10 Five-Minute Arm Workouts
Here are some of my favourite arm exercises under 5 minutes, sure to improve arm strength and tone!
Arm Circles
This exercise will work your shoulders, traps, biceps and triceps.
How To:
- Stretch your arms straight out to your sides with your palms facing towards the sky.
- Circle your arms forward for two sets of ten.
- Reverse the circle for two sets of ten.
- Repeat.
Half Arm Circles
This exercise will work your biceps, triceps, shoulders and deltoids.
How To:
- Stretch your arms straight out to your sides with your palms facing towards the sky.
- Scoop your arms up and down, turning your palms toward the ground as you lift up, as if drawing a half circle with your whole arm.
- Try to complete two sets of ten reps.
Standing Push-Ups
This exercise will work your biceps, shoulders, and chest.
How To:
- Stand about 2 feet from a wall with your arms straight out in front of you. Your palms should be on the wall at about shoulder-level height and shoulder-width apart, with fingers pointed toward the ceiling. If you feel like you’re reaching too far, move your feet closer.
- Bend your elbows and begin to lean your body toward the wall until your nose almost touches it. Ensure your back stays straight and your hips don’t sag.
- Push back to the starting position and repeat.
- Complete 4-5 sets of 20 reps.
Tricep Dips
This exercise will work your triceps, chest and shoulders.
How To:
- Start on all fours with your chest facing up, arms straight and fingers and toes facing the same direction.
- Keeping your core engaged and your butt lifted, bend your elbows as far as you can.
- Press through your palms to return to the starting position.
- Complete one set of ten slowly.
Plank with Shoulder Taps
This exercise will work your shoulders, abs and obliques.
How To:
- Start in a full plank position with your arms directly below your shoulders, legs extended back, feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart.
- Lift your right hand to tap your left shoulder. Return to the ground.
- Lift your left hand to tap your right shoulder. Return to the ground.
- Complete two sets of 10.
Quadruped Plank
This exercise will work your triceps, shoulders, core, quads and calves.
How To:
- Start in a quadruped position, aligning the hips over the knees and shoulders over the wrists.
- Tuck the toes under, engage the core and lift both knees about 2 inches off the floor.
- Extend the right leg back, pointing your toes and hips toward the ground.
- Return to centre and repeat with the left leg
Plank Sidewalk
This exercise will strengthen your core as well as your deltoids, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.
How To:
- Start in an elevated plank position with your arms extended beneath your shoulders and your palms planted firmly on the ground.
- Extend your legs behind you with your toes pressing into the floor. Your core should be engaged and in line with the rest of your body.
- Instead of staying stationary, walk your hands and feet to one side. Take 2 or 3 steps in one direction.
- Then, return to your starting spot and take the same amount of steps in the other direction. Continue walking side to side until your time runs out.
- Extend the exercise by 30 seconds or more if you need more of a challenge.
Plank Up Down
This exercise will work your deltoids, latissimus dorsi, triceps, glutes and core.
How To:
- Start in a high plank with your palms flat, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.
- Place your feet hip-width apart.
- Lower your left arm so that your forearm is on the floor. Then, do the same with your right so that you’re in a forearm plank.
- Reverse to return to a high plank. That’s 1 rep.
- As you move, keep your hips as still as possible. To make this easier, try widening your legs a little more.
Body Saw
This exercise will work your deltoids, latissimus dorsi, glutes, and core.
How To:
- Begin in a forearm plank with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel, and legs extended behind you. Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads.
- Rock forward on your forearms so your shoulders come in front of your elbows, and you come to the very tips of your toes. Focus on moving as far forward as you can without dropping your hips or losing your core engagement.
- Now push in the other direction, rocking as far back as possible, straightening your forearms slightly, and rolling onto the balls of your feet.
- Continue to rock forward and back.
Inchworm
This exercise works your deltoids, latissimus dorsi, glutes, and core.
How To:
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
- Bend at your waist and place your hands on the floor.
- Walk your hands forward to come into a high plank with your hands flat, wrists stacked under your shoulders, and your core, quads, and butt engaged. Pause for a second.
- Walk your hands back to your feet and stand to return to start. That’s 1 rep.