5 Exercises To Help You Build Strong Arms

With the mention of strong arms, the image of well chiselled biceps and equipment like dumbbells and barbells flood the mind. While many upper-body exercises involve equipment and gym training,arm exercises without weights are a solid way to strengthen your muscles too. If you really want to work your arms out to make them stronger but aren’t sure about taking up a gym membership or lifting heavy equipment, you can do it at home just as well.

The weight of your body is an equipment in its own right, although, it is to be noted that arm exercises without weights are only going to be able to target certain areas, primarily the tops of the shoulders (the deltoids) and the triceps. Nonetheless, these exercises are definitely useful for hitting some key muscle groups when you don't have access to equipment.

Here are 5 such exercises which can be done at home. These workouts not only strengthen your arms but also engage your core and work on them as well:

* Plank Tap

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.Tap your right hand to your left shoulder while engaging your core and glutes to keep your hips as still as possible.Do the same thing with your left hand to right shoulder to complete rep 1. Continue, alternating sides. If you find this difficult to do, you can ease it up a little. Try separating your legs a little more and continue.

* Side Plank

Lie on your right side with your right hand directly underneath your right shoulder. Extend your legs and stack your left foot on top of your right, and then squeeze your abs and glutes to lift your hips off the floor. Extend your left hand straight up toward the ceiling. Hold for as long as you can. Now, repeat the same on the other side.

* Forearm Plank Reach out

Start in a forearm plank position, with your elbows directly under your shoulders, hands facing forward so your forearms are parallel, core engaged, hips level, and legs extended straight behind you.From this position, reach your right hand forward and tap the floor in front of you. Return your right hand to your starting position, and then reach forward with your left hand to tap the floor in front of you.Continue to alternate sides as you focus on keeping your hips steady throughout.If this exercise feels too challenging, take your feet wider then hip-width apart. The wider your feet, the easier the move should be.

* Plank Up Down

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 to complete 1 rep. As you move, keep your hips as still as possible. If it feels difficult to begin with, try widening your legs a little more

* Downward Dog to Push Up

Start in a downward dog position. Start from an all-fours position with wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Engage your core, lift your knees, and straighten both legs as your head drops naturally between your biceps and you come into an inverted V-shape. In downward dog, your arms and back should be straight and your hips pointed up to the ceiling. Your heels do not need to touch the floor, but you should feel a nice stretch in the back of your legs.From this position, lift your right hand and reach back to tap your left toes. Allow your torso to naturally rotate open so you can tap your toes. If you can't reach your toes, tap your shin or knee.Return to downward dog and roll forward into a high plankby gently lowering your knees to the floor. From your high plankdo a push-up by bending both arms at the elbows and lowering your chest toward the floor in a smooth movement.Push back up to return to your plank, then pike your hips to return to your downward dog. Now lift your left hand and tap your right toes.After you've completed the toe tap, roll forward into a plank and do another push-up.Continue your downward dog, to toe tap, to push-up progression.