Arm Toning Exercises for Women

Arm toning exercises for women tend to focus on shaping muscles rather than bulking up biceps. Most women's arm exercises are created to help tighten loose underarms, sculpt shoulders and define biceps.

When it comes to women and arm exercises, it's all about slimming, sculpting and streamlining. The most effective way to perform arm exercises is to lightly stretch your arms before the activity and give them a deep stretch after finishing. This helps prepare and relax the muscles to prevent pain. It also helps stretch the actual muscle tissue to create lean and sculpted results instead of bulky results.

Push-Ups
Old-fashioned push-ups remain among the best overall arm toning exercises you can do at home. The activity works your arms, upper back and upper chest muscles. If your hands are placed straight, you're focusing slightly more on your biceps. If you turn your hands 90 degrees with your fingers facing in, you're focusing slightly more on your triceps. Push-ups can accommodate every fitness level. You can start by pushing-up from the knees, then the toes and finally with one arm.

To perform a "girl" push-up, kneel on the ground and place your hands on the floor, about shoulder width apart. Keep your neck, back, butt and hips straight so that your arms, shoulders and knees are the only moving parts. Bend your arms to lower your body towards the ground. When your nose is about to hit the floor, stop and raise your body to the starting position. Repeat the process as many times as possible. When you're arms grow strong enough, straighten your legs to balance your weight on your toes and arms.

Weighted Bicep Twists
Weighted bicep twists are a combination between curls and lifts. Pick cans of food or dumbbells that are slightly lighter than what you would use for normal bicep curls. Place a weight in each hand and stand with your feet spaced shoulder-width apart. Straighten your back, stand up tall, drop your shoulders and place your arms straight against your sides with your fingers pointing forward.

Once you're in the proper bicep twist stance, bend your elbows and bring the weights in your hands to your shoulders in a curl. Keep your upper arms flat against your sides and restrict movement to your lower arms only. Keep the weights up and turn your hands so that your fingers face inward. Use your upper arms to raise the weights above your head. Lower the weights to the curl position, turn your fingers and lower your forearms to bring the weights down to your sides again. Repeat process as many times as possible.

Weighted Tricep Curls
A weighted tricep curl is a great toning exercise to help get rid of saggy underarms. You want to be careful picking the amount of weight to use, though. Most people's triceps are much weaker than their biceps, and you want to start with a very light weight until your familiar with the exercise and your strength level.

Hold a light weight in one hand and raise your arms straight into the air. Bend your elbows until your hands touch your back, keeping your upper arms raised and flat against your head. Clasp the single weight with both hands and slowly straighten your elbows until your arms are vertical in the air again. Slowly bend your elbows until your hands and the weight touch your back. Repeat process as many times as possible.