Rufino Fitness

Best Arm Exercises With Weights

When you want to isolate specific muscle groups in the arms, using dumbbells is truly effective — get ready to feel the burn! Depending on your strength, grab at least two size weights ranging from five to 15 pounds so you can switch up the appropriate size dumbbells for each move.

Triceps Extension

Targets triceps, butt, and legs

Hold a 5- to 8-pound dumbbell in right hand and stand with feet staggered, left in front of right.
Lower into a lunge, knees bent 90 degrees and left knee aligned over ankle.
Maintaining lunge, lean forward and place left forearm on thigh. Draw right elbow toward rib cage, palm facing left and elbow bent 90 degrees.
Extend right arm behind you. Lower to 90 degrees again; repeat. Do 10 to 15 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

strong and skinny

AB Twist

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hold the cable handle with both hands, one on top of the other. Without moving your hips, twist your upper body away from the cable stack (1 second). Return to the starting position in 4 counts. Keep your arms centered in front of your chest with a slight bend for the entire movement.

Triangle Push-Up

Targets shoulders, chest, triceps, and core

Kneel and place hands on floor under chest.
Turn hands in so that index fingers and thumbs form a triangle (they don't have to touch).
Straighten arms and step feet back so that body is straight from head to heels. MAKE IT EASIER: Place palms on a counter, a bench or the seat of a sturdy chair.
Bend elbows about 45 degrees out to sides as you lower chest toward floor. Press up and repeat.
Do 10 to 15 reps.

Medicine Ball Tap

Targets: Arms, obliques, abs

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, abs engaged and back about 2 feet away from a wall, holding ball with arms extended at chest height in front of you.
Bend arms slightly and rotate torso to right until ball taps wall behind you.
Rotate back through center and to left; tap wall with ball.
Do 15 reps, alternating sides.

Goalpost Rotation

Targets medial deltoid, rear deltoid, and rotator cuff

Anchor the center of a resistance tube around a sturdy object at waist level and stand facing it, holding a handle in each hand.
Bend elbows 90 degrees and raise arms to shoulder height so that arms are parallel to floor, palms facing down.
Keeping torso still, rotate arms up so that forearms are perpendicular to floor and palms face forward. Lower and repeat. Do 10 to 15 reps.

Medicine Ball Push/Catch A

Targets: Shoulders, triceps, abs, glutes, legs

Stand with feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, medicineball on the floor in front of feet.
Squat, keeping knees behind toes, and grab ball with both hands.

Three-Point Row

Targets back, medial deltoid, and rear deltoid

Stand with feet staggered, right in front of left, holding an 8- to 12-pound dumbbell in left hand.
Bend forward from hips and place right hand on a bench. Extend left arm down, palm facing right.
Draw left hand up to rib cage. Lower arm, then bring elbow out 45 degrees from side.
Lower arm again, then draw elbow out perpendicular to ribs, turning palm to face left. Lower arm and repeat entire series 5 to 10 times. Switch sides; repeat.

Butterfly Abs

Lie on back and place soles of feet together; relax knees out to the side. Place hands behind head, with elbows out. Tightening abs, lift chest and shoulders up then release back down. Do 10 to 12 reps.

Hot Arms Made Simple

"You don't need fancy equipment to get strong, sculpted arms and shoulders," says trainer Todd Durkin, who created this 360-degree arm-toning routine exclusively for FITNESS. "You just need the right moves." And here they are, using only a set of 5- to 12-pound dumbbells, a handled resistance tube, and a sturdy bench or chair. His rules for speedier results: (1) Opt for heavier weights, not the three-pounders. (2) Do two rear-delt moves for every front-delt exercise; we've labeled these specific targets so you can shuffle the moves.

Do these exercises three times a week every other day, along with your usual cardio. Perform one or two sets per move in the first two weeks and add weight every two weeks. Starting with week three, do two or three sets of the biceps and triceps moves. Bye-bye, arm jiggle!

Breathing Exercise

Sit on the floor in a cross-legged position with your back supported against a wall. Place one hand under your breasts and the other on your navel. Inhale as you expand your belly, then exhale slowly, while bringing your belly button inward toward the spine. Pretend there's a train whose first stop is at your navel and whose fifth stop is at your spine. Count off stops until you reach the fifth. Hold and count out loud to 30. Then imagine your navel going out the back of your spine to a sixth stop for five counts. Relax and inhale. Work up to ten times daily.