IN THIS POST

This guide covers everything you need to know about achieving toned and more defined arms.

Pin this and tell a friend to tell a friend. 💪🏾

Intro: How to get toned arms

What’s the best workout for toned arms?

You NEED to know ASAP because you are not happy with the way yours look…

AT ALL.

They’re a little too flabby for your liking, which is super noticeable when you shake your arms in the mirror.

The batwing fat on the underside of your arms has–

Got.

To. 

GO.

What can you do?

You can read this article on getting toned arms all the way through and apply what you’ve learned, that’s what.

What does it mean to be “toned”?

I get exactly what you mean when you say you want to tone up your arms.

You don’t want them all big and bulky like a bodybuilder.

You just want to lean out and have them be more defined, am I right? 

Well, getting toned arms comes down to:

A.) Building muscle

B.) Stripping off the layer of fat on top

There’s one thing I want to point out.

I can tell you that no matter how toned or defined your arms are, it is 100% normal to be able to “pinch more than an inch” or for your arms to have some jiggle when you shake them in the mirror.

I’m telling you this so you don’t get discouraged about having a little flab on your arms.

All of us have it, even the most in-shape people out there.

How do I get toned arms?

1. Strength training is the best workout for toned arms 

The term “strength training” can get misconstrued sometimes so here’s what it is NOT: 

• Orange Theory
• Fitness boot camp classes
• Donkey kickbacks with a dumbbell shoved into the back of your knee (If you’re truly serious about growing your glutes, this is the article for you)
• HIIT
• Lifting exclusively “lighter weight for reps” so you can “let it burn” like Usher
• Pilates

Here’s what it is:

Being on an actual strength training program you can follow for the next 4-8, maybe even 12 weeks.

And you focus on progressively lifting heavier and heavier weights over time.

This is known as progressive overload and it’s the one strength training principle you need above all else to see success. 

If you aren’t following the fundamental progressive overload principle, you’re pretty much trying to catch water in a bottomless bucket.

2. The best workout for toned arms means chillin’ out on the cardio

*** Gasp ***

Why would you tell me to do such a thing?!

Look, I definitely get it.

A good workout to you means an elevated heart rate and being drenched in sweat by the end of it. 

If you don’t experience that, did you even workout? 🤷🏾‍♂️

Getting your heart rate up doesn’t mean you’re losing fat or building muscle

Think about your greatest fear for a second.

I’ll tell you mine…

Heights and hotel beds. 

I know that second one sounds weird AF and is completely irrational but even just the thought of sleeping in a hotel bed makes my skin crawl. 😂   

What about yours? 

If you were exposed to that, would your heart rate not go up?

Yeah, without a doubt.

But you wouldn’t expect that to push you closer to your getting toned arms goal. 

See what I’m saying? 

Sweating doesn’t mean you had a good workout

Feeling like you’re working hard and actually training in a way to achieve the results you want are two separate things.

I’m not saying cardio doesn’t have its benefits. 

It’s good for your health, building up your endurance, and I mean, sure.

Cardio can help you lose weight. 

But there is a HUGE difference between weight loss and fat loss.

Just know cardio alone won’t be getting you toned arms anytime soon.

And by anytime soon I mean never. 🙃

In the best workout for toned arms pecking order, cardio 110% comes after strength training.

And it’s not even close.

Walking counts as cardio so if you just focus on getting your daily 7,500-10,000 steps you’ll be allll good.

3. This is SUPER important so don’t gloss over this! 

The most knowledgeable fitness person on planet Earth could design your workout routine but at the end of the day, nutrition is your Willy Wonka golden ticket to fat loss success. 

I used to make the mistake for YEARS of thinking I could out-exercise a poor diet.

Big picture, proper nutrition means:

• Eating in a slight calorie deficit by either counting calories or tracking macros.
• Eating enough protein.

If we’re on the same page about just how important nutrition is when it comes to getting toned arms, let’s move on to the best workout for toned arms.

Also, just be aware of the fact that workout and this workout alone or a specific set of exercises can’t directly just target the fat in your arms.

You just have to make sure you’re on point with the things you can control:

• Staying within your calories
• Consuming an adequate amount of protein
• Strength training 3-4 times per week

Because when the fat does come off, all of the work you will have put into getting toned arms will show itself.

The best exercises for toned arms

Exercise #1 – Push-ups

Push-ups are a compound exercise, meaning you work multiple muscle groups at once when performing them (chest, triceps, shoulders primarily).

They’re the perfect exercise not only for beginners but for those who are on an intermediate or advanced level because there’s always a new, more challenging variation you can try. 

To perform push-ups correctly:

• Keep your spine neutral (I.e. don’t stick your butt up in the air).
• Brace your core and pinch your butt cheeks together.
• Your hands should be roughly shoulder-width apart or slightly outside that. 
• Make sure your wrists are in line with your shoulders.

Exercise #2  – Shoulder press

You mainly work your front shoulders with shoulder press.

You can do this either kneeling or standing.

No matter the variation you choose make sure you’re not arching your back.

You should be bracing your core on both versions but with standing shoulder press especially, I want you to pretend you’re trying to squeeze a piece of paper between your butt cheeks. 

That’ll help emphasize the bracing of your core even more, which will help you maintain proper form and lift more weight. 

Exercise #3 – Lateral raises

While shoulder press works more of your front shoulders, lateral raises target your side shoulders. 

Have a slight bend in your elbows and instead of lifting the weight straight out to the side, pretend that you’re raising your arms to the corners of a room.

Exercise #4 – Bicep curls

A list of best exercises for toned arms wouldn’t be complete without one to train your biceps. 

We’re going with the fundamental, tried and true bicep curl.

If you’re having to swing the weight up and use a bunch of momentum, you’re lifting too heavy. 

Also, focus on controlling the weight on the way down. 

Don’t just let it drop like a call from your ex.

Exercise #5 – Skull crushers

If you want an exercise to light up your triceps like a Christmas tree, skull crushers are THE ONE.

You can do these on a weight bench or just straight on the floor.

Make sure you’re feeling a stretch at the bottom of the movement in your triceps before lifting the weight back up. 

The best workout for toned arms

Your workout is a collection of the exercises we just went over.

Do this workout 2 times per week, making sure to take at least 1 rest day between workouts.

If you do this workout on Monday, that means at the very least you’d wait until Wednesday to go through it again.

As far as the actual workout goes, perform each exercise for 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

• Push-ups
• Kneeling shoulder press
• Lateral raises
• Bicep curls
• Skull crushers

Choose a weight that’s challenging (so that you’re lifting 1-2 reps shy of failure) and rest 2-3 minutes between each set.

The goal is to recover between your sets so you can lift as heavy as possible.

So if that calls for you to rest longer than 3 minutes, that’s what you do!

If you want more workouts like the one above, download my free 12-week dumbbell workout plan.

Wrapping up how to get toned arms

Now that you’ve gone through this post, you officially know what it takes to tone up your arms.

Here are some key takeaway points:

• If you want to tone up your arms you’ll need to build muscle, which means prioritizing strength training within your workout routine. Get on a program you can follow for the next 4-12 weeks and take advantage of progressive overload to achieve the best results possible.
• Cut back on doing so much cardio. Your daily 7.5K-10K steps are plenty. 
• Make sure your diet is in check. Count calories or macros to ensure you’re eating the correct amount of food you should be. And then within those calories, make sure you’re consuming enough protein daily (0.7g-1g per pound of your goal body weight is ideal).

FAQs about leaning out and getting toned arms

How long does it take to get toned arms?

What’s that phrase in life? 

Good things come to those who wait?

Patience my friend, patience.

I won’t sell you a pipe dream about getting toned arms.

Results won’t be instantaneous.

They won’t happen in 2 weeks, or whatever short time frame you’re envisioning.

I’ve used this analogy before but results are like dropping pebbles into a bucket.

One pebble by itself won’t seem like a whole lot.

But your pebbles start to accumulate the more consistent you are. 

And all those individual days add up to big results in the end.

If you really think about it, most things worth achieving don’t happen with the snap of your fingers.

Getting toned arms is no different.

I’m not saying it’ll take you forever and a day to see results but I’d be willing to wager it’s going to take a lot longer than you want it to or think it will.

I can promise you this though. 

If you stay the course and remain consistent and apply what we’ve gone over in this article, you WILL see results. 

There’s no question about it. 💪🏾

What are the best arm exercises for women?

There’s not some special workout women should do as opposed to men if they want toned and more defined arms.

The same rules apply no matter which side you fall on:

• Lift as heavy as you can with proper form.
• Make sure you’re taking enough rest between sets.
• Apply progressive overload.

How often should I train to get toned arms?

You can do the workout I provided 2 times per week.

Just make sure you’re taking at least one off day between workouts.

And don’t forget about training legs!

You want a proportionate physique, don’t you?