In this pilates for arms workout, you’ll engage the muscles of the arms in a low-impact way. You’ll tone your biceps, triceps, shoulders, and forearms, and naturally improve your posture by building upper body strength. While a few pieces of equipment will be used, equipment-free modifications are provided for each exercise.
What is pilates?
Pilates is a movement/exercise pedagogy and practice developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. Joseph was said to have suffered from various ailments as a child and was determined to find a movement practice that would help restore and strengthen his body.
As he grew older, he worked in various movement modalities, and during the World War, assisted patients who could no longer walk. It is then he started refining the movements he created and inspiration for the pilates apparatuses took place.
After a move to New York City, his teachings became especially popular within the dance community and took on the name of contrology. The thought behind the name is the same backbone of modern-day pilates: controlled movements through thoughtful engagement.
Joseph Pilates created an entire movement vocabulary that would target the entire body. While this pilates for arms exercises focus on your lower half, there’s so much more to the world of pilates.
What is pilates for arms/pilates-inspired?
These pilates for arms exercises draw on the many foundational pilates principles of:
- Breath
- Concentration
- Centering
- Control
- Precision
- Flow
All of these principles align with the movement philosophy here at Life by Elaia, with special emphasis on breath. From breath, all movement flows.
Some of these exercises will borrow from these ideas, using precise, controlled movements to target different areas of the arm. Others will be direct translations from pilates arm exercises, such as draw the sword and arm circles.
What muscles will you condition in these pilates for arms exercises?
Biceps: Your biceps, which lay on the front part of your upper arm will be worked directly and as a stabilizer throughout various exercises.
Triceps: You’ll work your triceps through tricep extension and dips. they’ll also contribute as stabilizers in various exercises.
Shoulders: The deltoids will find engagement throughout nearly every pilates for arms exercise.
Forearms: While we won’t directly target the forearms, they’ll be engaged especially when holding onto the band.
bonus: back + side body + core
If you’re looking for more information on each of these muscles, head over this this full guide on upper body muscles and anatomy.
Will you need equipment for this workout?
The goal of this workout guide was to keep as many movements equipment-free as possible. However, with inspiration coming from the reformer straps, some exercises do utilize a resistance band. If you have access to both a bigger loop band and smaller loop band, grab those. A few exercises can also be modified to use small weights. Otherwise, you can complete the exercises without equipment.
Why choose a low-impact workout?
All of these pilates for arms exercises (and pilates exercises in general) are considered low-impact movements. Why is pilates low-impact? And why would you choose a low-impact workout you might ask?
1. Easy on joints
Pilates, and these pilates for arms exercises are low-impact because they are gentle on your joints. Many of these exercises are non-weight bearing, which means there is no additional force from the weight of your body.
Also, because these movements utilize micro-movements that focus on stability through a mobile range of motion, you’re not incurring extra force like you would from a running or HIIT workout.
Best yet, because pilates focuses on stability through a range of motion, you get the benefit of making small adjustments to find correct posture and alignment. That way you’re increasing your biomechanics and movement awareness without creating extra stress on your joints. Then, when you’re ready for a higher-impact workout, you’ve already trained yourself to utilize proper biomechanics!
2. Injury Reduction
As noted, these pilates for arms exercises are easier on your joints, which inherently reduces your potential for injury. Smooth, controlled movements reduces strain on connective tissues such as your tendons and ligaments. Therefore, it’s a safe option for those who are injury-prone, recovering from an injury, or those who are trying to avid injury (um, all of us!).
3. Emphasis on Core Stability and Strength
Pilates emphasizes movement that stems from the core, encouraging you to find stability through your midline before moving dynamically. This attention crafts a stronger core, of course, but also utilizes movements that are grounded in stabilization. By nature, these exercises are lower-impact and easier on your joints.
4. Custom Intensity
This is perhaps one of the most exciting things about the pilates repertoire. No matter where you are in your journey, you have the ability to modify in complexity or simplicity depending on where you are in your movement journey.
As you work through the exercises below, you get to choose the intensity of the movement. For some pilates for arms exercises, you’ll be able to level up, and in others, you can level down. Wherever you are in your movement journey, know that there’s a place for you in the exercises below!
Pilates for arms exercises
1. Platter With Band Around Forearms
How to: Start standing with your legs hip-distance apart. Loop a mini-band (or loop a longer band around several times) around your forearms, with the forearms a few inches in front of your ribcage. Keeping the elbows close to your ribcage, glide your forearms backwards, just behind your back. Repeat this motion, going back and forth.
Modifications:
- Level up: choose a heavier band
- Level down: ditch the band entirely and practice the movement
Reps/Sets: 45 seconds, 3x each.
Notes:
- Keep the forearms and elbows close to the body, keeping the scapulae pointing downward
- Actively press the shoulders down and keep your neck long
2. Arm Circles Forward And Backward
How to: Begin with your arms directly to either side of you with the arms straight. (If you are joint lax in your elbows, maintain a small “bend” at the joint). Circle the arms forward, and then repeat backwards.
Modifications:
- Level up: grab a dumbbell for each hand to increase the difficulty here.
Reps/Sets: 30 seconds each side, 2x each.
Notes:
- Keep the neck long, shoulders and ears pulling in opposition
- Sense your scapula and really focus on your fingertip to scapula connection. How does the movement change as you use the scapula as the impetus for movement? What about the fingertips?
3. In N Out
How to: For this series, you will begin with your arms out to your side. Here’s the movement: bend your elbow to bring your hand in towards your chest, back out to the side, and with a straight arm up to the sky and back. You’ll do this motion 16 times each side (R, L) and then with both hands together. Then, 8 times each side and together. Then 4 times, 2 times, and 1x twice each way.
Reps/Sets: All in one fluid sequence, you’ll do:
- 16x R, L, both arms
- 8x R, L, both arms
- 4x R, L, both arms
- 2x R, L, both arms
- 1x twice R, L, both arms
Notes: Keep your head and neck long and don’t let your arms droop as they get tired!
4. Tricep Extension with Band
How to: Loop your long (lighter) resistance band to something either on the ground or up to 1 1/2 feet off the ground. Your couch leg is perfect for this. With the resistance band looped around one wrist in front of you, stand a few feet away from the base of the band. Now, you’ll press your arm backwards in space, keeping your arm straight the entire time.
Modifications:
- If you don’t have a band or would like to reduce the intensity, you can do this motion without a band entirely
- Another option is to do pulses, where you keep your arm behind you and pulse back
Reps/Sets: 10x each side, 3 sets
Notes:
- Keep your arm extended, with a micro bend at the elbow joint.
- Strongly contract your tricep to make sure you’re targeting the correct musculature
- If you’d like, you can take a lunge with the opposite foot
5. Tricep Pull Back
How to: Starting the same way you did for the tricep extension, loop your band onto an anchor. Just as with the tricep extension, stand a few feet away from your band’s anchor. Grabbing onto your band, start with your elbow flexed and your hand at your chest. Now, extend the arm backwards, strongly flexing the tricep.
Modifications:
- These too can be done without a band, and are best performed in a lunge position.
Reps/Sets: 10x each side, 3 sets
Notes:
- Remember to keep breathing! Inhale as you flex the elbow and exhale as you extend.
6. Full Arm Circle
How to: In this motion, you will make full circles with your arms in both directions. This doubles as a pilates for arm exercise and as a stabilizer for the core.
Modifications:
- If you have a foam roller available, take these circles with your back lying flush to the roller
- For more core stabilization but not as intense as the foam roller, try this on a bench
Reps/Sets: 10 circles in each direction.
Notes:
- This movement requires mindful connection and a slow, controlled circle. It isn’t about how many circles you can do or how quickly, what’s important is stability maintained in the spine as you carve your arms through spine.
- As always, keep your spine and neck leg and lightly press your ribcage into the ground below you.
7. Seated Tricep Dips
How to: You’ll start this movement in a crab position. From here, you’ll micro dip your body down, just touching your bum to the ground as you bend your elbows. Then, straighten and extend, engaging the triceps as you lift your body up.
Modifications:
- If you have a bench (or sturdy coffee table 😉 available, you can level up by making these full tricep dips
Reps/Sets: 8x, 2 sets.
Notes:
- Actively press your shoulders down as you extend through the elbows. Be mindful to not creep your shoulders ups to your ears!
- Actively engage your core to support this motion
- Press your feet and fingertips into the ground.
8. Tabletop Arm Pulse
How to: Start in a tabletop position with your arm reaching out to the side. Just passing the 180 degree angle, pulse your arm up towards the sky.
Modifications:
- If you’d like to make this non-weight-bearing, you can do this motion from standing. You’ll have a different orientation to gravity, but you’ll still pulse the arms backwards in space.
- For a major level up, draw your knees off the ground as you pulse. To start, you can try to lift just one knee at a time.
Reps/Sets: 30 seconds each side, 2x each
Notes:
- Reach your spine in opposition to engage and stabilize your core. This will also help engage the correct musculature of the shoulder and arms
9. Back Extension / Superwoman Lift
How to: Start prone, laying on your tummy with legs and arms reached out in opposition. There’s a few important sequencing that happens before you reach your arms up towards the sky. First, drive your pelvis and legs into the ground. Next, knit your ribcage in and bring your belly button towards your spine. With this engagement, start to reach the head and arms out and up towards the sky, strongly engaging your back and arms.
Modifications:
- Level up by turning this into a full superwoman. You’ll lift your legs up at the same time you lift your arms.
Reps/Sets: 5 slow lifts, 3x.
Notes:
- Engaging your core is absolutely essential here to ensure you’re engaging the correct musculature and supporting your spine. One way to check is to make sure your stomach isn’t pressing into the ground and is instead drawing in towards your spine.
- Actively draw your scapula down your back.
- Reach out before you reach up towards the sky.
10. Forearm Pushups
How to: Begin your forearm pushups in a down dog. From here, you’ll bend at the elbow joint to tap your forearms to the floor and then push the floor away to come back up to a down dog. This pilates for arm exercise requires a lot of core stabilization as you resist the force of gravity in this inverted position.
Modifications:
- Level down: Hold a forearm plank and actively push your forearms into the ground
- Level up: Take a 3-legged dog for the forearm pushup
Reps/Sets:
- 8 pushups, 2 sets
Notes:
- Keep your neck long and actively pull your shoulders away from your arms
- In your down dog position, you should feel equal opposition pushing the ground away with your arms and legs. This is a true triangle position, with your upper and lower halves equally supporting.
11. Full Twist
How to: In this pilates for arms exercise, you’ll equally engage the back side of your arms and shoulders and your obliques. Prepare by getting your long resistance band anchored to your couch or another object. With your arms both holding the band and crossed over your body, you’ll pull the band diagonally up towards the sky, making half of an X. Slowly lower and repeat.
Modifications:
- If you don’t have access to a resistance band, but do have access to a light-weight dumbbell, you can swap out the band for the weight.
Reps/Sets: 8x, 2 sets each side.
Notes:
- Keep your spine long and lengthened, actively making space in between each vertebrate as you twist.
- The lower is just as important as the extension upwards. Keep both directions steady and controlled.
12. Draw The Sword
How to: This traditional reformer exercise has been modified to use a long resistance band to help you shape and tone your muscles at home! As with the previous twist exercise, you’ll anchor your resistance band to your couch leg of furniture. Then, with one hand holding onto the band and your arm crossed in front of your pelvis, you’ll pull the band diagonally up across the body.
Modifications: If you have a light-weight dumbbell, you can utilize the weight instead of a resistance band. Otherwise, you can move through this exercise without any equipment.
Reps/Sets: 8x, 3 sets each side
Notes:
- Keep your shoulders and chest square in front of you
- Pay attention to any muscles trying to take over this exercise, and stabilize your core to ensure your obliques and arms are performing the action
- Notice if you’re gripping your hip flexors, jaw, or any other region of your body to compensate.