Shaping the upper arms involves working not only the muscles of your arms, but also the muscles that support the shoulders. These muscles connect at the top of the arm bone and help form a shapely upper arm. A fitness regimen that includes a healthy diet and regular strength training of your arms and shoulders can help you achieve lean, toned upper arms.
Focus
It can help your workout if you envision the muscles involved. At the top of the front of the arm lies the bicep muscle, often called the "guns" -- it's the muscle you see when you strike a pose and flex your arm. Lesser known is the brachialis, sometimes called the lower bicep, which supports the ability to bend the elbow and help keep it bent. At the back of the arm lies the triceps muscles, which help straighten the arm. Covering the top of the arm are the deltoid muscles -- posterior, lateral and anterior -- which aid in moving the shoulder.
Dips
The triceps are helper muscles and rarely operate on their own. As such, they can be difficult to work in isolation. Tricep dips effectively isolate your triceps and also work your deltoids. They can be done to meet novice and advanced needs. Dips involve lowering your fully body weight -- or holding a dumbbell between your knees or feet to add weight -- and then returning to an upright position. You can complete the exercise from a kneeling position, from a standing position or by supporting yourself with your hands on a weight bench with your feet planted in front of you and your torso raised in a straight line to your knees. Dip only low enough that you feel a stretch in the front of the shoulder. If completing the dip from a standing position, lift yourself on to the side rails, don't swing and lean forward only slightly. Complete 12 dips to start, advancing to 15 as you gain strength.
Biceps and Brachialis Workout
Biceps curls allow you to work both your biceps and brachialis muscles, especially if you add an isometric hold at the end of each set. The key to isolating your biceps is the position of your elbows -- keep them at the sides of your body to force the biceps to work without helper muscles. You can use a barbell to work both arms at the same time, alternate with dumbbells or use resistance tubing to work your biceps. Keep your core tight and shoulder blades pulled back and down to support your spine and work out with good form. The goal is to lift to your shoulder and then lower to the full extension of your arm. Add a hold of 10 counts at the end of a set of 12 to fully engage the brachialis.
Deltoid Workout
To fully work the upper arm, you need to engage the deltoids. A shoulder press works the anterior delt, where you lift a barbell from your chin to the full extension of your arm, supporting your back with a tight core. Upright rows work the lateral delt, where you stand, core braced, and lift a barbell from your fully extended arm to your neck with elbows flaring out. Bent over rows work the back of the shoulder, or posterior delt, where you hinge from the hips and maintain a horizontal torso, lifting a barbell to your upper chest. When working the deltoids, alternate working the front one day and the back of the shoulder the next, as fatigue and poor form can result if you work them all the same day. You risk damaging your rotator cuff if you work all the deltoid muscles in one workout.
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