Every woman dreads the bat wing, the flappy confidence killer that effortlessly jiggles with every arm movement. It can seem difficult to achieve tone arms, but you don’t need a fancy gym membership or a personal trainer to turn that flab into fab. Because the triceps are the largest muscles in the arms, they must be exercised to have toner arms.
While cardiovascular workouts are recommended for weight loss, resistance training may be the most effective for improving arm strength and muscle definition. You can use five or ten-pound dumbbells, a 15-pound kettlebell, or bodyweight exercise to start. The most important thing to remember is that form always comes before weight. Do the exercises properly to yield positive results, because improper form can lead to injury.
How Long To See Results?
The amount of time and frequency of your workouts will dictate how quickly you see results. Three sessions of the arm workouts, which are in this article, per week will improve strength and show a difference in the form of toned arms in about three or four weeks. Complete the two to three rounds of the following six exercises to help tone your arms.
Overhead Triceps Extension
Place a dumbbell in each hand and lift the weights overhead, extending the arms without locking the elbows. Keep your feet hip-distance apart and your back straight. Keep your upper arms straight and begin by bending the elbows to lower the weights back behind your head. Straighten your arms to return to the starting position. Complete three sets of 8-12 reps.
Lateral Raise
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and keep your knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and let your arms hang at your sides, palms facing inward. As you raise your arms up to become parallel with the ground, maintain a slight bend in the elbows. Lower your arms back to your side and complete three sets of 8-12 reps.
Bicep Curls
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, grab a dumbbell in each hand, and let your arms hang by your sides, palms facing forward. Bend your elbows and pull the weight up towards your shoulders, engaging your biceps. Do not swing your arms or pull your elbows backward as you bend. Lower your arms back down to your sides. Complete three sets of 8-12 reps.
Shoulder Press
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and with dumbbells in hand, lift the weights overhead, extending your arms. With your palms facing forward, bend at the elbows as you lower your arms out to the sides. Your elbows should be parallel to the ground and forearms should be straight, fists facing the ceiling. Press up by engaging your shoulders to return to the starting position. Do three sets of 8-12 reps.
Chair Dips
Make sure you get your hands on a sturdy chair or bench, one that will not slide or tip when you put your weight on one side. This is a great exercise to engage your triceps and pectoral muscles. Place the chair in front of the TV and begin by sitting on the edge of the chair with your hands on the edge of the chair, just outside your hips. With your feet flat on the floor, slide off the edge and begin. Complete two sets of 10-15 dips.
Plank Rows
With a dumbbell in each hand, get into a high-plank position. Support yourself on the dumbbells, which should be directly beneath your shoulders, and extend your legs back so that you are balancing on your toes. Keeping your body in a straight line, slowly pull one dumbbell up, bending your elbow towards the ceiling. Your upper arm (from shoulder to elbow) should be in line with your back. Lower your arm back to the ground and repeat on the other arm. Complete three sets of 8-12 reps.
