Your Guide to 12 Powerful Arm Workouts for Women

Arm strength is about more than how you look in a tank top. Building muscle in your arms can boost your athletic performance (looking at you, pickleball!), make everyday tasks easier (like carrying groceries), and help you maintain better posture (shoulders back, chin up—just like Mom always said!).

Yet many women have less upper-body strength than men, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). This is partly due to biological differences: Men tend to have broader shoulders that support more muscle mass, for instance. 

But cultural factors also play a role, as some women avoid arm workouts for fear of “bulking up.” These concerns are largely misplaced. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), gaining large amounts of muscle requires rigorous ongoing training and diet—not something that happens by accident. In fact, women should be more concerned about losing muscle mass over time than gaining too much.

Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about arm workouts for women, including: 

• How arm anatomy works

• The benefits of arm workouts for women

• The 12 best arm exercises for women 

• How to customize and structure your arm workouts

• Tips for effective arm workouts for women

• A sample arm workout routine for women

Let’s jump in!

How arm anatomy works

There are lots of muscles in your arms and shoulders. Here’s a look at the major ones, where they’re located, and how they work, according to the NASM.

The benefits of arm workouts for women

There are major benefits of strength training for women no matter which muscle groups you focus on. Not only does resistance training help you build muscle mass, strength, and power, it’s also linked to a longer life, stronger bones, improved mental health, better posture, lower cancer risk, and easier pregnancies and menopause. Pretty impressive, right?

When it comes to arm workouts in particular, one major perk is building functional strength. You’ll be better able to reach for, lift, and pull all sorts of heavy items you might encounter in your daily life, such as suitcases, groceries, kids, and more. 

Exercising your arms also helps build the coordination and power you need for upper-body-based activities like swimming, tennis, softball, and more. Even if you prefer a lower-body form of cardio like running, building arm strength can help your overall performance. 

The 12 best arm exercises for women

A good workout for women’s arms will challenge all of the different muscles above. To structure an effective arm workout (more on that below!), you can choose one or two exercises from each of the following categories: bicep exercises, triceps exercises, shoulder exercises, and forearm exercises. 

The best bicep exercises for women

The following arm exercises primarily target the muscles on the fronts of your upper arms: 

1. Biceps curl

1. Start standing tall, with your feet planted shoulder-width apart, holding a weight in each hand by your sides, palms facing upwards.

2. Engage your core and squeeze your arm muscles as you curl the weights toward your shoulders.

3. Slowly and with control, lower the weights back down to the starting position.

4. Continue for your desired number of reps.

2. Hammer curl

1. Start standing tall with your feet planted shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell (or water bottle) in each hand by your sides, palms facing inward.

2. Engage your core and squeeze your arm muscles as you curl the weights toward your shoulders.

3. Slowly and with control, lower the weights back down to the starting position.

4. Continue for your desired number of reps.

3. Chin-up/pull-up

1. Stand under a sturdy bar with your arms overhead. For a chin-up, face your palms toward you. For a pull-up, which is more advanced, face your palms away from you.

2. Grasp the bar firmly (you may need to jump or stand on another piece of gym equipment to do so) with your thumbs wrapped around the bar.

3. Engage your core and exhale as you pull your body upward. Think about pulling your elbows and shoulders back and down.

4. Pull until your chin is level with the bar.

5. Pause here briefly, then lower back down with control until your arms are fully extended.  

6. Continue for your desired number of reps.

The best triceps exercises for women

These movements mainly work the muscles on the backs of your upper arms.

1. Triceps extension

1. Start standing tall with your feet planted shoulder-width apart holding a single weight or household item over your head.

2. Keeping your upper arms steady and close to your ears, bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head.

3. Press the weight back up to the starting position.

4. Continue for your desired number of reps.

2. Triceps kickback

1. Stand tall with your feet planted shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell (or water bottle) in each hand by your sides, palms facing inward.

2. Keep a small bend in your knees as you lean forward slightly.

3. Engage your core and row the weights up so your upper arms align with your sides. Your elbows should be at 90-degree angles. This is the starting position.

4. Press the weights behind you and squeeze the muscles in your upper arms.

5. Slowly and with control, bring the weights back to the starting position.

6. Continue for your desired number of reps.

3. Push-up

1. Start in a high plank position, balanced on your palms and toes. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes so your body forms a straight line from head to hips to heels.

2. Bend your elbows at about 45-degree angles from your torso as you lower your chest toward the floor. 

3. When you’re as close to the ground as you can get, press through your palms to push your body back to the starting position.

4. Continue for your desired number of reps.

The best shoulder exercises for women

There are many more shoulder muscles and workouts that specifically target this area, but include at least a few shoulder movements in your regular arm workouts for well-rounded strength.

1. Shoulder press

1. Start standing tall with your feet planted shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell (or water bottle) in each hand in front of your shoulders at shoulder height, palms facing away from you.

2. Press the weights directly over your head without locking out your elbows. The weights should almost touch each other above you.

3. Slowly and with control, lower the weights back down to your shoulders.

4. Continue for your desired number of reps.

2. Lateral raise

1. Start standing tall with your feet planted shoulder-width apart and your arms by your sides, palms facing toward each other.

2. With a slight bend in your elbows, lift your arms straight out to your sides until about shoulder level.

3. Pause here briefly.

4. Slowly and with control, lower your arms back down to your sides.

5. Continue for your desired number of reps.

3. Front raise

1. Start standing tall with your feet planted shoulder-width apart and your arms by your sides, palms facing toward you.

2. With a slight bend in your elbows, lift your arms straight out in front of you until about shoulder level.

3. Pause here briefly.

4. Slowly and with control, lower your arms back down.

5. Continue for your desired number of reps.

The best forearm exercises for women

The exercises below work the muscles between your elbows and wrists.

1. Wrist flexion and extension

1. Start sitting with one arm resting on a sturdy surface with your hand hanging off the edge. Hold a light dumbbell with your palm facing upward.

2. Moving just from the wrist, slowly curl the weight up as far as you can.

3. Return to the starting position.

4. Continue for your desired number of reps.

5. Flip your hand over, so your palm is facing downward.

6. Moving just from the wrist, slowly curl the weight up as far as you can.

7. Return to the starting position.

8. Continue for your desired number of reps.

9. Switch sides, and complete the same number of reps of both flexion and extension with the other hand.

2. Wrist supination and pronation

1. Start sitting with one arm resting on a sturdy surface with your hand hanging off the edge. Hold a light dumbbell with your palm facing upward.

2. Moving only your lower arm, turn your palm to face downward.

3. Return your palm to an upward position. That’s one rep.

4. Continue for your desired number of reps.

5. Switch sides, and complete the same number of reps with the other hand.

3. Reverse curl

1. Start standing tall, with your feet planted shoulder-width apart, holding a weight in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing toward you.

2. Engage your core and squeeze your arm muscles as you bend your elbows to pull the weights toward your shoulders. Keep your upper arms still at your sides.

3. Slowly and with control, lower the weights back down to the starting position.

4. Continue for your desired number of reps.

How to customize and structure your arm workouts

When you’re building your arm workout plan, try to pick a mix of arm exercises that target all the different muscles in or regions of your arms. This will help you build well-rounded strength. 

Aim to exercise your arms at least twice a week. You can do arm workouts as often as six days a week, as long as you work up to that gradually, according to the NASM.

Try to do 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise. You can start with just one set if you’re new to arm workouts and build up to three to five sets over time, according to the NASM.

Make sure you’re using a heavy enough weight (or household items like water bottles or canned foods). The last couple of reps in each set should feel challenging but still doable with proper form. 

Tips for effective arm workouts for women

To get the most out of your arm exercises, follow a few crucial tips:

• Move slowly and with control.

• Grip your weights tightly so you don’t drop them.

• Don’t hyperextend or lock out your elbows or shoulders.

• Engage your core throughout all the exercises.

• Always warm up before an arm workout with movements like arm circles and shoulder shrugs.

• Cool down and reduce soreness with static arm stretches after a workout.

• Use heavy enough weights and/or do enough reps and sets that you feel challenged. When your usual weights or reps and sets start to feel too easy, it’s time to push yourself a little further so you can continue building strength.

• Always use proper form. This helps you get the most out of each arm workout and prevents injury.

• Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet, including plenty of protein, to fuel arm muscle growth. 

• Include at least one full rest day in every seven days of training to give your body time to repair your muscles. It’s during this downtime that your muscles get bigger and stronger.

A sample arm workout routine for women

Ready to get started? Choose one exercise from each category above. Complete your desired number of sets and reps for each exercise, rest for 30 to 90 seconds, then move on to the next exercise. Continue until you’ve done all four moves. Rest for two minutes, then repeat the entire circuit for a second set (and then a third if you’re feeling strong!).

At least two to three days later, according to the NASM, do the same workout or pick four different arm moves and complete a new circuit.

For example:

Monday

2 sets of 10 reps of:

• Biceps curls

• Push-ups

• Shoulder presses

• Wrist flexions and extensions

Thursday

2 sets of 10 reps of:

• Chin-ups

• Triceps extensions

• Lateral raises

• Reverse curls

Want to take the guesswork out of creating your own arm strength workouts? Check out Hydrow’s guided strength-training routines. Our workout library has lots of arm-focused exercises anyone will enjoy. Plus, the instruction from our elite Athletes will help you challenge yourself safely and effectively as you grow more comfortable with arm workouts. And don’t forget, rowing builds arm strength, too—in fact, it works 86% of your muscles from head to toe!

Learn more about Hydrow’s strength training workouts today!