Wherever you are on your fitness journey, if your aim is to have a strong, toned physique, it is important to include upper body exercises; particularly bicep and tricep exercises. 

This guide will help eliminate any worries you have about growing bulky arms and allow you to expand your strength training from only lower body and core to full body training. 

We will explore the best bicep and tricep exercises for women to help achieve toned and lean arms that will also improve your overall strength and help boost your confidence.

The Importance of Bicep & Tricep Workouts for Women

Before we get into the exercises, we will dive into the importance of working out the bicep and tricep muscles. These two muscles play an important part in everyday life including lifting, carrying and pushing. Additionally, strengthening these muscles can improve posture, make day-to-day activities feel easier and reduce the risk of injury by providing you with a strong upper body. So, let’s begin this fitness journey for strong and toned arms.

Bicep Exercises For Women

Bicep Curls

• Grab a pair of dumbbells of a weight of your choosing and hold one in each hand with the palms of your hands facing forward.

• Keeping your back straight, lift the dumbbells up towards your chest with a bend at your elbow.

• Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

Hammer Curls

• Grab a pair of dumbbells of a weight of your choosing and hold one in each hand with the palms of your hands facing inwards at your body.

• Keep your elbows close to your body and lift the dumbbells towards your chest. 

• Slowly lower the dumbbells down to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

Push Ups

• Start by getting into the plank position with your hands placed shoulder-width apart.

• By bending your elbows, lower your body towards the ground.

• Push your body back up to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

Tricep Exercises For Women

Tricep Dips

• First, find yourself a stable flat surface, like a chair or a bench.

• Facing away from the surface, place your palms behind you on the chair or bench facing downwards with your fingers facing towards your body.

• Extend your legs with your heels touching the ground and about hip-width apart.

• Lower your body towards the ground until your elbows hit a 90 degree angle.

• Push yourself back up to the starting position with your arms just short of straight and repeat the exercise.

Overhead Tricep Extensions

• Grab a dumbbell of the weight of your choosing.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the inner side of the dumbbell.

• Keeping a straight back, lift the dumbbell above your head with your palms facing the ceiling and your arms are extended.

• Lower the dumbbell down as far as you can behind your head, only moving your forearms by bending your elbows.

• Lift the dumbbell back up to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

Tricep Kickbacks

• Find a flat surface, like a bench and grab a dumbbell of the weight of your choosing.

• Hold the dumbbell in one hand with the same foot flat on the floor next to the bench. Rest your opposite hand and knee on the bench to allow your body to be leaning forward.

• Keep your upper arm close and in line with your torso with your elbow bend at a 90 degree angle.

• Extend your arm behind you with the dumbbell until it is straight.

• Slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

Top Tips for Effective Bicep and Tricep Workouts for Females

• Form: Ensuring the correct form is important for not only benefiting from the exercises but also to help reduce the risk of injury.

• Consistency: Consistency is fundamental to seeing results. It is key to maintain your workout routine and slowly build up the weights and intensity once you are experienced and satisfied with the exercises.

• Hydration: Don’t forget to keep hydrated before, during and after exercise to maintain normal muscle function, performance levels and to aid recovery.

• Nutrition: Ensure you’re eating a balanced diet including protein, healthy fats, vegetables and carbohydrates. It is important to fuel your body with a balanced diet to give you energy and optimise muscle growth.

• Rest: It is often forgotten that rest is very important for muscle recovery and growth. Ensure you give your body time to recover both during your exercise sets and days you workout.

Including bicep and tricep workouts into your fitness plan is important for women who are looking to achieve overall strength and a balanced physique. These bicep and tricep exercises will help provide a toned appearance, but also improve your overall strength and performance, making daily tasks feel easier. Don’t forget the importance of staying hydrated and keeping a balanced diet to maintain muscle growth and function. As you continue your fitness journey, you will begin to feel stronger, more confident and see those toned results.

Tone With Village Gym

Working out from home is a great way to start a fitness journey, but why not exploit the high-end fitness equipment at your local Village Gym for your workout routine? We have a range of machines designed to help you improve both the biceps and triceps that go beyond dumbbells. Our resident personal trainers are also more than happy to assist with your routine and help you achieve your fitness goals.

Find your nearest Village Gym today!