Suggestions on Strength Training arms

beaches222

Hello Everyone

I need suggestions on what and how to accomplish what I am trying. Okay I need to lose about 10 more pounds so I have been doing cardio for that however I have now incorporated dumbbells in my workouts to try to tone and slim my big arms and bat wings. lol. How do I accomplish this? What pound weights should I use and what type of exercise should I do and how long and should I do every day? Amy suggestions on what works for you? Thanks!

MB_Positif

The amount of weight you will use will depend on how much strength you have right now. You want to do something that is challenging. I also suggest a full body strength training program as opposed to trying to work only isolated areas. Look into Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5X5

twinketta

I understand where you are coming from, I have been playing catch up after losing weight to try to get my arms looking more toned.

My advice is to lift as heavy as you can.

These sites help me out also

Hasfit (also at www.hasfit.com)
Jillian Michaels (who else eh?)
Billy Banks Tae Bo
Fitness Blender
Denise Austin
anything with Tae Bo or Kickboxing in it's title
BeFit
Exercise TV

Sybil71

I second Stronglifts 5X5

0OneTwo3

most women do triceps-exercises to combat what you call "batwings". the most common being triceps kickbacks. other ways to train triceps are triceps-pushdowns, closegrip-benchpress, dips (there are supported variations), and shoulder presses.

i would however recommend to do a full-body strength routine (as stated above starting strength and stronglifts are excellent) and add the two above mentioned isolations exercises you are most comfortable with since it can be bad for your body mechanics to only train one small muscle group and ignore the rest of the body.

beaches222

Thanks for ALL your responses. All are so helpful. Thanks!

j6o4

If you want to slim down your arms you have to lose weight, no arm exercise will slim down your arms alone. If you do strenth training your main focus should be compounds lifts like deadlift, squats, pull ups, chin ups, and any pressing movments, they will give you more bang for your buck and burn more calories overall than isolation movements like tricep pull downs or dumbbell curls. These compounds movements will help you slim down and tone your arms more than isolation movements for your arm as long as your diet is in check.

Cranquistador

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs

Mother_Superior

Just about any progressive load, strength training program will help with this. Stronglifts, Starting Strength, NROL, etc. You can also find some excellent bodyweight programs (You are your own gym, convict conditioning, etc.) that simulate progressive load resistance with different exercise variations.

IronSmasher

I recommend a full body approach, on a structured program with built in plans to progress weights lifted.

Zaniejane

You have good advice here but I'm going to answer your question in my own way because I'm procrastinating doing my morning physio exercises.

I suggest picking an exercise from the following list that I'm going to make up now:

One of these for chest:
Push ups
Knee push-ups
Incline push-ups
Chest presses

For back:
Dumbell rows
Negative pull-ups
Let me ins ( from the book " you are your own gym")

One of these for shoulders:
OHP
Incline chest press
Side raises and forward raises with a dumbell ( lighter than one you'd use for presses)

Lower body ( with dumb bells)

Squats and lunges
Or
Dead lifts and squats
Or
Step ups and squats

You can add curls, tricep extensions and calf raises if you want but I prefer to keep it simple and the pulling and pushing exercises above will work your triceps and biceps.

Look for videos on you tube for a visual and to help you with your form.
Do 1 set of 10 or 12 to start

Then after a week or when you feel ready do 2 sets

Once you have good form and you feel like a badass, you can start looking into programs and different ways of doing. I think you will notice results with your dumbells, especially if you work up to 25 and 30 pound dumbells.
Like, I think if you worked up to exercising these body parts with weight so heavy that the last few reps are tough and you're doing 3 sets of 8 you will start to feel some bumps you may not have now. ( I love it when that happens!)

I'm not a personal trainer but this is how I started many years ago.
Congratulations on your success! Ask me questions if you want and I'll steer you to some of the experts here:)

SkimFlatWhite68

If you want to slim down your arms you have to lose weight, no arm exercise will slim down your arms alone. If you do strenth training your main focus should be compounds lifts like deadlift, squats, pull ups, chin ups, and any pressing movments, they will give you more bang for your buck and burn more calories overall than isolation movements like tricep pull downs or dumbbell curls. These compounds movements will help you slim down and tone your arms more than isolation movements for your arm as long as your diet is in check.

^^ what he said.
Unfortunately, we cannot choose where we lose the fat from our body, that's something that is genetically determined. Dang it!!!

My arms are my problem area, so I just do the best that I can with what I've got. I weight train 4 x per week using mainly compound movements, like those mentioned above, and throw in some tricep dips as well to help with the tuck shop lady arms.