Fitness Tips For Arm Toning Exercises

Vary your arm program to tone and strengthen your shoulder, bicep and triceps muscles by incorporating a change the amount of resistance, a change in the type of resistance you use and how much volume (the total number of reps per muscle group) you use. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) promotes progressively challenging your muscles to ensure further development of muscle tone.

Change the Resistance

When you go from using a light weight to using a heavier weight, you increase the number of muscle cells you use. This will stimulate a growth in muscle cell size, leading to the appearance of greater muscle tone. For instance, do dumbbell curls with 10-lb. dumbbells. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Alternately curl each dumbbell toward your chin for three sets of 12 to15 reps. After two weeks, use a weight heavy enough you can only do eight to 12 reps. For instance, if you use 12-lb. dumbbells and you can do 12 reps on the first set, increase to 15-lb. dumbbells for the second set. If you can do only eight reps, stick with this weight for the third set. You need to work up to three sets of 12 reps then increase your weight for the following session. This time, make the weight heavy enough you can only do four to six reps. Again, build up to three sets of six reps. Stay at this weight till you can complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Vary Between Free Weights and Cables

Many exercises you do with free weights can be mimicked on a pulley machine. Though most of your training should be done with barbells and dumbbells, you should also use cable pulleys as they provide resistance in both directions, while your muscles shorten and while they lengthen. Perform a one-arm upright dumbbell row using a cable pulley instead and set the pulley to 15-lb. Face the pulley bars, holding a single handle attachment pulley and raise your hand to just under your shoulder with your elbow out to the side. Return to start and repeat the movement, changing arms after each set.

Increase Volume of Training

Training volume is calculated by adding the total number of repetitions per muscle group. Perform triceps bench presses by lying on the bench and holding the bar at shoulder-width on each side. Lower the bar to the bottom part of your chest and keep your elbows against your ribs, then press back up. Do a set of 10 reps, a set of 12 reps and a set of 15 reps. Add your reps to get a total volume of 37 reps.
Do triceps push-ups on the floor, placing your hands at shoulder-width. Balance on your knees or your toes, keeping your elbows against your ribs. Lower your body in a straight line till your nose is 2 inches above the floor. Complete three sets of 10 reps. Push-ups volume is 30 reps.
Training volume for this session of your triceps workout is 67 reps. During your next triceps workout, increase the volume of training. Add another exercise to your triceps routine; add another set to the triceps bench press; do three sets of 15 reps for triceps push-ups.