Michelle Obama and her nice, toned arms have highlighted a renewed focus upon these critical areas of any woman’s physique. Maintaining shapely arms is especially important for women, as fashion forward females from all stripes will seek to bare their extremities during the summer months for both comfort and flair. Irrespective of the prevailing weather, legions of women would love to carry the option of wearing elegant evening gowns or sporting strapless dresses that show off perfectly defined upper bodies.
By perfectly defined, we are intimating that women aggressively seek to improve muscle tone in the triceps, forearms, and shoulders. Females will strive to achieve a look that combines supple shoulders, with tighter arms.
Indeed, targeting the arm area is a complex and sensitive subject for all women. First, millions of females suffer from sagging triceps that droop downward towards the general direction of gravity, which is a top cause for concern and primary candidate for embarrassment. Secondly, the fairer sex often shuns intense weightlifting and arm routines for fear of developing a frame that is overbuilt and masculine.
This workout guide will promptly address these two issues.
Our purpose is clear. The following nice arms workout guide will introduce exercises and a specific routine, which will allow women to build shapely arms, yet continue to carry the adequate level of femininity forward.
We shall begin by working the larger muscles first, and funneling our groupings downwards, in order to preserve energy. The routine includes lat pulls, curls, triceps extensions, and push-ups. I am recommending that females execute this program at least one time per week and supplement these directives with cardiovascular activity and the proper low-fat diet.
Women must avoid handling weight that cannot be lifted at least 7 times with correct form. Females should focus upon a spectrum that calls for 8-15 repetitions in order to enhance definition and avoid bulk. All athletes must remember to breathe by exhaling on all pressing movements that require power; and to add weight with every additional set for true improvement.
Remember to consult with your physician prior to entertaining any workout regimen.
#1 How to Get Nice Arms – Women’s Workout Exercise: Close Grip Pushups / Bench Press
Women should warm up their arms and begin with pushups before the workout. The push up will get the blood flowing and target the chest, shoulders, triceps, and forearms. In order to avoid building broad shoulders and a wide upper body, I am advising that women place their hands together on the floor and make a triangular shape between the index fingers and thumbs for the diamond pushup.
Diamond pushups restrict the arms to a position that is close to the body and specifically target the triceps and the interior of your chest. The close-grip motion will define your lower arms and allow for the perfect amount of “pop” to your chest over time, which may be just as beneficial as any bra that is peddled on the retail market.
Women will rise up and support themselves with the diamond planted firmly on the floor. The pushup is executed by lowering your body just prior to the point where your chest grazes the ground and exploding back upwards to the propped up position. Your elbows will remain slightly flexed and your legs should be straight.
Of course, the diamond pushup is a difficult exercise and beginners may opt to keep two knees on the floor, and-or spread their arms just slightly for assistance to execute the move properly.
Women will also be able to hop on the bench press and place their arms 6 to 12 inches apart per the first two opposing grooves that are prevalent upon all standard barbells. Lowering the bar towards your chest and exploding back upward completes the bench press exercise.
Females looking to develop nice arms will perform 4 sets of 10-15 repetitions of these exercises. Women using the bench press may wish to begin with the bar and add weight to complete every subsequent set.
#2 How to Get Nice Arms – Women’s Workout Exercise: Lateral Pulls / Close Grip Pull Down
Athletes perform the lateral pull by a machine that features a pulley and hanging bar. Women will seat themselves at this workout station and grab the bar overhead by spreading their arms beyond shoulder width to match the handle grooves on the equipment. Your palms are to be facing away from the body.
Females will arch their backs forward and pull the bar down towards the nape of their neck, behind the head. Women will then control and release the bar back to its initial position and repeat this movement. Athletes may also hold the bar poised behind their head for one to five counts in order to increase the burn.
The lat pull works the shoulders, back, and arms. Still, women should avoid over use of this exercise because the technique also targets the trapezius (traps) muscles between the shoulders and neck. Broad shoulders, along with the lack of a neck are not exactly attractive on a woman.
Women will perform 3 sets of 10-15 lat pulls, prior to switching their grip on the very same machine for close grip pull downs.
The close grip pull down requires that women alter their hand positioning as if they were doing a pull up, with palms spread by six to twelve inches apart and facing inward at the bar. Women will pull the bar down towards just beneath their chin to complete the movement and repeat.
Close grip pull downs work both arms in their entirety and the interior to upper chest muscles. Women will increase the weight with each set and perform 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions for this exercise.
Females will also work their upper back as yet another benefit of these pulling exercises.
The lateral and close grip pull downs are perfect for looking good in dresses, gowns, crop tops, and camis.
#3 How to Get Nice Arms – Women’s Workout Exercise: Triceps Extension
The triceps workout is the most critical element of any arm routine for women. Again, the triceps identify the back of the arms and are often exposed per women’s clothing of all stripes. Besides sleeveless wear, form-fitting clothing is built to hug the triceps, and women must take care in the gym to create an upper body look that is sleek, yet delicate.
Work your tris, if you work nothing else.
Still, we reserve triceps extensions at the middle of the order to stress their importance. We have warmed up sufficiently and maintain enough energy to battle through the all-important tricep extension. This basic movement requires the straightening of the arm from a resting position that is flexed at the elbows and arrives in several variations.
Beginners should use cables beforehand simply to appreciate the correct form for the technique. The fully equipped gym will feature cable equipment, which carries single-hand grips that may be affixed and snapped onto the exercise stand for use. Women will adjust the height of the single-hand grip so that the fixture maintains enough slack to perform a full arm extension and reversal towards just beneath one’s chin.
Begin the move by standing straight, grabbing the grip with one hand (palm away from body), and keeping the elbow in. Again, women will complete the triceps extension by straightening the arm and hand down past waist level and returning the weight to a position that is just beneath the chin. Remember, proper form requires that the elbow remains tight to the body in order to target your muscles.
Triceps extensions do not call for women to flail their arms and behave like chickens. Elbows must remain in and not out to master the technique.
Females will alternate arms at the cable machine and should do three sets of 8-15 repetitions on both sides. Doing so isolates each arm and ensures that the dominant hand is not doing the bulk of the heavy lifting. Women can use their off-hand to spot themselves and squeeze out that final rep.
For increased difficulty, alternate your grip so that the palm is actually facing towards your body.
The triceps are worked via the extension with dips, dumbbells, and curved barbells. I am recommending that women pick three separate exercises and complete 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps for each move and arm. Stretch your arms between sets by elevating one arm (hand) behind your shoulder, placing the other arm behind your back, and interlocking both hands in the center.
Trust me, you will be sore. Stretching will alleviate the soreness and potential cramping.
Dips are performed by using the arms to raise and lower the body between two benches, by machine, Captain’s Chair, or what I refer to as facing the “high chair with no seat.”
Dumbbells may be “kicked back” or used from a standing position where the weight is held by one or two hands for each individual arm and lifted over the head from a resting start that begins at the nape of the neck and back again. Beginners should use two hands to ensure that the elbows remain in and that the triceps are isolated and actually doing the work.
Importantly, all women should stay prepared with shaved under arms and the proper deodorant before attempting this lift and clearing out the area with funk.
Per curved barbells, the woman will mount the bench and lie on her back before receiving the weight from her spotter. Rather than resting both feet on the floor, she lifts her feet onto the bench and flexes at the knees in order to stay grounded and solid to the bench.
The woman controls the bar down towards her brow and extends at the arms straight up to her spotter’s waist to perform this version of the exercise. Again, the elbows will be flexed at 90 degrees towards face level and should never flail outwards on the extension.
Indeed, the spotter is critical to guide beginners through this particular exercise. The benched triceps extensions are also referred to as “skull crushers.”
We would never want to ruin a pretty face over some extensions!
#4 How to Get Nice Arms – Women’s Workout Exercise: Bicep (Reverse) Curls
Whew. Let’s get some water and take a quick break at the fountain.
Look at those arms!
You see, what we want is just that subtle crease, which defines your triceps and is visible the very moment that you decide to lean over and support your body weight at the fountain. Now, let’s stop checking ourselves out in the mirror and get back to work.
The biceps are the final piece of the puzzle.
Women will use dumbbells to work both arms effectively. Again, the elbows will remain close to the body and females will isolate their biceps by allowing the weight to dangle to the side and alternating dumbbells by lifting one arm and hand at a time to the chest and back. Females should perform 3 sets of curls for 8 – 15 repetitions to improve muscle tone.
Finish up by grabbing one barbell with a reverse grip (wrists toward floor while standing) and curl the bar for one burn out set to work the forearms.
#5 How to Get Nice Arms – Women’s Workout Exercise: Rows and Shoulder Press (OPTIONAL)
Female Troopers out there will continue with shoulder / military presses and upright / seated rows for additional shoulder and arm work.
Sitting up right and pressing the weight skyward from shoulder level executes the military press. Meanwhile, women will perform seated or upright rows by lifting barbell or cable weight to chest and chin level. Athletes must maintain a solid base and straight back for these shoulder exercises.
Women should rarely place their hands more than shoulder width apart throughout this routine. The wide grip will promulgate wider and bulkier frames, which is the overly muscled look that the majority of females are attempting to avoid.
In most cases, I would recommend additional triceps work in favor of shoulder presses.
How to Get Nice Arms – Women’s Work Out: Cool Down
Stretch your arms while hitting the treadmill for a brisk walk.
I know you hate me right now.
But my darling, you will look wonderful tonight in that little red dress.
How to Get Nice Arms – Women’s Work Out, Sources:
Real Women’s Fitness, The Perfect Women’s Arms Workout, http://realwomensfitness.com/womens-fitness/the-perfect-womens-arms-workout/
Women Workout Routines, Arm Workout, http://www.women-workout-routines.com/arm-workout.html
Women’s Health Magazine, Advanced Arms Workout, http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/advanced-arms-workout
Reference:
- realwomensfitness.com/womens-fitness/the-perfect-womens-arms-workout/
- www.women-workout-routines.com/arm-workout.html
- www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/advanced-arms-workout
