Starting your Arm Workouts

Starting your Arm Workouts Tone your Biceps and Triceps with our Guide to Arm Exercises ChaptersStrength or Resistance Training?Building Your BicepsTraining Your TricepsTriceps Development for Special PopulationsWork Your Multitude of Forearm MusclesWhat Not to do When Working Your ArmsToning and building your arms always has a nice effect: girls love'em and guys want'em.You can have them, too!To tone and sculpt your arms, you will have to engage in specific exercises.Curls, dips, push-ups and chin-ups; bench presses... fans of crossfit will feel like they are in seventh heaven!Now, you can learn all of the tricks of the trade as our personal trainers reveal their secrets for bulking up their arms.Ladies, this article is for you, too. No longer will you need to wear three-quarter sleeves to hide your triceps jiggle. It is time to give your arms tone and definition!And, speaking of definition... otherwise the target muscle is not bearing the full load of your work.In other words: your forearm muscles are working harder than your biceps.You will find fitness industry reco mmendations for working biceps in every upper body fitness training program.the kickback.Intermediate athletes working their triceps in a gym or fitness club would qualify to do bench presses. The advantage of that move is that several muscle groups are worked simultaneously.Do Push Ups to Work...If the defining characteristic of bench-pressing is that they work several muscle groups, then push-ups are the gold standard of that category of workout.True, the focus is on your arms â€" after all, it is they who move you up and down, but your entire torso musculature, as well as your glutes are called into play.Exercise programs from military boot camp to circuit training rely on push-ups to condition the entire body.Extreme athletes pump them out in various forms: one-handed, clapping on the lift, some even with a gorgeous model sitting on their shoulders, just for fun!If you are not quite at that level â€" if you are not at all at that level, perhaps you should modify your form.Instea d of your weight resting on hands and toes, put your knees to good use.Remember that, in resting on your knees, your legs should still be as stretched out as possible.Here is how to execute effective push-ups:Your hands should be at slightly more than shoulder-width apart, elbows lightly flexed.Your feet should be in line with your hands,  at maximum. The closer together your lower extremities are, the more streamlined the move.The further apart they are, the more work you are putting in to keeping your core stable.As with any strength training or resistance exercise, proper form is vital to effective movement and to prevent injury.And, who knows? One day, with all of your training, you could beat Brett Masserant's record of 27 push-ups per minute, for eight hours straight!Is your forearm strong enough to support a baby? Source: PIxabay Credit: PDPWork Your Multitude of Forearm MusclesWrist FlexionsThis move can be easily done at home or at the gym.Simply stretch your forearms along a flat surface, such as a table, and let your hands hang free, palms turned down.You can hold a dumbbell in each hand or, if none are available, you can use water bottles â€" and even a weighted grocery tote.Bear in mind that the type of weight used will alter the quality of your forearm workout: thicker grips call for more work on your muscles. A tote, with its thin, strappy handles, requires only a little extra work.Keep your forearms on the table, and alternately raise and lower your weighted hands by flexing your wrist, breathing in on the lift and out on the lowering.Now, turn your palms up and repeat. If you can manage the same number of reps as with your palms turned upward, good on you!This curling activity can also be done with a barbell, either the Preacher Curl â€" where your elbows rest on a bench and your forearms do all the work, or a reverse curl, working the anterior muscles.Chin-ups, Otherwise Known as Pull-upsThis is an enticing method of working your arms and sho ulders, if you have neither barbells or dumbbells.In other words, it is tailor-made for the motivated, at-home proponent and participant of physical activity.All you really need, equipment-wise, is a relatively inexpensive bar, securely installed in any doorway of your home.Please don't try this exercise using your shower rod!If you belong to any gyms or fitness clubs, you will find such bars  already, conveniently, installed.The objective of this simple, inoffensive set-up is to raise your chin to above the bar.The reality of it is that this is an all-inclusive form of exercise. By that, we mean that virtually every muscle, from your hips to your neck, are engaged.Only your legs are relieved of any obligation to the correct execution of this move. In fact, for optimum form, you should refrain from moving your legs at all. To strengthen your legs, try out these exercises instead - or in complement, for a full-body workout.By doing chin-ups, you are in effect lifting your entire body weight, over and over.Nationally, virtually any Superprof fitness professional could educate you on the proper way to execute this move at home.Elsewhere, anyone trained in exercise physiology, and who has the proper qualifications, could advise you on proper form and the number of reps you should do for your level of fitness.And whether you should even incorporate chin-ups into your workout routine: they are a high-stress move, recommended for advanced athletes.Before advising you whether to engage in chin-ups or, for that matter, any other physical activity, a certified fitness instructor would conduct a health assessment, to determine if you are properly conditioned.Drinking plenty of water is essential to an effective workout Source: Pixabay Credit: Explorer BobWhat Not to do When Working Your ArmsAll too often, sports enthusiasts â€" in their eagerness to get in shape, overdo things.Usually, injuries have one of three causes. They are:failure to warm updoing too much, too soon â€" or using poor training techniquesPoor sports conditioningBefore starting any fitness regimen, you should submit to a fitness assessment.Particular aspects of your body that a fitness specialist measures during such a test are: body composition, blood pressure and aerobic fitness.Those represent your percentage of body fat, cardiovascular capacity and cardiorespiratory rate, respectively.If your initial assessment reveals poor conditioning, your fitness instructor would assign corrective exercises, just to get your started.The next level would be functional training. Your coach will have already conducted a functional movement screen prior to scheduling your workouts.Such physical education works to prevent musculoskeletal damage incurred in everyday movement.Regimens can include everything from squats and lifts, to Pilates and Aerobics, possibly using a stability ball.Once you have attained a satisfactory level of health fitness, your certified personal trainer would roll out p hysical training programs in line with your fitness and nutrition goals.As your personal training sessions become more varied, you will find one constant: warming up.Forget bundling up in thick sweaters! What we mean is a vigorous cardio routine to get your heart rate up and oxygen-rich blood to your muscles.Your personal fitness trainer may recommend Zumba or some other motivating cardiovascular exercise.Or, you could kick up your metabolism: exercise to music on your own, prior to arriving for your fitness program.Regardless of how you choose to raise your heart rate, your athletic performance depends on how well you warm up.Cooling down is the other side of that safe workout coin.In spite of the glow you feel after a rewarding workout, you should take the time after your routine for stretching and deep breathing.You may even consider adding yoga to your exercise program, or tai chi.Either one of these low impact stretching and flexing routines could help you build a mind body con nection â€" something anyone in the fitness business will tell you is vital to achieving lasting fitness and wellness.One last word on exercise safety before you shove off to work those arms: hydration.Your muscles will lose strength more quickly if you do not drink enough water â€" and that is the least of your worries, should you work yourself into a state of extreme dehydration.As you curl water bottles to tone your arms, crack one open occasionally and take a few deep draughts.Your arms will thank you for it!