No Gym, No Problem; Getting a Bicep and Triceps Pump at Home!Updated 11 days ago

No Gym, No Problem; Getting a Bicep and Triceps Pump at Home!

Welcome back to our no-equipment, at-home workout series, “No Gym, No Problem!” As we’ve been showing you across these blog posts, you don’t need a gym full of dumbbells and cables to build lean, strong muscles, including your arms. Whether you’re looking to tone your triceps, create defined biceps, or build powerful, effective forearms, your body weight is all you need to get the job done.

With a bit of creativity, consistency, and persistence, you can effectively train your arms from your living room—no fancy gear required and no excuses —results that you can see in the mirror and use in your daily life!

What’s The Benefit of Training Arms Without Equipment?

While there is nothing inherently wrong with going to the gym to build your biceps and tone your triceps, bodyweight workouts offer you more. Bodyweight arm training does more than build muscle. It improves overall functional strength, can enhance endurance, and increases your body control — without needing a single piece of equipment. On top of that, you can squeeze in a session anytime, anywhere.

Here’s a list of simple, powerful moves that target your arms — including your biceps, triceps, and forearms —from home.

1. Diamond Push-Ups

What do They Target: Triceps (with chest and shoulders as secondary)

How to do it:

• Start in a push-up position.
• Bring your hands under your chest, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
• Lower down, keeping elbows close to your sides, and push back up.

Pro Tip: Keep your core tight to avoid sagging, and ensure your back isn’t arched like a cat’s.

2. Bodyweight Curls (Towel Curl Variation)

Target: Biceps

How to do it:

• Loop a towel or hoodie around a sturdy object (like a doorknob).
• Grasp the towel ends with palms facing up.
• Lean back slightly, then curl your body towards the door using your biceps.

Pro Tip: Too heavy for the door? Create tension with the towel, and curl as you would with weights using slow, isometric biceps contractions while maintaining tension through the movement.

3. Triceps Dips (Using a Chair or Couch)

What Does it Target: Triceps

How to do it:

• Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair or couch.
• Place your hands beside your hips, fingers pointing forward.
• Slide your hips off the edge and lower your body, then press back up.

Pro Tip: Keep elbows pointing straight back, not out to the sides. This will keep you from putting too much pressure on your rotator cuff and ensure you use your triceps for the motion.

4. Plank-Ups

Muscles Targeted: Triceps, shoulders, core

How to do it:

• Start in a forearm plank.
• Push up to a high plank, one arm at a time.
• Lower back down and repeat.

Pro Tip: Alternate the leading arm to work both sides evenly and ensure you count each repetition after the second arm (1,2 – 1; 1,2 – 2; etc)

5. Wall Push-Ups or Incline Push-Ups

Targets: Arms, chest, shoulders

How to do it:

• Stand a few feet from a wall.
• Place your hands shoulder-width apart and perform a push-up against the wall.
• To progress, move to a countertop or lower surface for incline push-ups.

Pro Tip: Focus on controlled movement and full range of motion. This is also a great upper chest exercise!

6. Isometric Arm Squeezes

Targeted Muscles: Biceps + triceps

How to do it:

• Press your palms together before your chest and squeeze as hard as possible.
• Hold for 10–20 seconds, then release. Repeat for multiple reps.

Pro Tip: Engage your upper body for maximum tension, and engage your core to get extra muscle groups engaged and worked.

Tips for Progress

• Increase repetitions or hold the rep longer as you build strength.
• Try supersets — pair two exercises back-to-back with no rest to get cardio in.
• Be consistent — just 15 minutes daily can lead to significant gains.
• Stretch before AND after workouts to reduce risk and improve mobility and recovery.

Can Arms Get a Good Pump at Home?

Arm day doesn’t require a gym at all, actually — just your body and some determination. As you’ve read above, these no-equipment exercises prove you can get strong, defined arms from home without lifting a dumbbell! You only need effort, consistency, good form, and some creative movement.

So, skip the excuses and the gym membership, grab a towel (or just your bodyweight), and start building those arms today, without taking a single step outside. Stay tuned for our next installment of No Gym, No Problem!