30 days to toned, shaped, sexy looking arms? If you want better looking, toned arms then stop dreaming about it and get to work with our 30 Day Arms Challenge.
There are many ways we could structure this 30 day arms challenge but any approach, especially regarding the relatively small muscles of the arms, should respect your ability to recover.
Blend this 30 day arms challenge into your overall routine while working out other muscles groups during the week.
Your focus will be the arms so for the following 30 days consider backing off the intensity with your other workouts in order to have the energy and recovery ability to make impressively toned and shaped arms.
The Goal of the 30 Day Arms Challenge
To successfully complete the challenge:
- Set daily goals to push yourself as hard as you can without destroying your muscles.
- The workouts should be challenging but you shouldn’t feel as if a truck hit you the next day.
- Remember to eat and hydrate well.
- Get sufficient rest and you’re well on your way.
With that out of the way, let’s look at the techniques and exercises you’ll be using in the next 30 days.
The 9 Best Arm Toning Exercises
1. Barbell Standing Wide Grip Biceps Curl
Whether you use the EZ bar or the regular barbell, no one can deny the virtue of curls with the bar.
Wide Grip Biceps Curl
2. Dumbbell Hammer Curls
To truly tone and make the arms sexier, you’ll need to put some extra effort into your forearms. For the most part, your forearms are worked by all the other bicep exercises on this list so this exercise will provide a nice finishing movement for your bicep workouts.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
3. Dumbbell Incline Curl
The incline isolates the arms better by taking the shoulders out of the movement pattern. Your biceps also get a greater stretch at the bottom.
Dumbbell Incline Curl
4. Dumbbell Standing One-Arm Curl Over Incline Bench
One-Arm Curl Over Incline Bench
Variations: Dumbbell Alternate Incline Curl.
5. Barbell Close Grip Bench Press
This one is simple in theory but tough in practice. Simply leave only a 3-4 inch gap between your hands and lower the bar to your chest, which is a comfortable position for your elbows.
Close Grip Bench Press
Variations: Smith Machine Incline Bench Press.
6. Cable Pulldown Bicep Curl
Cable Standing Biceps Curl are considered a ‘go to’ exercise for fitness lovers as it effectively isolates the triceps and produces a nice burn in the back of your arms. The rope variation (as opposed to grips and bars) is one of the better variations because the rope allows you to lock your arms out more fully at the bottom of the movement.
Cable Standing Biceps Curl
7. Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
Enjoy while you can because if done properly, this one won’t be easy.
Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
Variations: Cable Tricep Kickback.
8. Dumbbell Standing One Arm Triceps Extension
Hold a dumbbell over your head. Keeping the upper arm locked beside your head, lower the dumbbell so that it arcs down behind your neck. You’ll get a great stretch at both the bottom and the top of this movement.
Dumbbell Standing One Arm Triceps Extension
Variations: Barbell Lying Back of the Head Tricep Extension
9. Tricep Dips
Sit just off a bench with your hands acting as supports behind your hips, feet stretched out in front of you (preferably on another bench). Lower your butt toward the floor so your arms (still on the bench) are at about 90 degrees. Extend through the triceps and push yourself back up. That’s one excruciating rep.
Tricep Dip
Variations: Weighted Tricep Dips, Seated Tricep Dip.
The Arms Workout Method
How can you exercise hard yet stay fresh enough to last 30 days? With a little thought and a dash of innovation there is a way to do it effectively.
- Watch your volume in each workout and alternate tricep and bicep workouts. There will be rest days but you will do well to ensure the remainder of your routine doesn’t interfere with your arm workouts.
- Don’t go to muscular failure too much — maybe just one set per workout. Effort and intensity are what counts and going to failure is just one way of provoking a growth stimulus.
At the end of the day if you are burned out for the next day’s workout or still feeling sore a few days later, you’ve overdone it in terms of intensity/volume. Continue the challenge with a lighter approach and dial up intensity as you progress through the 30 days.
The 30-Day Challenge for Slim and Toned Arms
The focus of the 30 Day Arms Challenge will be to balance triceps and biceps work for an all-round arm workout, which means each workout won’t interfere too much with the next.
[table]|
Day |
Workout |
|
1 |
Barbell Standing Wide Grip Biceps Curl, 1×15-20 reps Close Grip Bench Press, 1×15-20 reps |
|
2 |
Rest |
|
3 |
Tricep Dips, 1x max reps DB Standing One Arm Triceps Extension, 1×10-15 reps (per arm) DB Tricep Kickback, 1×15 reps |
|
4 |
BD Incline Curl, pyramid sets 12, 10 reps (F) DB Hammer Curls, 1×12 reps |
|
5 |
Tricep Dips, 1x max reps DB Standing One Arm Triceps Extension, 1×10-15 (per arm) DB Tricep Kickback, 1×15 reps (F) |
|
6 |
One-Arm Curl Over Incline Bench, pyramid sets 12, 10 reps (F) Cable Pulldown Bicep Curl, 1×12 reps |
|
7 |
Rest |
|
8 |
DB Close Grip Bench Press, 1x max reps DB Tricep Kickback, 2 x 10-15 reps DB Standing One Arm Triceps Extension, 1×15 reps (F) |
|
9 |
Hammer Curls, 2×6-10 reps Dumbbell Incline Curl, pyramid sets 10, 6 reps (F) |
|
10 |
Close Grip Bench Press, 1x max reps DB Tricep Kickback, 2×10-15 reps One Arm Triceps Extension, 1×15 reps (F) |
|
11 |
Barbell Wide Grip Biceps Curl, 2×6-10 reps Incline DB One-Arm Curl Over Incline Bench, pyramid sets 10, 6 reps (F) |
|
12 |
Close Grip Bench Press 1x max reps DB Tricep Kickback 2×10-15 reps One Arm Triceps Extension 1×8 reps (F) |
|
13 |
DB Hammer Curls, pyramid sets 12, 10, 8, 6 reps (F) |
|
14 |
Rest |
|
15 |
Tricep Dips 3 x 8-15 reps DB Standing One Arm Triceps Extension, 1×15 reps Tricep Kickbacks 1×8 reps (F) |
|
16
|
Barbell Standing Wide Grip Biceps Curl,Incline Curl 2×6-10 reps
DB Incline Curl, pyramid sets 10, 6 reps (F) DB Hammer Curls, 1×15 reps |
|
17 |
Tricep Dips, 3×8-15 reps Standing One Arm Triceps Extension, 1×15 reps Tricep Kickbacks, pyramid sets 10, 8 reps (F) |
|
18 |
Barbell Standing Wide Grip Bicep Curl, pyramid sets 12, 10, 6 reps BD Incline Curl, 1 x 20 reps (F) |
|
19 |
Tricep Dips, 3 x 8-15 reps DB Standing One Arm Triceps Extension, pyramid sets 12, 8 reps (F) |
|
20 |
Rest |
|
21 |
Rest |
|
22 |
Standing One-Arm Curl Over Incline Bench, pyramid sets 30, 25, 20 reps Dumbbell Incline Curl, 1×15 reps (F) DB Hammer Curls, 1×10 reps |
|
23 |
Close Grip Bench Press, pyramid sets 30, 25, 20 reps Standing One Arm Triceps Extension 1×10-15 reps Tricep Kickback, 1×15 reps (F) |
|
24 |
Standing Wide Grip Biceps Curl pyramid sets 30, 25, 20 reps DB Incline Curl, 1×15 reps (F) DB Hammer Curls, 1×10 reps |
|
25 |
Close Grip Bench Press, pyramid sets 30, 25, 20 reps DB Tricep Kickbacks, 1×10-15 reps One Arm Triceps Extensios, 1×15 reps (F) |
|
26 |
Rest |
|
27 |
Cable Pulldown Bicep Curl, 2x max sets Barbell Standing Wide Grip Biceps Cur, 1×50 reps |
|
28 |
Tricep Dips, 2x max sets Close grip bench presses, 1×50 |
|
29 |
Standing Wide Grip Biceps Curl, 10×10 reps |
|
30 |
Close Grip Bench Press, 10×10 reps |
Notes:
- (F) = Take the set to muscular failure.
- For the remainder of the sets, use a weight that allows you to squeeze out reps in the range specified with a few reps left in the tank (sets should be hard but don’t push your muscles all the way).
- Unless otherwise stated, use a controlled lifting cadence: 2 seconds up, 4 seconds down.
- Rest between sets: 45-60s depending on fatigue level.
- Pyramid sets: Perform the reps specified for each set; increase the weight each set.
