Last time we went over the basic anatomy of the upper arm and showed a couple of arm exercises, including brachialis curls for the front of your arms and triceps dips for the back of your arm.
Check out that blog post here:
Bridal Body 911: To Arms!
As mentioned in the prior blog post, the back of the arm is the area many women find unsightly or problematic, especially when considering slithering into a sleeveless or strapless bridal gown. While your eating and general fitness habits will help you burn overlying fat from the area, there are exercises you can do to spot tone the back of your arms. Notice that I said spot TONE, not spot reduce. You can't make your body burn fat directly from a specific body part, but you can target specific areas to "tighten up" the muscles there. Great news for those wobbly arms!
Firm up the back of your arms with these two exercises. Read all of the directions and cues before attempting the exercises:
Triceps Kickbacks
* Kneel with your right knee on a bench or chair and your right arm outstretched to the bench directly underneath your right shoulder for support. Keep your back straight. No rounded shoulders. The left leg rests on the ground with the knee slightly bent.
* Holding a dumbbell in your left hand, bring that arm up to your side like a bird wing, while pressing your left shoulder down and away from your left ear.
* Slowly straighten you left arm behind you to contract the back of you arm. Only move at the elbow joint; the shoulder should remain as still as possible.
* Bend the elbow to bring the dumbbell back to its starting position.
* Repeat the exercise on the other side.
Trainer Cues: Squeeze your abs in to help support your lower back, but allow yourself to breathe naturally. Don't allow yourself to "sink down" on your supporting shoulder or shrug to keep from tightening up at your neck. Get a little "extra" work for your back by pulling the elbow of your working arm in to your body as you perform the exercise. Squeeze down at the bottom of the shoulder blade as you straighten it, as well.
Lying Triceps Extensions
* Lie on the floor or a flat bench with your knees bent (floor) or your feet firmly planted on the floor (bench).
* Hold a dumbbell in each hand in an overhanded grip (palms facing away from your body).
* Draw your abs in firmly as you bring the dumbbells above your head at an angle (about 10 o'clock). Do not place the weights over your face.
* Slowly bend your arms at the elbow, lowering the weights down on either side of your head (end near the top of your ear).
* Straighten the elbows to return the weights to their starting position.
Trainer Cues: Be careful! Control the weight so you don't hit yourself in the head! Keep your elbows in towards your head so that they are pointed straight up towards the ceiling. Only move at the elbow joint, not the shoulders, to keep tension on the triceps. Use your ab muscles to help brace your torso; don't let your back arch. Keep your shoulders down away from your ears and remember to breathe naturally.
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