Shoulder, chest, glutes… and you can’t forget those biceps. When embarking on our fitness journey, there’s no greater flex than toned, sculpted arms that would have Michelle Obama checking for your routine.
It’s safe to say that no workout is complete without hitting your upper body and giving your triceps and biceps a thorough burn. There’s a wide variety of moves to pick from that will deliver the gains you’re putting in the work to achieve. And while it’s often overlooked by thoughts of getting too “bulky,” the right upper-body workouts can shape your overall physique in a way that gives “bawdy” from every angle.
In other words: don’t sleep on arm day.
In fact, this is your sign to have more fun with your upper body days by incorporating new workouts into your routine that can make you feel stronger and build muscle over time. Who says arm day has to only consist of push-ups and bicep curls? Go ahead and mix things up. We’ve put together the best arm-sculpting workouts that you can add to your routine at every stage of your journey.
The Best Arm-Sculpting Workouts Under 3 Minutes
Commit to 10-12 reps each for 3-4 rounds, and not only will your upper body thank you, but you'll be amazed at the results.
DUMBELL BENT-OVER ROW
@_liciaaaa8 Stop what your doing! Did you workout today? #glorilla #tomorrowcardi #fyp #blackgirlsworkout #nike #workoutmotivation #bodypositivity #fitnessfreak #locsoftiktok #tanset #condos #nbapreseason #blackfitnesswomen #munch #cardi
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells in each hand, palms facing your body.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and parallel to the ground.
- Engage your back muscles and pull the dumbbells up towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower the dumbbells back down in a controlled manner, fully extending your arms. This completes one rep.
CACTUS ARMS
@inflowwithalli PAUSE! 3 min arms. #pilatesarms
- Start by standing with your arms extended out to the sides, bending your elbows at a 90-degree angle with palms facing outward.
- From this position, slowly exhale and lower your elbows towards your chest, keeping your shoulders relaxed.
- Inhale as you bring your elbows back up to the starting position, and repeat.
BARBELL BICEP CURL
@moiya.angelle Muscles really are fun ! All I want to do is strong girl stuff 😆😆 #muscles #musclemommy #girlmuscle #fitgirksoftiktok #fitgirltok #fitnessfreak #biceps #bicepscurls #barbellcurl #gymtok #stronggirl #fitgoals #blackgirlmagic #blackgirltiktok
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell upward towards your shoulders by flexing your elbows.
- Gradually lower the barbell back to the starting position while maintaining control.
SKULL CRUSHER
@temilfitness Since i staryed taking teaining upperbody serious, i haven’t stopped flexing #weightloss #weightlosscheck #beforeandafter #upperbodyworkout #fitness #blackfitnesswomen #fyp
- Lie on a bench with a barbell or dumbbells held directly above your chest.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weight towards your forehead by flexing your elbows.
- Extend your arms back up to the starting position, fully engaging your triceps.
TRICEPS KICKBACK
@rhandeezlifts #tricepkickbacks #christianfitness #musclemommy #womenwholift #gymtips #fyp #foryou
- Stand with one foot in front of the other, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palm facing your body.
- Bend your upper body forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and extending your arm fully behind you, straightening your elbow while keeping it close to your body.
- Slowly bring the dumbbell back to the starting position, and repeat.
RENEGADE ROW
@getfitwithqueen The exercise of the day is Renegade Rows! Activate your core and back muscles with this full body exercise! #fitnessfriday #exerciseoftheday #fitnesstips #fitnessroutine #womeninsports #femalecoach #getfitwithme #abchallange #blackownedbusiness
- Start in a high plank position with your hands gripping dumbbells and arms fully extended.
- Pull one dumbbell towards your chest while keeping your core engaged and hips stable.
- Lower the dumbbell back down and repeat the pull with the other arm. Alternate sides for each repetition.
OVERHEAD TRICEPS EXTENSION
@dahotellabi How do you start your arm day? Let’s target the Triceps at @planetfitness 💪 #triceps #upperbodyworkouts #blackgirltiktok #fitgorl #kyfitgorl #contentcreator #fitnessset #armday #armstrength
- Start by holding a dumbbell with both hands positioned in the back of your head.
- Raise the dumbbell above your head, and extend your arms fully.
- Keeping your upper arms close to your head, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Return to the starting position by extending your arms back up overhead. Repeat for desired repetitions.
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Feature image by Vladimir Vladmirov /Getty Images
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image screenshot/ xoNecole YouTube
Egypt Sherrod & Mike Jackson On Love, Business, And Financial Transparency On The First Date
Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson have captivated us on their HGTV show, Married to Real Estate, and podcast Marriage and Money.
Now, they have teamed up with TurboTax to assist small business owners with tax and financial support. The couple met while working in radio, and now they own multiple businesses together. While working with your spouse can have its ups and downs, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Besides the fact that I get to work with the person I love doing what I love to do, right? There's the aspect of our daughters, seeing us work together as a unit and actually doing it successful,” Mike tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy