Go Sleeveless! Arm Toning Exercises
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Try these upper arm exercise tips for stronger, firmer arms. These exercises will have you flaunting your toned arms in swimsuits, sleeveless shirts and dresses.
Arms: Most of the year we safely keep them under cover, in our long-sleeved shirts, jackets and sweaters. Come summertime, though, who doesn't want a pair of arms and shoulders she can feel comfortable showing off, whether it's in tanks, swimsuits or a sexy, halter-style top?
The great news about arms that may have been hibernating for months is that you can get them toned and ready for the season pretty quickly, with Shape’s two-part fitness tips:
- arm strength exercise that increases strength and toning by building muscle, and
- fat-blasting, calorie-burning cardio workout routines to reduce the layer of fat surrounding the muscles, so you can see their shape.
Alternate arm toning exercises with cardio for optimum workout routines.
To help you accomplish your upper arm exercise goals, we've enlisted one of the all-time fitness greats, step-aerobics creator Gin Miller. Her heart-pumping, arm-sculpting circuit workout routines alternate step aerobics with upper-body and arm strength exercise, and you can do this workout at home.
"It's an all-in-one workout - cardio and strength," says Miller. "For those days when you say, 'I don't have time to exercise,' this is your workout." All you need to do is one circuit of this workout: 15 minutes. Do additional circuits regularly if your goal is to achieve a higher level of fitness or to reduce body fat significantly.
You'll notice that the arm toning exercises are not the same old gym moves; rather than target each muscle group separately, you'll work several muscle groups at once. "I prefer to train the human body the way it actually moves," Miller says. "You develop strength and flexibility, and you prepare your body for the little emergencies that come up now and again."
On the fat-reducing front, keep in mind that you need to burn more calories than you consume. So in addition to combining this upper arm exercise with other workout routines, you may need to reassess your eating habits.
