I took a poll on my Instagram story to see if people wanted to see an upper body or lower body workout video, and upper body won! So here are two videos for arm exercises! You can do these with or without weights - if you aren’t using weights, just do more repetitions until you really feel it!
For the first one, start with your arms straight out in a T with your palms up. Then pull your elbows back behind your torso. Extend your arms again and this time curl your weights in to your shoulders for a bicep curl. Keep your elbows where they are and just move from your forearms. Repeat! This works both biceps and shoulders, so make sure you choose a weight that is challenging but with which you can do a good amount of repetitions for both muscles. This is a similar exercise to my Multi-Muscle Arm Workout, so check that one out too! That video adds in more upper back and shoulder work, so it's a great all-around upper body exercise!
The second exercise works both shoulders and upper back. Punch your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height with palms down. Pull your elbows straight back, maintaining the height and keeping your shoulders down and back. Focus on your upper back as if you were squeezing something between your shoulder blades - maybe you’re squeezing a lemon to make lemonade on a beautiful summer day? Use your imagination! Then punch your arms back out and repeat. Be sure to keep your core engaged and still so all the work comes from your shoulders and back.
Also now that I watch this, I realize my left arm was much lower than my right, oops! My arms were tired after barre class so I am not a great example, but try to keep both arms at shoulder height the whole time!