# What's the best way to tone my upper arms without buying anything? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125 "2010-07-18T14:56:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/1 "2010-07-18T14:56:59Z")
Female, early thirties, reasonably fit but never tried to tone upper arms before. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/2 "2010-07-18T15:02:17Z")
Pushups. Take 2 chairs, lay a broomstick across the seats, lay down underneath and do pullups(keep body straight if you can). ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/3 "2010-07-18T15:11:38Z")
If focusing on upper arms, you’ll want your hands at shoulder-width during push-ups and slightly narrower than should-width during pull-ups. In addition, check out the [bench dip](http://www.shapefit.com/triceps-exercises-bench-dips.html). ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/4 "2010-07-18T15:14:05Z")
Jack LaLanne would have you use various cans of food. Works for him he’s still going at 95. you could also make adjustable weights with a can/jar/bag of stones. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/5 "2010-07-18T15:32:58Z")
> [@fubbleskag](#): > > In addition, check out the [bench dip](http://www.shapefit.com/triceps-exercises-bench-dips.html). I would like to echo the bench dip. Assuming that it’s the shwabbly back bit of your arm that most women seem to develop in their 30s regardless of fitness, this dip will whip them into shape quick. You don’t need a bench either - use a kitchen chair or a stool or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/6 "2010-07-18T15:38:27Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > You don’t need a bench either - use a kitchen chair or a stool or whatever. Careful, though! Stools and chairs are easier to tip over/slide than you’d think. Don’t hurt yourself. Brace it against something. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/7 "2010-07-18T15:54:36Z")
Pull ups. You can do them from anything you can hang from without breaking it. If you can’t do a full bodyweight pull up, you can do modified versions like **runner pat** mentioned with a broomstick and chairs, or use kiddy bars at the park, anything that allows you to leave part of your body on the ground the whole time. When I was getting back in shape and couldn’t do full bodyweight pull ups, I used a low bar. I’d start from a kneeling position on my knees and push a little to get me over the bar. I could put some leg strength into the whole movement as an assist, but since I was pushing from a position that didn’t allow me to stand normally I wasn’t tempted to use more strength than necessary to perform the movement. I’d push to get over the bar and then do full body weight on the negative part of the movement; returning to the hang position. The closer you are to vertical, the better. Eventually you can work up to full pull ups. Yes, even women can do multiple pull ups. I knew a girl when I was rock climbing who could do one-arm pull ups. She still looked like a girl. A hot girl. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/8 "2010-07-18T16:07:17Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > I would like to echo the bench dip. Assuming that it’s the shwabbly back bit of your arm that most women seem to develop in their 30s regardless of fitness, this dip will whip them into shape quick. > > You don’t need a bench either - use a kitchen chair or a stool or whatever. Just tried. Effin’ ouch! Those are hard. Looked much easier in the linked demo. :o Will probably work in the long run, though. Thanks for that and everyone else’s advice. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/9 "2010-07-18T16:42:05Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > Jack LaLanne would have you use various cans of food. Works for him he’s still going at 95. Yeah, but you’d also have to harness the awesome power of juice, and we all know how hard it is to get fresh juice everyday! Someone should fix that problem… ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/10 "2010-07-18T17:56:06Z")
You can even do bicep curls on the cheap. Get old milk cartons. Then fill it with sand. Each day add a bit more sand to the milk carton. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-tone-my-upper-arms-without-buying-anything/547125/11 "2010-07-18T19:18:57Z")
2 and 3 liter water or soda bottles weigh ~4.5 and 6.5 pounds. With a little tape to fashion a grip/handle thingy you’ve got some decent dumbells.