Monday, June 25, 2007

Exercise Tip # 2 Arms (Biceps)

Statements, complaints, questions I hear often sound like I don't like the way my arms look, or how do I lose the fat on my arms or what do I do about this hanging off my arms? Well to the second question I have to say there is, unfortunately, no spot training. In order to lose fat/ weight you must increase muscle mass and expend more calories than you consume. We all have areas of our bodies that seem to gain fat faster than others or retain it longer as we watch the rest of our body transform we seem to have this one area that is harder to "get". This will stand true no matter whether that area is your thighs, arms, stomach, butt, back etc. But you can build muscle in that area while you decrease your overall fat ratio.

So arms, women in particular seem to find this area difficult for many reasons. Some of them being they simply don't work them and if they do they tend to stay with a low weight which does not challenge them or aid in muscle building. Behind this is often the fear of becoming "big" and also just not really knowing what to do. So first things, first only 1% of the female population has enough testosterone to get "big" so scratch that and I don't want to discuss it further it's a myth and I'm tired of it, really I am. Well I'll say one more thing if it appears your arms are getting bigger but not more defined, you have to make sure you're losing fat i.e. do your cardio. The muscle will grow, but not show because it is underneath a layer of fat.

The other thing I want to address is you have to 1) work your arms give them some time not just 3 minutes at the end of your workout. You have to put in the time, 10 -15 mins to receive the results/rewards 2) I hate to see women using 3 and 5 lb weight and never moving up from that #. We are stronger than that period I mean heck our purses weigh more than that and if you're a mother ...You get my drift. One more thing you will get sore but you'll great in that sleeveless shirt, dress, tank top...it's worth it!
So without further ado here are some tips to work your arms into your workouts and some routines to pump it out and get great looking, sculpted but not masculine arms. Personally I find working my biceps treacherously boring so I include them in my lunges, my squats etc. Also compund movements burn more calories and cut down your workout time Bonus!
So add these into your workout
1) Stationary lunges into bicep curls holding 8 or 10 lbs weights ( you can start lower depending on your strength level but when it gets easy move up in weight) do 10 lunges on each side with a curl for each totaling 20 bicep curls
2) Squats into bicep curls 8-10lbs, do 10 to 15 reps
3) Squats into hammer curls holding 8 -10lbs, do 10-15 reps

Bicep Blast 1
1) holding 8-10lbs dumbbells curls do 10 reps,
2) switch hand position to palms facing each other and do 10 reps of hammer curls
3) lower the weight and do it again both bicep curls and hammer curls

Bicep Blast 2
1) holding a barbell or body bar 15-25lbs do 10 curls
2) bring your grip in closer together do 10 more reps
3) lower the weight by a third do it again

Bicep blast 3
1) with either dumbbells or a barbell at any of the above weights raise the bar/dumbells up to your shoulders 7 times, then raise the bar/dumbbells up to parallel to the ground 7 times, then raise the bar/dumbbells all the way up to your shoulders and lower it to parallel to the ground 7 times
2) lower the weight by a third and do it again

Tips: Make sure to do full extensions, don't swing your arms, make sure your knees are unlocked (yes it matters), do not raise your elbows with the movement keep your elbows by your side and do not round out your shoulders, keep your chest up your shoulder blades back and down and your abdominals drawn in. Also you can absolutely go with a higher weight than I have listed here just make sure you are not swinging or compensating with any other part of your body
Bonus: Do any of these exercises standing on one leg or on a BOSU ball or another unstable surface, this works your abdominals while actively working another muscles group increasing your caloric burn.
Very soon I will be addressing the Triceps stay tuned...

No comments:

Health blogs Top Blogs Add to Technorati Favorites