweater, to a T-shirt, then tank top and bathing suit. Oh yes!

Good Luck,

Gabby