Ok, so summer’s coming up, and you wanna rock that tank top or sleeveless shirt and show off those guns, am I right? But the gym’s still closed, you’re still stuck at home, and you haven’t bought that blinged-out dumbbell set yet. So what do you do? Sure, you could shell out the moola for an expensive weight set (imagine the shipping costs alone!). But we’ve got a better idea. Would you believe you could get an insane arm workout at home, with no weights at all – just using stuff you’ve already got lying around!

In this edition of our Lean, Mean & Quarantined series, we’re taking you through the best at-home arm exercises, no equipment required. All you’ll need are some handy household items and the will to get those guns blazing! Lock and load, here we go!

Tricep Dips

One of the most effective arm exercises you can do at home is the mighty tricep dip. Using just your bodyweight, this exercise really targets your triceps in a way you’ll definitely be feeling in the morning. 

What you’ll need: Couch

• Sit on the floor, with your back against a couch, legs straight in front of you
• Place your hands behind you on the couch cushion, palms down, fingers facing forward
• Keeping your elbows in, lift yourself up, focusing the movement on your tricep area
• Return to starting position
• Repeat for 3 sets of 7 reps

Skull Crushers

Don’t be afraid of the name, the second tricep exercise in this list is a simple and beautiful one that you can do right in your living room. Just find a comfy, carpeted spot, or just lay on a yoga mat.

What you’ll need: Bag of rice

• Laying flat on the floor, pick up your bag of rice and hold it above your head
• Keeping your elbows in, lower the weight down to your forehead, without making contact
• Raise the weight back up again to starting position
• Repeat 10 times for 3 sets
• If the weight is too heavy for you, try a gallon of liquid, if it’s too light, just use a 5 gallon jug of water

Inverted Row

This is a fun one. We’re reworking the classic inverted row (which usually requires a towering Smith machine at the gym) into a bare-bones yet just as effective workout, with virtually no equipment. 

What you’ll need: Bedsheet, door

• Tie a large knot at the end of a sheet
• Place the knot behind a heavy door in your house, and close it
• Standing with your feet together, grasp the sheet in front of you with both hands at chest height
• Lean backward until your arms are straight
• Pull yourself up to starting position and repeat the motion for 3 sets of 10
• For a harder workout, grasp sheet with hands at hip height

Towel Bicep Curl

This one is so surprisingly simple and amazingly effective, you’ll wish you’d found it sooner! This isometric exercise utilizes your biceps perfectly while boosting your balance and core strength to boot. 

What you’ll need: Large towel

• Standing flat on the floor, lift one knee 
• Slide a towel beneath your knee, holding both ends with your hands
• Lift up with both hands, as you gradually increase the downward motion with your leg
• Do for 10 reps, switch to other leg and repeat

Grip & Forearm Lift

Here comes a doozy. This powerhouse exercise perfectly isolates both your forearms and your grip. Without even that much movement, you’ll be shocked at how effective this is, and you’ll be glad this is the close to your at-home arm workout. 

What you’ll need: Chair, carpeted surface or yoga mat

• Lay face-down on the floor, arms extended in front of you
• Grasp the front legs of a chair with your hands
• Keeping your elbows on the floor and your head lifted slightly, raise the front two legs up around 2-3 inches
• Hold the chair in this position for 5 seconds, return to the floor
• Repeat for 5 sets
• For a harder challenge, lift the entire chair during the exercise. 

Well, there you go! You’re ready to get armed and dangerous from the comfort of your living room. And when you’re ready to take things up a notch, sign up for a 7-Day Free Trial with Studio SWEAT onDemand. Our huge library of streaming workouts gives you everything you need to get and stay fit from home. Whether you’re looking for full-body workouts, strength training, or cardio blasts, we give you the best group fitness classes, available on any device, any time. So ready that tank top, because when the sun comes out, the guns come out!