Are you embarrassed to show your arms? If so you are not alone. Many of my clients site this as an area of concern. It is a problem which can be easily rectified by spending a few minutes a day toning the muscles of the arms.The particular muscles you need to concentrate on are the biceps and triceps. The biceps being those which run from shoulder to elbow at the front of the arm. The tricep being the opposing muscle which sits at the back of the arm ie the dreaded bingo wing. Toning these muscles will help achieve defined, sculptured arms that are the envy of your friends.
Again as with any toning exercise technique and control are so important. I would advise using light weights of no more than 1.5 kgs as the idea is to define the muscle not build bulk. Light weights are easy to find. Even some supermarkets sell them. Alternatively a couple of small plastic water bottles filled with water will work just as well. To begin with start with a moderate amount of repetitions, gradually increasing over a couple of weeks. You can then increase the intensity by repeating the whole set of exercises.
Tricep dips
No weights are required for this exercise. Simply sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet hip distance. Place your hands shoulder width apart on the floor behind you about 8” away. The fingers should be facing towards the body. Try to keep your back straight throughout and ensure you don’t hunch the shoulders up towards the ears. As you breathe in bend your elbows towards the floor. On the out breathe push back up to the start position. To increase the intensity, place your hands on a small step and keeping your bottom lifted from the floor repeat the exercise in the same way.
Bicep curls
Stand tall with the feet hip distance and the abdominals pulling in. Hold the hand weights keeping the elbows into the waist and the hands facing away from the body. On the out breathe bend the elbows to bring the weights towards the shoulders. On the in breathe take the arms back to the start position. Ensure you don’t arch back whilst doing this exercise.
Arm raises
Still standing. This time on the out breathe you are going to take the arms up to either side, level with your shoulders. Ensure you are tipping the weights slightly forward and keep a tiny bend in the elbows. On the in breathe come back to the start position.
Rotation
Continuing from the above exercise keep the arms out to either side, level with the shoulder. On the out breathe rotate the whole arm forward so that the hand faces the ceiling. On the in breathe rotate the arm back to the start position. This is a very small movement rotating the arm from where it attaches into the shoulder.
Upright row
Whilst holding both weights together just in front of the body, on the out breathe lift both of the weights up towards the chest. The elbows will be pointing towards the ceiling but you must ensure you do not lift your shoulders up towards the ears. On the in breathe take the arms back to the start position.
Press up
As well as working the arms this exercise will also help open you out across the chest. Start In a four point kneeling position with the hands underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips. As you breathe in bend the elbows so that your chest goes towards the floor. On the out breathe push back up to the start position. Whilst doing this exercise ensure you keep the weight over the arms and don’t push your bottom back. Also keep the head in line with your spine as a common mistake is to bend the head back.
As well as keeping the arms toned through exercise dry skin brushing before a shower and also exfoliating the skin on the arms will help smooth out any lumps and bumps. Both will help with lymph drainage and also increase blood circulation in that area.
