How to Get Sexy, Toned Arms

Just like abs, arms can be a huge problem area for a lot of women & men alike. I know so many people who, because they are too self-conscious of the way their arms look – will not wear any sleeveless tops or dresses. And what a shame!

It is true that in order to achieve those toned, sculpted & sexy arms you will have to make some changes in your diet and will have to commit to a regular workout regimen. A lot of people think that they can do a few exercises here and there, without really changing their eating habits, and they will miraculously lose the fat & will see the results by doing a few bicep curls.

I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but it doesn’t work like that. And believe me, I am not pointing fingers: I used to think that way as well. And then, one day I was fed up with my own excuses and decided to do lots of research and commit to leading a balanced & healthy lifestyle.

It’s not just about having great looking arms, abs or legs or any other body part. In order to look good, and have a healthy, toned, sexy body, you have got to make some mental & lifestyle changes. Your #1 priority should be your HEALTH, first and foremost, and then the look / appearance of your body. When you make that mental shift, everything changes, and you realize that your health, the length and quality of your life are all in your own hands!!!

The time to make that change is today! Not tomorrow, or on Monday, or next month, or when you have time – No excuses!

I will keep repeating these words, because, I know that sometimes it takes that extra push from someone else, or from your own self, to get started. If I said that it’s always easy for me to workout, I would be lying! Some days I’m looking forward to it, and other days, I literally have to force myself. And that is what I will be doing here, if I have to. I want to inspire you to take charge of your life, and lead a healthy & balanced life.

So, after that long lecture, lets get down to business.

What are the steps to getting those toned & sexy arms?

Firstly, just like with the abs, it doesn’t matter how much you workout your arms, if you have some extra fat, you will not see the results. So what does that mean?

Step 1. It means you have to make healthier food choices. Cut out all fast foods, sugary foods, processed foods, fatty & greasy food out of your diet! Instead, substitute it with lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and delicious home-made food. Limit your intake of sugar, chocolate and unhealthy desserts. Make sure you’re consuming enough healthy protein and carbohydrates, which are essential to fuel working muscles. Carbohydrate rich foods include breads, breakfast cereals, pasta, rice and fruit. But I’m sure this is not news – you must already know this…

Step 2. You have to incorporate some sort of cardiovascular exercises into your workouts. It could be anything from, walking, running / jogging, swimming, tennis and even dancing! Yes, dancing! Sign up for a Salsa Class, and start going to Latin Clubs to practice your moves on the dance floor. What could be better? It’s fun & believe me, you get your heart rate up & sweat a lot! Do that for 2 hrs, a couple times a week, and there is your cardio. Obviously, if you have more fat to lose, then your have to increase your cardio to perhaps 3-4 times a week. Listen to your body, it’ll tell you what it needs.

Step 3. In order to have beautifully sculpted arms, you have to exercise not just one part of the arm, but all of them. Shoulders, biceps & triceps are the three major arm muscle groups that you should be focusing on. There are numerous weight training exercises geared towards each one of these muscle groups. I can’t possibly list all of them here, in this one post. But I will share a few that I do on a regular basis.

In the future posts, I plan to show and break down specific exercises for each body part that I use, and that have helped me. So, if you don’t want to miss the updates, sign up to my blog.

What you need to perform these exercises:

Women – If you are a beginner 3-5 pound dumbbells, intermediate to advanced 8 – 10 pound dumbbells & a workout mat

Men – If you are a beginner 8-10 pounds dumbbells, intermediate 15 – 20 pounds, advanced 25 + pounds, Increase the weight gradually, depending on how big you want to grow your muscles.

NOTE: Before you begin any workout, remember to keep proper form while you’re exercising. To help you keep an eye on your form workout in front of a mirror, or with a friend who will keep an eye on your form for you.

For each of the following exercise repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-15 reps.

Biceps Exercises

Biceps Curls

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, abs engaged as you hold dumbbells in front of the thighs.
2. Squeeze the biceps & bend the arms, curling the weights up towards the shoulders.
3. Keep the elbows stationary & only bring the weight as high as you can without moving the elbows.
4. Slowly lower the weights, keeping a slight bend in the elbows at the bottom (make sure to keep tension on the muscle & visualize your muscles getting sculpted as your move through the exercise)

Concentration Curls

Concentration curls, as the name implies, not only takes concentration to get your form right, it also concentrates all your energy right onto your bicep muscle. This is a great exercise to put at the end of your biceps workout to really get the blood to your muscles (or the ‘pump’).

1. Sit or kneel & hold a dumbbell in the right hand.
2. Bend forward, keeping the abs engaged & prop the right elbow against the inside of the right thigh.
3. Contract the bicep & curl the hand towards the shoulder without moving the elbow. You don’t have to touch your shoulder.

Hammer Curls

In addition to working out your biceps, because the hands are rotated in, the forearms also get a bit more attention in this exercise. Changing the hand position can also make the exercise challenging in a different way, so you can do these in combination with regular curls or barbell curls to target the full range of the biceps and the forearms.

1. Stand with feet about hip-width apart, abs engaged as you hold dumbbells in front of the thighs.
2. Turn the hands so that the palms face each other & squeeze the biceps to curl the weights towards the shoulders.
3. Keep the elbows stationary & only bring the weight as high as you can without moving the elbows.
4. Slowly lower the weights, keeping a slight bend in the elbows at the bottom (make sure to keep tension on the muscle & visualize your muscles getting sculpted as your move through the exercise)

Triceps

Triceps Extensions

Triceps extension involves holding one or two weights together in both hands & extending the arms over the head. For this exercise, keep the abs engaged to avoid arching the back and start with light weights so you have control of the movement. You can also do this one arm at a time with lighter weights.

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, crisscross dumbbells and hold at the center with both hands overlapping one another.
2. Take the weight straight up overhead with the arms next to the ears.
3. Lower the weight behind the head until the elbows are at about 90 degree angles.
4. Squeeze the triceps to straighten the arms without locking the joints.

Triceps Dips

Dips are an advanced exercise targeting the triceps. You can add intensity by walking the feet out or by propping the feet on a bench or chair. This version shows a modified dip using a chair. To keep this move safe and effective, don’t shrug the shoulders but, rather keep them down and away from the ears as you bend the elbows. If you have shoulder problems, you may want to avoid this exercise.

1. Sit on a bench or chair.
2. Begin with hands next to or slightly under the hips.
3. Lift up onto the hands & bring the hips forward.
4. Bend the elbows (no lower than 90 degrees) & lower the hips down, keeping them very close to the chair. Keep the shoulders down.
5. Push back up without locking the elbows & repeat for 10-16 reps.

Tips
- Keep the shoulders down & away from the ears to protect them from injury.
- Keep the hips close to the bench or chair to keep the focus on the triceps and not the shoulders.
- To make it easier, move the feet closer in. To make it harder, walk the feet out or elevate them on another chair or bench.

Triceps Kickbacks

The kickback is a common triceps exercise which involves extending the arm while the torso is in a bent position. For this exercise, you can do one arm at a time and use heavier weights or you can extend both arms at the same time, which will involve more lower back stabilization.

1. Hold a light-medium weight in both hands and bend over until your torso is at a 45-degree angle or parallel to the floor (more advanced).
2. Begin the movement by bending the arms & pulling the elbows up to torso level.
3. Holding that position, straighten the arms out behind you, squeezing the triceps muscles.
4. Bend the arms back to starting position & repeat for 10-16 reps

Tips

- Do this exercise one arm at a time if you’re using heavier weights or need more support for the lower back.
- Keep the abs engaged & the back flat throughout the movement.
- At the end of the movement, your arms should extend along the body, palms facing each other.
-  Try not to swing the arms to the weight up.

Shoulders

Front Raise

Because the shoulder has three heads (the front, middle and rear deltoids), you want to choose exercises that target all three. The front raise targets the front deltoid although it does involve the other shoulder areas as well. For this move, you’ll probably need lighter weights – your arms are straight, making this a long lever move and, therefore, more challenging.

1. Hold light-medium weights with arms straight down, palms face the thighs.
2. Slowly lift arms up to shoulder level, keeping the elbows slightly bent.
3. Hold there for a second, exhale & lower back down.
4. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps

Lateral Raises

The key to doing this move correctly is to keep a slight bend in the elbows, but to keep them pointing towards the back of the room rather than towards the floor, which is a common mistake. Think of leading with the elbows rather than the hands or wrists.

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold light-medium weights at the sides.
2. Keeping a slight bend in the elbow, lift the arms out to the sides, stopping at shoulder level.
3. Lower back to starting position & repeat for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps.

Overhead Press

The overhead press is often a standard move in most routines because it hits every part of the shoulder with an emphasis on the front and middle part of the deltoid. This is also a tough exercise because you’re pressing a weight over your head, so you may not be able to lift as much weight for this move as you do for other exercises. Using dumbbells challenges each arm independently.

1. Begin standing or sitting with elbows bent & weights next to the ears.
2. Press the weights up over the head.
3. Lower the weights, bringing the hands next to the ears & repeat for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps

Do you really want those sexy, sculpted & toned arms? Well, then you gotta work hard for them!

Try out these tips and the exercises for 6-8 weeks, and I guarantee you, you will see some amazing results! And when you do, please come back here & share your success story.

Good Luck & Stay Motivated!

Photo Source: http://www.prevention.com, http://www.fitnessbuzzline.com, http://sassyworkout.com, http://www.wellness-without-drugs.com
Exercise write up & photo source: http://exercise.about.com, http://exercise.about.com/bio/Paige-Waehner-7009.htm