Here are some basic techniques and tips I use to keep my arms in tip top shape!
1. Its true what they say..Muscles are worked in the gym and MADE IN THE KITCHEN! Clean up your diet and get your body into fat burning mode by adapting to a paleo/primal eating lifestyle. I say lifestyle because it is not a diet.
It is a way of eating that is avoidant of processed foods, refined oils, white sugar & flour, and low fat pasteurized dairy. These are all foods that cause your body to become bloated, inflammed , sick and overweight or obese. Once you can eliminate these foods from your diet your body switches from carbohydrate burning mode into fat burning mode. This is the IDEAL way your body prefers and the way we are meant to be!
Did you know that there is actually no requirement for any essential dietary carbohydrates in human nutrition?
We can live a long healthy life never consuming many carbs as long as you eat good quality protein and fat.
But if you were to cut out fat and protein you would eventually get weak, sick, and even die. That’s not to say never eat carbs but just be sure you are eating the RIGHT kinds in the form of complex carbohydrates from fruits/vegetables and not in the form of pasta,cookies, or white sandwich bread!
Once you get your body to become fat adapted and in a fat burning mode this will compliment your training efforts showing results a lot quicker.
Being in fat burning mode will power up your workouts with endurance!!!! BONUS!!!
2. Go old school! Start with push-ups, pull-ups, and tricep dips. Adding these very functional exercises into your weekly workouts is a game changer. The best part is you can do most of these anytime, anywhere! Play around with sets and the time in between to add variety and a challenge. If trying pull-ups change your grip from over to under with each set. Change reps and time in between. Example 3 over-hand pull ups, 10 push-ups, 20 dips (repeat). I will throw these in at least 3 days a week. It’s the minor details that make a difference.
3. Isometric exercises are great for building up lean muscle in the arms instead of bulk. Try bicep curls with 10lb hand weights do 3 sets of 15 reps. After last set, SUPER SET with half the range of motion then stop and hold in flexion for as long as you can until it burns, pulse it out a for a few then slowly release. Try this 2-3x a week and start to see the changes/sculpting! Repeat this with your favorite shoulder and tricep exercises.
For extra add ons I also like to use exercise bands, and kettlebells. Kettlebells are different from free weights because their handles give them a displaced center of gravity. Technique is very important with kettlebells. A beginning exercise would be holding the kettlebell by the horns and swinging it out in front then bring it down with a squat, this is called the kettlebell swing. Or just shoulder pressing over head is killer on the shoulders!
The best way to sculpt any part of your body is to really ask yourself “Am I training hard enough?” Once you can honestly answer that question you can move on. You don’t always have to go heavy but you have to do it right. Form is everything. When you train its important to be in the moment and focus specifically on that muscle group you are working.
Becoming a fat burner and focusing on form and functional exercises will get you the sculpting and toning you are looking for!
Be Well 🙂
Susie R.
