The summer is here, with all the arm-baring that goes along with it. Are your arms as toned as they could be? Do eight of the arm exercises listed below in two to three sets of 8-12 repetitions, and you’ll notice a difference in as little as two weeks.
- Lateral Raise: Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, knees slightly bent, let your arms hang by your side, palms facing in. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and raise your arms to the sides until the dumbbells are shoulder-level.
- Push-Ups: Lying belly-down on the floor, feet 15-20 centimeters apart, palms flat on the ground a little wider than shoulder-width, come up onto your toes, lifting the body until arms are fully extended. Slowly bend the arms and lower the chest until your belly is 10-15 centimeters above the ground. Keep your back straight throughout.
- Triceps Push-Up: In a modified push-up position, with arms straight, hands under your chest, knees on the floor, and feet in the air bring your chest toward the floor with your elbows pointing behind, not out. Keeping your back straight, extend your arms, and return to starting position.
- Overhead Extension: With feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent, grip the dumbbell with both hands. Reach overhead, holding the dumbbell vertically, wrists straight. Bend elbows and lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping upper arms close and elbows pointed up.
- Biceps Curl: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, grasp a dumbbell in your hand. With palm facing forward, bend your elbow, pull the weight toward your shoulders, and lower your arm.
- Dumbbell Row: Holding a dumbbell in your hand, get on one hand and knee on a bench, back straight, elbow slightly bent, palm facing inward, bend knee aligned under hips. Tighten your abdominal muscles, squeeze shoulder blades together, and lift the weight until the upper arm is parallel to the floor and the elbow is slightly behind you.
- Bench Press: Lying on your back on a bench, plant both feet on the floor. Reach up and grab the barbell with both hands, pull it toward your chest, then push it away from you.
- Two-Arm Kettlebell Swing: Stand, feet shoulder-width apart, arms hanging relaxed, holding a kettlebell with both hands. Bend the knees, lower the kettlebell between your legs, and quickly come out of the squat by straightening your legs and swinging your arms forward to eye level.
- Single-Arm Push Press: Stand, feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in your right hand with your fist close to your chest, elbow bent and tucked into the body, kettlebell resting on the forearm. Lower into a full squat. Quickly drive through heels out of the squat and push the kettlebell up by straightening the arm.
- Plank to Push-Up: Start in a high plank position, on your hands, arms under shoulders, and core engaged. Lift one arm at a time and place the elbow down so you are on your elbows. Return to the original position by lifting one elbow at a time and placing hands back down.
- Dumbbell Curl and Press: Stand with both dumbbells next to your hips, feet shoulder-width apart, palms facing toward the body. Curl arms up to your shoulders and continue to push toward the ceiling, pausing when your arms reach a full extension before returning to starting position.
- Dumbbell Kickback: Holding dumbbells in both hands, bend forward from the hips, keeping the spine straight and chest up. Keep the neck and back aligned, so you’re looking at the floor ahead of you. Bend elbows, keeping upper arms beside your body, and extend arms one at a time behind you, squeezing the triceps muscle before returning to the start position.
- Dumbbell Punch: Holding dumbbells, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, punch arms out in front of you one at a time for one minute, alternating back and forth, with dumbbells at shoulder level.
- Triceps Dips: Sitting on the edge of a bench, knees bent at 90 degrees, feet on the floor, grip bench with hands beside your hips. Push glutes off the bench, lower body two or three inches down, then raise back to starting position.
- Triceps Dips with Single Leg Extension: Sit on the edge of a box or bench, gripping the edge, knuckles forward, hands shoulder-width apart. Extend one leg and lift off the box. Lower your body in a controlled motion, bending elbows at 90 degrees. Push up and repeat, keeping hips level and elbow close to the torso.
- Pullovers: Lie faceup, one dumbbell held securely in both hands, arms reaching towards the ceiling, dumbbell aligned with chest, knees bent and pointing up, feet on the floor. Keeping elbows slightly bent and upper arms close to your ears, slowly extend your arms over your head and behind you. When arms are parallel to the floor, return to start.
- Back Fly: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, step one foot forward two feet. Bend your front leg into a semi-lunge and bend forward from the waist with back straight, abs tight, bodyweight slightly forward, and shoulders rolled back and down. Straighten arms toward the floor with hands aligned under shoulders, raise arms to the sides, just under shoulder height, palms down and elbows slightly bent, then lower.
At the Wellbridge Family of Athletic Clubs, we’re committed to providing you with the most up-to-date fitness information. At our clubs, you’ll be greeted by our friendly team before you’re challenged and motivated by top-notch instructors in our fitness classes. You’ll make new friends because you belong here. So join today or contact us to learn more.