Tone Your Arms with Free Weights

Program Description
When most people think of strength training, most people think of lifting free weights. Resistance training with dumbbells is a great way to tone arms; it requires very little space and a minimal investment. Depending on your strength, you will need a set of five, eight or ten pound weights to complete this program. Perform two or three sets of 15 repetitions of each exercise. If you can do more than 15 of any exercise, you need to use more weight.

Actions:
1. Hold an 8-pound weight in each hand. With your palms facing your sides, perform a biceps curl, followed by an overhead press. Lower your arms and repeat.

2. Lay flat on the floor or a bench with the elbows bent at 90 degrees and a weight in each hand. Press the arms straight up in the air until the weights are a couple inches apart. Bend the elbows and repeat.

3. Lay flat on the floor with a weight in each hand, palms facing each other. Lower the arms towards the floor and then bring the arms back together overhead. Bend the elbows until the forearms are parallel to the floor, keeping the upper arms still.

4. Stand upright and hinge at the hip until the upper body is parallel with the floor with a weight in each hand. Bend the elbows bringing the upper arms next to the sides of the body. Straighten the arms and repeat.

5. Stand upright with a 5-pound weight in each hand. Lift the weights in front of you until the hands are at shoulder height. Lower the arms back down to the sides. Lift the arms out to either side until they are extended just below shoulder height. Repeat this pattern.