When Michelle Obama wears a sleeveless top, the media always reports on her incredibly sculpted arms. Credit Obama's intense cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training with giving her arms and shoulders definition. To achieve a similar look, you should complement your fitness efforts with a healthful diet low in refined carbohydrates, processed foods and saturated fat.
Compound Movements
The first lady's personal trainer, Cornell McClellan, oversees Obama's vigorous workout schedule. McClellan notes that compound movements are key in strengthening the arms and shoulders more efficiently. Rather than do isolated movements, such as a biceps curl with a free weight, do strengthening work that targets several muscle groups and joints at the same time. For example, pullups and pushups work the entire upper body.
Intensity Level
Obama's workout plan demands maintaining a vigorous pace of cardiovascular and strengthening exercises. She combines her upper body weight training with bouts of jumping rope, kickboxing and calisthenics that use her body weight as resistance.
Weight Routine
Target your arm and shoulder muscle groups with an upper body weight routine. Aim for two to three sets of around 10 repetitions each. Choose a weight that is challenging enough to bring you to muscle fatigue by the last lift. For shoulders, do the dumbbell press, barbell upright row and rear lateral raise. For arms, do a dumbbell curl, barbell curl, barbell reverse curl, close grip bench press, cable push-downs and dips.
Burn Fat
Building muscle mass in your shoulders and arms will not give you a sculpted look if you have excess fat. Obama often does cross-training to build strength and burn fat at the same time. She will do a circuit of calisthenics, weight training, treadmill running, stair-climbing, and stationary cycling. To properly cross-train, you need to keep the pace fast and not rest between stations. This method keeps your heart rate raised so that you burn more calories.
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