Having spaghetti arms can make you self-conscious about wearing strapless dresses or sleeveless shirts. Building lean muscle facilitates fat loss and helps give the arms a firmer appearance. A common misconception among women is that lifting weights builds bulky muscle, but women do not produce the testosterone necessary to gain size like men. Include biceps, triceps and shoulder exercises in your total body training program to tone the arms.
Barbell Curls
Barbell curls recruit the biceps and shoulder muscles. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a barbell with both arms down in front of you and palms facing upward. Curl the barbell up toward the shoulders while keeping the elbows close to the body. Lower the barbell slowly and return to the starting position. Repeat for three sets of 15 repetitions.
Stability Ball Triceps Press
Stability ball triceps press engages the triceps and shoulders while activating the core muscles for balance. Sit on the stability ball with a dumbbell in each hand. Walk your feet forward until your head and shoulder blades are resting on the ball. Extend the arms over the chest with palms facing inward. Lower the dumbbells until the elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Press the weights up and return to the starting position. Repeat the motion for three sets of 15 repetitions.
Overhead Shoulder Press
Overhead shoulder press targets the deltoids or shoulder muscles. Begin seated on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend the arms overhead with palms facing forward. Lower the weights until the elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle. Press the dumbbells up until the arms are straight, returning to the starting position. Repeat for three sets of 15 repetitions.
Triceps Dips
Triceps dips work the triceps and shoulder muscles. Begin seated on a flat bench or a chair with a hard flat surface. Extend the legs in front of you with the feet together. Place your hands beside the hips with palms facing forward. Lift the hips off of the bench so your hands are supporting your body weight. Lower the hips toward the floor until the elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Press yourself up and return to the starting position. Repeat for three sets of 15 repetitions.
References
- BodyBuilding.com: 5 Arm Blasting Workouts
- "Weight Training Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers; 2006
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