Our gif guide to arms Michelle Obama would envy

Today’s article is inspired after a nice compliment I got on Saturday night. I went for dinner and drinks with some friends and decided to wear my favourite Freddy jeans and a vest top. I was delighted when someone told me I had lovely arms, a random thing for someone to notice, but it definitely gave me a boost.

Upper arms are a tricky area for many women and now that it is springtime, it’s a body part that we might be showing off a little bit more. First things first, we have jiggly bits for a few reasons: lack of muscle tone and high body fat. A healthy lifestyle and diet will certainly help in getting your body fat down but including some weight training too will accelerate the progress.

Here are some of my top exercises to shape your arms when you are at the gym. Perform these exercises one after the other. Complete three rounds.

Triceps Dips

• Stand inside the dip bars so that your arms are at a 90-degree angle (use a step if needs be).
• With a slight jump raise yourself up into a straight-arm position, torso should remain upright (chest up) and your elbows should stay close to your body. Lower yourself slowly back to the start position.
• Repeat for 12 reps.

Inverted Row (Reverse Grip)

• Sit on the floor underneath the bar (which should be set where you can reach from the ground).
• Grab the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you).
• Contract your abs, and try to keep your body a completely straight line. Your ears, shoulders, hips, legs, and feet should all be in a straight line.
• Pull yourself up to the bar until your chest touches the bar.
• Lower yourself back down.
• If you find this too difficult simply sit below the bar with knees bent, feet flat on the floor and pull your chest to the bar before slowly returning to a seated position on the floor. Repeat for 12 reps.

Tricep Bench Press

• Lie back on a flat bench. Grip the bar at around shoulder width, lift the bar and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This is your start position.
• Slowly lower the bar until you feel it on your middle chest, you should keep your elbows close to your body at all times.
• Bring the bar back to the starting position and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms straight above you squeezing the back of your arms, hold for a second and then slowly lower again.
• Repeat for 12 reps.

Bicep Curl - Barbell

• Stand up with your torso upright while holding a barbell at a shoulder-width grip. Palms facing forward and the elbows should be close to your body. This is your starting position.
• While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the weights forward, only your forearms should move.
• Continue the movement until the bar is at shoulder level.
• Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position.
• Repeat for 12 reps.

Tricep Barbell Extension

• Hold a barbell with shoulder-width grip and palms facing forward. Lie on your back on a flat bench with your head close to the end of the bench. Slowly bring the bar back in a semi-circular motion, to a position over your head. At the end of this step, your arms should be overhead and horizontal to the floor.
• Bring the bar back up to the starting position by pushing the bar up in a semi-circular motion until the lower arms are also perpendicular to the floor. Only the forearms should move. The upper arms should remain stationary at all times.
• Repeat for 12 reps.

The equipment I’ve used here is standard and you should be able to find it in your gym. Some exercises such as the triceps dips can be done without a bar, see the technique in my bench workout programme.

Give this arm workout a go at least once a week and you will notice a difference soon, I promise! Stay tuned for more workout tips and let me know if you give this a try.

Until next time,

Fi

Metabolic Fitness Trainer

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