10-Minute Arm Workout

by Jenni in

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Arms do so much for us, the lift, pull, hug, stir, fold, and so many other things as well. Let's do them a solid and make them a bit stronger in 10-minutes! This simple 10-minute exercise is geared to work all of those arm muscles including the back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms. Whooohooo, Hale Berry's arms are just a few, short, steps away! 

To complete this exercise, you will need a resistance band and can use push-up bars if your wrists start to hurt during normal arm exercises. Resistance bands will target multiple muscles at one time, increasing the fat burn and toning potential. They also help elongate the muscle will working it.  Complete each exercise for 1-minute before continuing to the next. Each exercise should be done back-to-back without a break in between. To really give your arms a workout, try doing this circuit 2-3 times with a 1-minute break between each circuit.

Inverted Push-Up    

Inverted push-ups take our usual push-up and add some intensity. These are great for the back, legs, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. Place the feet on a chair behind you and get into plank position with arms directly under the shoulders. Bend the elbows outward and lower the body towards the ground, making sure to keep the back straight. Hold, then slowly rise back to starting. Continue for 1-minute. 

Lunge Row 

These are great for the legs, bum, triceps, biceps, shoulders, back, and forearms. Place the resistance band equally under your right foot and hold the ends with each hand. Lunge the left foot back and lean forward. Begin the row by bending the elbows upwards and pulling the resistance band so your hands are equal with your chest. Slowly lower and continue for 30-seconds. Alternate to the left side for another 30-seconds.

Chair-ups 

Chair-ups are some of the best things I have found to remedy the dreaded "bat wings". You know, that flappy bit where the triceps should be. To complete these, sit on the edge of your chair and place hands on either side of your hips with fingers curled over the front edge and legs straight out in front of you. Slowly lower yourself off the chair so your bum is almost resting on the floor and elbows are bent at 90 degrees behind you. Pull yourself up by straightening the arms, hold, then lower back down so you are almost on the floor again. Continue this for 1-minute. 

Plank Turns 

Oh goodness are these good for our upper bodies! Get into plank position with arms directly under the shoulders and the back straight. Be sure to keep a straight back during this entire exercise, if the back is not straight, there may be too much pressure on the lower back.

Slowly rotate so all your weight is on the left hand and the right arm is straight up in the air. The goal is to be a straight as possible, looking like a "T". Advanced can have feet stacked on one another, intermediate can have the right foot resting on the ground in front of the left. Hold, then rotate back down to plank and over to the right side. Continue this for 1-minute.  

Warrior 3 

Warrior 3 is one of those positions that leaves no muscle untouched. These will work the core, bum, calf, legs, back, shoulders, and arms.  Phew, that is a lot of muscle work! Begin with feet together and arms above the head. gradually lower the torso while lifting the right leg. The back, legs, and arms should be straight and look like one line being held up by the right leg. Continue until the right leg and body are parallel with the floor- or as far as your can. Hold this posistion for 30 seconds, then slowly lower back down to the floor and continue with the left leg.

Cobra Push-Ups  

These are great for the forearms, triceps, biceps, and back. Lay with your stomach on the ground, hands under the shoulders, elbows pointed back, and chest off the ground. Slowly push-up so the arms are straight, hold, then come back down. Continue this for one minute, keeping your elbows off the ground after the first push-up.

Curtsey Curl 

The Curtsey Curl is another total body workout. Begin with feet hip shoulder apart and the resistance band under the left foot, being held by the left arm. Complete a curtsey lunge with the right leg, hold the lunge, and curl the left hand upward towards the shoulder. Return to standing and continue for one minute before alternating sides.

Chest Press  (1 minute)

Last one! Shoulder presses are great for he entire upper body. Lay on your back with legs bent and feet on the ground. Place the resistance band under your upper back and held evenly in either hand. It may help to take the mid-point of the resistance band and wrap around your chest so the bands cross under your back. This will increase resistance and reduce the band's movement during the exercise.

Begin by with arms bent upward at your sides and slowly straighten them towards the ceiling, hold, then return to starting. Continue this movement for one minute. If you really want to increase the workout, complete the chest press in bridge pose. This will be a whole new kind of arm routine!

Fitness magazine also has the great resistance band workout geared towards the arms!  


 

 

Yoga for Toned Arms

by Jenni in

I have recently had some questions dealing with ways to get arms toned. ​A great way to tone our arms without getting bulky muscles is to tone through yoga. Yoga has lots of holding poses that use the weight of our arms against us, but for us in the end... Although there are also plenty of great yoga how-to's out there, this workout with Tara Stiles is one of my favorites. Tara is a fantastic yoga instructor who works with companies like Livestrong and health and fitness magazines. She also travels the world teaching yoga and has a YouTube channel along with her own website centered around a healthy life. 

This workout is super fun and very simple. What is even better is that it will help with that pesky underarm jiggle as well!

Oscar Workout Special: Naomi Watts' Arms

by Jenni in

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Naomi Watts uses Pilates to keep her body toned and abs super tight. Pilates is also fantastic for arms, as seen by her killer upper body! She has been known to follow the Blood Type Diet in her younger years, but now tries to eat healthy and balanced instead. 

This exercise incorporates a lot of Pilates exercises along with some great toning moves. Start with a warm up jog for two minutes, then complete each exercise for one minute with a one minute cool down between each circuit. Complete three circuits, total. 

Chair Dips

Chair dips are so wonderful for those triceps and that jiggle. Place a chair a few inches behind you and legs stretched out in front. Hands should be facing you and on the seat of the chair with elbows bent, hold you off the ground. Rise up so arms are straight, then bend back down so you are about an inch from sitting down. Complete as many as possible in one minute.

Cobra Push-Ups

Such a fun push-up variation! Get into cobra position with toes on the floor and legs out straight behind you. Shoulders should be down and eyes should be looking up. Bend elbows back so you are completing an almost regular push-up. Complete as many as possible in one minute.

Long Plank Series

This is a great Pilates exercise that incorporates legs, arms, and abs. Start on all fours with abs engaged and shoulders down. Extend one leg, then the other, out so you are in plank position. Lift the right leg up while keeping your body still. Lower, and lift the left leg up. Alternate between left and right twice, then return to all fours. Complete as many as possible in one minute.

Pilates Push-Up

Start standing up with back against a wall. Arch your back downward and roll forward slowly until your hands are on the floor. Walk hands out until you are in plank position, then complete one push-up. Walk hands back until you are standing up with legs against the wall, then roll back up to standing position. Complete as many as possible in two minutes.

Triceps-Hammy

These are super fun and a mix of a few different routines. Start on all fours with back straight. Feel free to use a 3-5 lb. weight if you have one. If not, a water bottle or cat should do. Lift right leg up and extend straight back so it is level with your hips. Lift your left arm up so your elbow has a 90 degree angle and your upper arm is even with your back. Extend arm straight back, hod, then return to the bent position. Complete as many as possible in one minute, then alternate to the left foot and right arm for another minute.

Flight Position

This is a fantastic Pilates position that I had to do all the time in my ballet days. It will work your arms, back abs, and bum. Start laying on your stomach with your nose touching the ground and arms by your side. Lift your body off the ground while keeping hips and toes rooted to the floor. Arms should be activated and straight out behind you. Hold this position for 30 seconds, rest for 5, then hold for another 30. To increase the difficulty, hold the position for one minute without a break.

You can also use this as a tone and stretch pose by interlocking the fingers behind your back. So wonderful after an arm-tastic circuit! ​

Saturday

Be sure to complete all three workouts on Saturday, but only do one circuit of each. This will get you in red carpet shape for whatever you have planned on Sunday!