Its been said that toning your arms gives your body a whole new look, making you appear fitter than you are. Toned arms can build confidence about your body, and if you’re looking to get fit, the arms are a great place to start because the muscles shape up pretty quickly! Even just a month of a quick, 10-minute routine three or four days a week can show fabulous results.
Here are some exercises to try in whatever combination you choose:
Arm circles
Standing arm circles are a great way to warm-up and they also give your biceps, triceps and shoulders a workout. With your feet flat on the ground and your arms stretched out to your sides, start, moving them in fast circles forward. Do this until you get tired before reversing the direction. Make sure to pull your bellybutton in, strengthening and elongating your core. When you get tired, take a break before doing the arm circles two more times, both forward and backward.
Sit-up pullover
This is a great workout that just requires a yoga mat and hand weights between 3 to 5 pounds, depending on your current strength. To start, lie on the mat with your knees bent and feet flat in a sit-up position. Extend your arms straight up with one dumbbell in each hand. Do a sit-up, contracting your abs and slowly curling up. At the same time, bring your arms forward toward your knees, holding them for a second just above the knees, before slowly reversing to your starting position. To make the move more difficult, add in a chest press. When you’re in the curl position with your arms stretched out and the weights above your knees, pull them dumbbells in toward your chest and then straighten your arms again before moving back to the starting position.
Seagull
You’ll only need a mat and a pillow for this move, which works several muscles: the triceps, shoulders, abs, back, butt, thighs, chest and calves!
Place your pillow at one end of the mat on the floor and your hands on the pillow. Walk your feet into a plank position, making sure to keep your back straight. Extend one arm out to the side, then lift it, holding for three to five seconds before returning to the starting position. Stay in the plank position and extend the same arm straight in front of you, holding for a few seconds before returning to start again. After 10 reps, switch arms.
