Arm Exercises
6 Best Moves for Summertime Arms
From the Million Dollar Body Club - Join Today and Workout to
Win!
 Oh the weather outside is . . . beautiful! Time to
shed those long sleeves for tanks and tees. If that's enough to send you into a
panic, with visions of jiggling arm flab or flapping batwings, fear not. We'll
have you sporting sleeveless fashions with confidence in just a few weeks with
these six classic, no-nonsense arm-sculpting moves.
But before we begin, please know that
if you're currently following one of our fitness programs, you're more than
covered, as they all include upper-body sculpting workouts. If you're between
programs, though, or you just want to zone in on those arms and chisel away,
have your dumbbells or resistance bands handy. Remember—exhale on the
exertion (when you're doing the move), and inhale as you lower the weight or
return to starting position.
 Bicep
curls. We'll start by isolating the muscle in the front of your arms.
Stand with legs shoulder-width apart, abs tight, shoulders squared, and arms at
your side, gripping dumbbells (or band handles), palms facing forward. With
elbows tight against your rib cage, lift the weights (or pull the handles)
until they're at shoulder level, then slowly curl back down, resisting all the
way. Don't swing the weightskeep your movements slow and controlled. Too
hard? Use lighter resistance.
- Triceps
kickbacks. You'll feel the burn on this one. Buh-bye batwings! Using
dumbbells (or a resistance band), bend forward so your torso is parallel to the
floor, tummy tight, and knees slightly bent. Bend your elbows so they're even
with your back. Keeping your arms close to your rib cage, slowly raise the
weights (or band handles) until your arms are straight behind you. Squeeze your
triceps, then lower your hands, returning to starting position. Too
hard? Do one arm at a time, holding on to a chair for support.
- Overhead
press. And now for sleek, sexy shoulders . . . Stand with feet
shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, tummy tight, and chest out. Grip a
dumbbell (or band handle) in each hand at shoulder height, just to the side of
each shoulder, palms facing forward. Extend your arms, pressing the dumbbells
(or band handles) directly overhead, bringing them toward each other, and pause
for a moment, then slowly return to starting position.
- Reverse
curls. Don't neglect your forearms! Especially if you enjoy playing
tennis, throwing a ball, swinging a golf club or a baseball bat, rock climbing,
water skiing, and so on. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, gripping a
dumbbell (or band handle) in each hand, arms hanging in front of you, palms
facing in. Lift the dumbbells (or pull the band handles) up slowly, keeping
elbows close to your rib cage (but not propped on your hip bones for support).
Lower the weights, returning to starting position.
- Dips. You
can put the resistance tools down now and grab a chair. We're targeting the
triceps again, the back of your upper arms. Sit on the edge of your chair with
your hands next to your hips and your legs straight out in front of you. Bring
your hips in front of the chair and slowly lower your body until your arms are
bent no more than 90 degrees. Push back up. Too hard? Bend your legs
and move them closer to your body.
 Push-ups. Cap off the session with this
powerhouse exercise that uses your body's own weight to work your arms,
shoulders, and chest. Form is everything. Start facedown with your hands a
little more than shoulder-width apart and toes on the floor. Your elbows should
be close to your rib cage the whole time and fully extended at the top of the
move. Look forward slightly so your chinnot your noseis pointing down. Keeping
your back straight and tummy tucked in tight, lower your body slowly until your
chest is parallel to the floor, then push up, reversing the motion.
Too hard? Support
your weight with your hands and knees until you build enough upper-body
strength to perform push-ups on your toes. |
How many and how
heavy? If you want arms that are slim and toned and noticeably
defined, use lighter weights so you can do 12 to 15 repetitions before your
muscles tire. Rest, then do another set or two. If it's Popeye arms you're
after, built-up and buff, go with heavier weights that tire your muscles after
just eight reps. Rest, then do another couple of sets.
 And
don't despair if you're working hard and not seeing great results as soon as
you'd like. Keep in mind that to see real definition, you need to reduce
overall body fat. So stick with the cardio and a healthy eating plan while
you're sculpting away. Resistance training is great for boosting your
metabolism when you're trying to lose weightand it'll help keep skin from
sagging when the weight does come off!
|
