Remember to achieve toned arms, you need a mixture of compound exercises (exercises that use more than one muscle) and isolation exercise (an exercise that targets a specific muscle.)
The reason for this is because you can use heavier weights on the compounds exercises which will help the shoulders and arms.
Then finish off with isolation exercises where the weight will be lighter but you can specifially target that muscle and finish it off!
1 BENT-OVER DUMBBELL ROWS (DOUBLE OR SINGLE ARMS)
Pick up the dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Push your hips back (knees slightly bent) and hinge your torso forward, so it’s approaching parallel to the floor (A). (Keep your chest “proud” and don’t let your lower back hunch forward.) Begin holding the dumbbells end to end, then pull them up by bending your elbows out to the side (B). You want your shoulder blades to pinch together in the back. Control the weights as you bring them back down to the hanging position, but don’t let your chest collapse in.
2 CHEST-FLY HAND-OFF
Lie on your back, knees bent, arms raised above your chest, holding the dumbbell in one hand (A). Keep your elbows slightly bent and pointed out toward the sides and open them up out to the sides as if you’re hugging a very large tree (B). Raise your arms back up to center and hand the dumbbell off to the other hand. Count each handoff as a rep.
3 SHOULDER CYCLES
Standing with feet hip-width apart, hold a light weight in each hand, close to your sides (A). Raise your arms straight in front of you, so they’re parallel to the floor (hands facing in) (B). Open your arms out to the sides so they are nearly—but not quite—at a 180-degree angle (C). Lower your arms down to the start. Do 6 cycles in this manner, then switch directions so you’re raising arms out to the side first, then closing them in toward center, then lowering down, for another 6 reps.
4 OVERHEAD TRICEP EXTENSIONS
In both hands, grab a heavy-Ish dumbbell and hold it above your head, elbows bent, with your upper arms aligned with your ears (A). Keeping your elbows stationary, extend your forearms straight up so arms are straight above your head (B). Bend your elbows so you’re back in the start position. Too easy? Double up the dumbbells.
5 HALF-KNEELING BICEP CURLS
Kneel down with one knee up and one knee down on the floor. Pick up one of your heavier weights in the hand opposite the “up” knee (A). Starting with your arm straight by your side, curl the dumbbell up through its full range of motion, keeping your elbow “glued” to your side (B). Lower down to the start. Do 12 then switch sides for 12 more.