I get a lot of requests asking for workouts to help you get lean and toned arms. So here is a great lean arms workout, which will help you tone up without adding too much size/bulk.
I should mention boxing. If you have access to a gym that does boxing sessions, you should try them!
Boxing is a great exercise to tone up your arms without getting bulky, and also helps tone up your core too. And it shouldn’t cause bulkiness even if you are an endomorph body type :)
It’s one of my favourites! And even VS models, like Gigi and Bella Hadid, love it!
Enjoy! :)
HOW TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT
Complete circuit 1 without any rest between exercises.
When you have finished, rest for 1-2 minutes.
Repeat this 3 times.
Move on to circuit 2 and complete all exercises without any rest.
When you have finished, rest for 1-2 minutes.
Repeat this 3 times.
CIRCUIT 1
1. STRAIGHT PUNCHES – 30 SECONDS
2. 12PUSH UPS
3. HIGH PUNCHES – 30 SECONDS
4. 12 TRICEPS DIPS
5. TRIPLE JABS – 30 SECONDS (15 seconds each arm)
6. 12 RENEGADE ROW WITH LIGHT DUMBBELLS
Note: when punching, you can wear ankle weights or hold light dumbells (optional).
To complete this circuit you will need a resistance band.
1. 12 CHESTS FLY WITH RESISTANCE BAND
2. 12 HORIZONTAL WOODCHOP WITH RESISTANCE BAND (each side – see image below)
3. 12 BENT OVER ROW WITH RESISTANCE BAND (or light weights)
4. PLANK – 30-60 SECONDS
If you like this type of training, you will probably enjoy my Lean Legs Program 1 which is designed to help you get lean and toned without causing bulkiness :)
It includes FULL body workouts and includes these type of exercises for your arms too.
For more information on my program to help you get lean and toned, click here.
Rachael is an Australian born certified personal trainer and nutritionist who holds a Bachelor degree in Science.
After struggling for years to find an exercise and diet program that is tailored to women striving for lean and toned body with no bulk she designed her Lean Legs Program. This program is tailored to each body type and focused on helping women get toned but feminine bodies, without getting bulky.
Her mission is to empower women and help them stay in shape in a healthy and balanced way.
34 Responses
It’s really a good exercise and More effective according to their body .so Rachel as made this lean program to million people out there for there convinet.and same way model workout section for free for the people who don’t have money so that is amazing idea .I’m very happy to be a part of this lean program with my favorite Rachel attard.
Hey team Rachael,the push ups in the workout,can it bulk or is there a way to do it without bulking? I’m also following Rachael’s free ebooks workouts(day 1-3),the push ups are amazing. I discovered it’s sculpting my arms…it looks lean but is that normal? Especially the biceps is sticking out slightly,i just wanna be sure I’m doing it right.
These push-up exercises won't bulk up your legs so you have nothing to worry about. Feel free to follow Rachael's other workouts. They are low-impact and designed to not cause any bulkiness at all. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at info@rachaelattard.com
Hello. For a while now I have been considering buying myself a punching/boxing bag. But, will it bulk up my arms? I also gain weight and muscle really really easily and I don’t want that.
Boxing is actually great for toning your arms without making them too muscular!
Rachael always recommends it, feel free to read this blog post hun.
So if you can do boxing, go for it! 20min once or twice per week should do the trick. But of course, make sure that your diet is on point and don’t forget about other cardio. :)
Can we use dumbbells instead for the resistance band exercises? and are 5 lb dumbbells light enough, or are they too heavy and will cause bulk? THank you!
Hello Rachael, first of all thank you for your program, I’m on the second round of 3 steps to lean legs and already loving the transformation☺️ But there is something bothering me. Losing body fat over all can cause decrease on breast size as well and I couldn’t find a specific workout for avoiding this in your blog. Could you please give some advice? How can we increase breast size(but not getting a muscled look-I mean perky and beautiful shape) and what are the targeted exercises for that? Thank you!
hi there
I have your legs workout and find your posts and blogs give great information. I was trying to run which I don’t like at all!! Then I switched to a fast walk. I was also lifting pretty heavy weights. In the past few days I saw where you suggested staying away from squats to avoid bulking up. I was doing those almost every day!
I also do pilates which I really like. A question though, I’m kinda busty , any exercise that will decrease that a bit.
Yes, squats are great for the booty but they activate the quads heavily which leads to bulking up – so there are other booty exercises that don’t bulk up your thighs and give you a perky booty at the same time. :)
As for your bust, since breast tissue is largely made up of fatty materials, losing body fat is the best way to reduce their size – basically, if you are already on the journey of losing some weight, your breast will probably decrease as well.
Hi! My body type is a mesomorph and I’ve realized that my arms tend to bulk easily. I’ve been a ballerina for 11 years and it really helped me in losing weight but as I grew older my body started building up muscle. I don’t have a problem in losing weight but my biggest concern is my body’s tendency to bulk up, especially my arms, whenever I work out. Can you recommend a workout I can do in order to slim down and not bulk up?
I have played badminton Very hardly for 2years it has build muscle , I’m looking very heavy n bulky after that I stopped playing badminton but still that muscle remains same, my lower body is lean n upper body is heavy n muscular
Hi lovely,
Well, the first step is to stop doing whatever is making your arms bulky – in your case, it’s badminton. It will take time for the muscle to decrease, so you need to be patient – after all, you trained very hard for two years, which means you need to be patient with your lovely arms now. Here’s a blog post that might be useful.
I hope this helps! xx
Love,
Tina
Hi rachel,
I was wondering if you used hand weight when you box. Also, I’m a bit nervous to try your course because don’t know if I’m a mesomorph or Endomorph. I have taken your quiz multiple times but it has been both. Do I just train and Diet as a Endomorph to be safe?
Hi lovely,
Using dumbbells for boxing is optional. The ones Rachael uses are 2lbs each. :)
If you find you’re between the mesomorph and endomorph body type, we recommend doing the Endomorph program.
Wishing you best of luck! xx
I really want to try this arm workout, however my arms are already kind of bulky. Would you recommend I take a break from working out my arms to reduce their size, and then begin body-weight training, or can I just jump right into your workouts?
I really love the exercises you’ve chosen, and they work amazing !!! In reply to my comment, can you tell me if squats and/or lunges are OK, and don’t make me bulk, if the number of reps is as high as 300?
So I’ve used resistance bands the whole of last month and did around 300 squats, without weights though. I have become leaner on the whole but my thighs are still kinda bulky (they are thinner but still wobbly)
what do you suggest I should continue doing?
Hi lovely,
Squats and lunges arent recommended because they can make your legs bulky.
Rachael would love to help you as much as she can :) that’s why she has created her Lean Legs program and Lean Legs Training Club.
The program in the eBook is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking. It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body). It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
Hi! I’ve been reading and searching non stop for your tips on lean legs and arms. I hope to soon purchase the program. But I’m trying extremely hard to thin out my rectangular body. I believe “endomorph”? Very wide shoulders match my hips and thick muscular legs. I would get made fun of middle school! ?They just come naturally. But now they hurt and they are largely muscular. I’m running and walking almost everyday. I average 13k steps. And burning over 3500 cal a day. (Says my Fitbit!) What else can I do to reduce size in my quads and calves. Thanks!
I know that reaching your fitness goals is hard! And that you probably have lots of questions about how to get that lean and toned body.
Rachael would love to help you further along your journey :) That’s why she has created her Lean Legs program and the Lean Legs Club, where she’s available to answer ALL of your questions and provide more guidance with the workout program and nutrition.
Being a member of the Club while doing the Lean Legs program will ensure that you get the best possible results as you get a more personalized advice!
And you also have access to a community of like-minded and supportive women to help you too!
If you’re interested in joining,Here is the link to the full program!
For extra support check out the Lean Legs Club here :)
Hi Rachel,
I’m somewhere between a mesomorph and endomorph body type and am struggling to get the lean, shredded arms I’m after.
I’ve started boxing which has made a small difference, but I’d love to know how I should be working out to slim my arms and chisel them out. I tend to bulk at the arms more than lean out whenever I weight train.
I’ve had great success with getting my dream legs (thanks to your lean legs program!) and thought you might know some exercises that would work specifically for my body type in the arms/shoulder area.
Hi lovely, oh that’s great to hear about your legs! I usually find that boxing is the best exercise to tone up your arms without bulking them. Swimming also really helps tone up your arms but you might just need to be careful if you bulk easily. I would continue with your boxing, try body weight upper body exercises to tone without bulking and perhaps give swimming a try. I would also add in some high intensity cardio which will help burn calories, and usually most women start losing weight from the upper body first with this type of exercise xx
Hi rach, loving all your posts & blogs. You’ve really motivated me to mix up my workouts as I get bored easily.
Just a quick question- I keep having issues with my shoulders & have been diagnosed with rounded shoulders from my Physio. She’s given me some exercises to strengthen my rotator cuff & traps, eg seated row. Also mentioned that I need to stretch my chest as its tight & work more on my back? I’ve gone back a few times, as I get shoulder impingements a lot but she hasn’t really helped me out with what else I should do it what exercises I shouldn’t do. Could you give me some general advice? TIA Clare x
Hi Clare, I’m sorry to hear about this! I think your physio is probably better qualified to provide you with this advice. But I would definitely make sure you’re doing plenty of warm up exercises to increase your range of motion for shoulders and chest. Also if you google exercises for rhomboids, you will find lots of good exercises you can do. There’s probably also a lot you can do to help this issue just by fixing your posture – if you sit down a lot at work, make sure you have the proper desk and chair set up. I hope that helps! xx
It’s FREE
It’s really a good exercise and More effective according to their body .so Rachel as made this lean program to million people out there for there convinet.and same way model workout section for free for the people who don’t have money so that is amazing idea .I’m very happy to be a part of this lean program with my favorite Rachel attard.
Hi lovely! Thank you for these amazing words. We greatly appreciate it. We wish you all the best on your fitness journey! <3
Hey team Rachael,the push ups in the workout,can it bulk or is there a way to do it without bulking? I’m also following Rachael’s free ebooks workouts(day 1-3),the push ups are amazing. I discovered it’s sculpting my arms…it looks lean but is that normal? Especially the biceps is sticking out slightly,i just wanna be sure I’m doing it right.
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! <3
These push-up exercises won't bulk up your legs so you have nothing to worry about. Feel free to follow Rachael's other workouts. They are low-impact and designed to not cause any bulkiness at all. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
Hello. For a while now I have been considering buying myself a punching/boxing bag. But, will it bulk up my arms? I also gain weight and muscle really really easily and I don’t want that.
Hi lovely,
Boxing is actually great for toning your arms without making them too muscular!
Rachael always recommends it, feel free to read this blog post hun.
So if you can do boxing, go for it! 20min once or twice per week should do the trick. But of course, make sure that your diet is on point and don’t forget about other cardio. :)
If you have any other questions, feel free to email us at info@rachaelattard.com. xx
Love,
Len
Can we use dumbbells instead for the resistance band exercises? and are 5 lb dumbbells light enough, or are they too heavy and will cause bulk? THank you!
Hello Rachael, first of all thank you for your program, I’m on the second round of 3 steps to lean legs and already loving the transformation☺️ But there is something bothering me. Losing body fat over all can cause decrease on breast size as well and I couldn’t find a specific workout for avoiding this in your blog. Could you please give some advice? How can we increase breast size(but not getting a muscled look-I mean perky and beautiful shape) and what are the targeted exercises for that? Thank you!
Hey lovely!
I am so glad that you are loving Rachael’s program so much! :)
Unfortunately, when you lose weight it happens in all body areas, so you can’t really avoid breasts getting smaller also if it starts happening. :/
Love,
Ana
Hello :)
Is this considered resistance training or HIIT? and as a mesomorph, should I follow the exact reps and set? Thank you!
Hey lovely,
Yes, this circuit is considered to be resistance training :)
Feel free to follow the exact reps and rounds.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! xx
Love,
Marina
hi there
I have your legs workout and find your posts and blogs give great information. I was trying to run which I don’t like at all!! Then I switched to a fast walk. I was also lifting pretty heavy weights. In the past few days I saw where you suggested staying away from squats to avoid bulking up. I was doing those almost every day!
I also do pilates which I really like. A question though, I’m kinda busty , any exercise that will decrease that a bit.
Hi lovely,
Thank you for reaching out!
Yes, squats are great for the booty but they activate the quads heavily which leads to bulking up – so there are other booty exercises that don’t bulk up your thighs and give you a perky booty at the same time. :)
As for your bust, since breast tissue is largely made up of fatty materials, losing body fat is the best way to reduce their size – basically, if you are already on the journey of losing some weight, your breast will probably decrease as well.
I hope this helps! xx
Love,
Tina
Hi! My body type is a mesomorph and I’ve realized that my arms tend to bulk easily. I’ve been a ballerina for 11 years and it really helped me in losing weight but as I grew older my body started building up muscle. I don’t have a problem in losing weight but my biggest concern is my body’s tendency to bulk up, especially my arms, whenever I work out. Can you recommend a workout I can do in order to slim down and not bulk up?
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! It can be a real challenge to tone arms without bulking up!
Take a look at Rachael’s guideline here:https://www.rachaelattard.com/tone-arms-without-bulking/
Here are a few of Rachael’s upper body workouts that will not add bulkiness:
Toned arm and back workout
https://www.rachaelattard.com/toned-back-arms-workout/
Victoria’s Secret arm workout
https://www.rachaelattard.com/victorias-secret-workout-arms/
Hope these resources help! Xx
Hugs,
Maya
I have played badminton Very hardly for 2years it has build muscle , I’m looking very heavy n bulky after that I stopped playing badminton but still that muscle remains same, my lower body is lean n upper body is heavy n muscular
Hi lovely,
Well, the first step is to stop doing whatever is making your arms bulky – in your case, it’s badminton. It will take time for the muscle to decrease, so you need to be patient – after all, you trained very hard for two years, which means you need to be patient with your lovely arms now. Here’s a blog post that might be useful.
I hope this helps! xx
Love,
Tina
Hi rachel,
I was wondering if you used hand weight when you box. Also, I’m a bit nervous to try your course because don’t know if I’m a mesomorph or Endomorph. I have taken your quiz multiple times but it has been both. Do I just train and Diet as a Endomorph to be safe?
Hi lovely,
Using dumbbells for boxing is optional. The ones Rachael uses are 2lbs each. :)
If you find you’re between the mesomorph and endomorph body type, we recommend doing the Endomorph program.
Wishing you best of luck! xx
Love,
Diana
Hi Rachael!!
I really want to try this arm workout, however my arms are already kind of bulky. Would you recommend I take a break from working out my arms to reduce their size, and then begin body-weight training, or can I just jump right into your workouts?
Best,
Rachel
Hi lovely,
These workouts are designed to help you slim down the excess fat and muscle on your arms, so you don’t need to take a break! :) xx
Love,
Diana
I really love the exercises you’ve chosen, and they work amazing !!! In reply to my comment, can you tell me if squats and/or lunges are OK, and don’t make me bulk, if the number of reps is as high as 300?
So I’ve used resistance bands the whole of last month and did around 300 squats, without weights though. I have become leaner on the whole but my thighs are still kinda bulky (they are thinner but still wobbly)
what do you suggest I should continue doing?
Hi lovely,
Squats and lunges arent recommended because they can make your legs bulky.
Rachael would love to help you as much as she can :) that’s why she has created her Lean Legs program and Lean Legs Training Club.
The program in the eBook is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking. It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body). It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs program here:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/lean-legs-program/
For more helpful tips please have a read of these posts:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/lower-body-workout-that-wont-add-bulk/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/inner-outer-thigh-workout/
Love, Lean Legs Club support xx
Hi! I’ve been reading and searching non stop for your tips on lean legs and arms. I hope to soon purchase the program. But I’m trying extremely hard to thin out my rectangular body. I believe “endomorph”? Very wide shoulders match my hips and thick muscular legs. I would get made fun of middle school! ?They just come naturally. But now they hurt and they are largely muscular. I’m running and walking almost everyday. I average 13k steps. And burning over 3500 cal a day. (Says my Fitbit!) What else can I do to reduce size in my quads and calves. Thanks!
Hi lovely,
I know that reaching your fitness goals is hard! And that you probably have lots of questions about how to get that lean and toned body.
Rachael would love to help you further along your journey :) That’s why she has created her Lean Legs program and the Lean Legs Club, where she’s available to answer ALL of your questions and provide more guidance with the workout program and nutrition.
Being a member of the Club while doing the Lean Legs program will ensure that you get the best possible results as you get a more personalized advice!
And you also have access to a community of like-minded and supportive women to help you too!
If you’re interested in joining,Here is the link to the full program!
For extra support check out the Lean Legs Club here :)
You can find more useful info in these posts:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/how-to-get-skinny-legs-endomorph-nutrition-workout-guidelines/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/lean-legs-workout/
https://www.rachaelattard.com/slim-muscular-thighs-skinny-legs/
Love, Lean Legs Club support
xx
Hi Rachel,
I’m somewhere between a mesomorph and endomorph body type and am struggling to get the lean, shredded arms I’m after.
I’ve started boxing which has made a small difference, but I’d love to know how I should be working out to slim my arms and chisel them out. I tend to bulk at the arms more than lean out whenever I weight train.
I’ve had great success with getting my dream legs (thanks to your lean legs program!) and thought you might know some exercises that would work specifically for my body type in the arms/shoulder area.
Keep up the great work!
A xx
Hi lovely, oh that’s great to hear about your legs! I usually find that boxing is the best exercise to tone up your arms without bulking them. Swimming also really helps tone up your arms but you might just need to be careful if you bulk easily. I would continue with your boxing, try body weight upper body exercises to tone without bulking and perhaps give swimming a try. I would also add in some high intensity cardio which will help burn calories, and usually most women start losing weight from the upper body first with this type of exercise xx
Hi rachel, regarding the light weight , is it 4lb of dumbell is considered as light weight?
Hi Fara, yes a 4lb dumbbell would be considered a light weight. But for the renegade row, you could go heavier (up to 10lb) xx
Thanks rach for your advice. I’ll book to see my Physio again Xxoo
Hello Rachael,
When you say “light weights”, what is the maximum weight you are recommending really? Thanks.
Hi Fatima. For this workout, light weights for punching is around 1-2kgs and light weights for renegade row or bent over row is around 5kgs xx
Hi rach, loving all your posts & blogs. You’ve really motivated me to mix up my workouts as I get bored easily.
Just a quick question- I keep having issues with my shoulders & have been diagnosed with rounded shoulders from my Physio. She’s given me some exercises to strengthen my rotator cuff & traps, eg seated row. Also mentioned that I need to stretch my chest as its tight & work more on my back? I’ve gone back a few times, as I get shoulder impingements a lot but she hasn’t really helped me out with what else I should do it what exercises I shouldn’t do. Could you give me some general advice? TIA Clare x
Hi Clare, I’m sorry to hear about this! I think your physio is probably better qualified to provide you with this advice. But I would definitely make sure you’re doing plenty of warm up exercises to increase your range of motion for shoulders and chest. Also if you google exercises for rhomboids, you will find lots of good exercises you can do. There’s probably also a lot you can do to help this issue just by fixing your posture – if you sit down a lot at work, make sure you have the proper desk and chair set up. I hope that helps! xx