toning up arms..

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My arms are one of my problem areas.. I've been doing great with cardio and I love lower body strength training but as I lose weight, I want to tone up my arms as I go. Anyone have a favorite bicep/tricep exercise that's great for helping lose the flab?

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  • liznotyet
    liznotyet Posts: 402 Member
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    planks! moving planks! running planks!
  • strutdivastrut
    strutdivastrut Posts: 105 Member
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    Triceps dips work for me.
  • klkateri
    klkateri Posts: 432 Member
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    I do a workout on Youtube.com on the XHIT channel and it's "HOw to get rid of Bingo wings". there are a couple of workouts on there for arms and I really like them all and they work!
  • candigirl60
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    Bingo wings haha.. Thank you ladies! I will start adding these exercises into my routine and ill definitely check out that YouTube channel! :)
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
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    If you want to add tone to your arms, then none of the suggestions here will be bad ones.

    However, the most likely reason for flab in your arms is either: a) loose skin from rapid and extreme weight loss, or b) simply that it's going to be one of the last places where you lose body fat.

    "Spot reducing" doesn't work. Simply working a particular body part doesn't take fat of that particular body part. This is particularly true of the arms which are relatively small muscles - the triceps being the larger of the two primary muscles. If you want to reduce arm flab, then keep working your glutes and thighs. Add back and chest exercises as those are large muscles which will burn calories much faster than doing arm isolation exercises.
  • candigirl60
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    If you want to add tone to your arms, then none of the suggestions here will be bad ones.

    However, the most likely reason for flab in your arms is either: a) loose skin from rapid and extreme weight loss, or b) simply that it's going to be one of the last places where you lose body fat.

    "Spot reducing" doesn't work. Simply working a particular body part doesn't take fat of that particular body part. This is particularly true of the arms which are relatively small muscles - the triceps being the larger of the two primary muscles. If you want to reduce arm flab, then keep working your glutes and thighs. Add back and chest exercises as those are large muscles which will burn calories much faster than doing arm isolation exercises.

    Great advice! I do believe it's just one of the last places my body wants to let go of.
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    Keep it simple.

    Curls build biceps. Start off with regular curls. If you feel like you can handle more, add another variation of curls that you like.

    For triceps you've got a few options. You can try dips, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns, skullcrushers. I recommend starting off with dips. Once again if you can handle more, add one of the other three exercises I mentioned (I recommend pushdowns).

    You should work your shoulders as well. Overhead press/military press/shoulder press whatever you want to call it is the king of shoulder exercises.
  • steve0820
    steve0820 Posts: 510 Member
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    I agree you can't spot reduce. Lowering BF will.

    No need for direct isolation work, stick with compound exercises: Squats, deadlifts, OHP, bench.

    Then add:

    Dips
    Chin up
    Pull ups.

    Pretty much all you need.
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    Yea man but all she wants to do is biceps/triceps, not a full body routine.
  • steve0820
    steve0820 Posts: 510 Member
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    Yea man but all she wants to do is biceps/triceps, not a full body routine.

    No need for beginners to do isolation training, or even IMO, if you have only been lifting for 1-2 years.

    You'll get as much of an arm workout doing compound lifts, as you would doing tricep dips and bicep curls.

    A chin up is better for biceps then any curl. I don't know about you, but I can't curl my own bodyweight hahaha
  • TheMetalMan0
    TheMetalMan0 Posts: 64 Member
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    Keep it simple.

    Curls build biceps. Start off with regular curls. If you feel like you can handle more, add another variation of curls that you like.

    For triceps you've got a few options. You can try dips, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns, skullcrushers. I recommend starting off with dips. Once again if you can handle more, add one of the other three exercises I mentioned (I recommend pushdowns).
    This!
  • DanceswithWow
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    Normally individuals with arms that are presumably hard to develop shape and tone suffer from 3 unintended errors

    the first is not incorporating enough whole food protein..- because arms are involved in every activity dealing with upper body ..whole food protein is needed to repair and resupply muscle tissue dismantled during sets sequences and a series of lifts. if a small amount off say 1 gram per meal per day is missing, this can mean the difference of more than 20% loss to your ability to develop the muscle your want.

    thats the food energy intake side..

    to fill out the arms that say yes to a sexy dress or fill out a sleeve like a well crafted bread loaf i dont just do a set then stop, do a set then stop

    ..string exercises in a Motorskill sequence. Instead of just doing a set then pausing , doing a set then pausing or trying to always plank..which is essentially an isometric hold with your body weight..

    Work at stringing together at least a combination of sequences on the area itself..Rest pause is mostly a size and general conditioning. Flappy back of the arms is a lack of muscle density not being filled out by glycogen.

    Your motorskills are the precursors to all biomechanical movements.. so a bicep exercise routine performed as a string instead of rest pause would look as follows. The format you are reading is called motorskill notation [msn] and permits customization and the exact translation of how your brain interprets an exercise for physical conditioning purposes

    This means an exercise program can be short coded ( drafted in motorskill notation) exactly the way physical learning happens. You are able direct movement of your muscle without guess work of what your body intends to accomplish as the end game.

    Routines can now be created based on themes. I named this bicep routine as: _Biceps Unbound 2.0_

    Bicep Cable curls --> [ E|S =25 ] [ F|T = :15sec ] [ A|R =:12sec ] [ S|S =12@?lbs ]

    Hammer curls --> [ P|T =15 ] [ I|H ] =:20sec] [ Vsc = 10ea @ 8lb, 10lb ,6lb ] [A|R = :12sec]

    Concentration curls--> [ S|S = 15@ ?lbs ] [ A|R = :20 ] [ S|S =12@?lbs ] , [ F|T = :20sec ]

    Reverse curls --> [ I|H = :20sec] [E|S =20@?lbs] [F|T =:15 sec] [I|H =:12sec] [ A|R = end]


    How above reads is as follows:

    Perform an endurance set for 25 reps, followed by a bicep stretch for 15 seconds , rest for 12 seconds
    then do hammer curls using a pumping transition followed by an isometric hold, to a vertical strength curve...using 8pounds, then 10lbs then 6lb pounds of weight. do not be intimidated by the name vertical strength curve all this is three weight amounts increasing and decreasing in strength difference utilized inside each set to each other.

    This exercise string ends with a 12 second active rest. Concentration curls follow and starts up with a standard set, active rest, standard set again and finishes the string with a stretch.

    reverse curls begins with an Isometric hold followed by an endurance set, then a stretch, another isometric hold with the completion of the routine ending with an active rest.


    On the back of the arm -Triceps your task is to braid and rebraid all three landmarks of this muscle. The two most effective motorskills for braiding and rebraiding the back of your arm is the isometric hold [ I|H ] and endurance sets.[ E|H ]

    simply use the above string and switch out bicep exercises for tricep exercises.. now you have a routine called TRICEPS UNBOUND 2.0

    If you do not know other back of the arm tricep exercises besides dips, friend me .. i have tricep exercises that does not require a gym or a bunch of equipment or depend on body weight alone.

    Will be happy to forward at least more exercises that will help fix, shape, and tone back of the arm sagging.

    best to you

    Dances with Wow
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Yea man but all she wants to do is biceps/triceps, not a full body routine.

    No need for beginners to do isolation training, or even IMO, if you have only been lifting for 1-2 years.

    You'll get as much of an arm workout doing compound lifts, as you would doing tricep dips and bicep curls.

    A chin up is better for biceps then any curl. I don't know about you, but I can't curl my own bodyweight hahaha

    I agree with this....why isolate...and let's be frank running is fine but to really build strength which helps with running etc a full body workout with compound movements is really the way to go.

    I mean why have nice "toned" arms when everything else will jiggle...just my thoughts

    let me add I have been lifting for almost a year (5x5 program) and have yet to add anything other than chin ups/pull ups into my routine and that is just cause I wanted to test myself...
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    lift heavy. well, as heavy as you can stand. barbells rock.
  • 2_FitNFab
    2_FitNFab Posts: 163 Member
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    Triceps dips, push-ups & planks!!
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Normally individuals with arms that are presumably hard to develop shape and tone suffer from 3 unintended errors

    the first is not incorporating enough whole food protein..- because arms are involved in every activity dealing with upper body ..whole food protein is needed to repair and resupply muscle tissue dismantled during sets sequences and a series of lifts. if a small amount off say 1 gram per meal per day is missing, this can mean the difference of more than 20% loss to your ability to develop the muscle your want.

    thats the food energy intake side..

    to fill out the arms that say yes to a sexy dress or fill out a sleeve like a well crafted bread loaf i dont just do a set then stop, do a set then stop

    ..string exercises in a Motorskill sequence. Instead of just doing a set then pausing , doing a set then pausing or trying to always plank..which is essentially an isometric hold with your body weight..

    Work at stringing together at least a combination of sequences on the area itself..Rest pause is mostly a size and general conditioning. Flappy back of the arms is a lack of muscle density not being filled out by glycogen.

    Your motorskills are the precursors to all biomechanical movements.. so a bicep exercise routine performed as a string instead of rest pause would look as follows. The format you are reading is called motorskill notation [msn] and permits customization and the exact translation of how your brain interprets an exercise for physical conditioning purposes

    This means an exercise program can be short coded ( drafted in motorskill notation) exactly the way physical learning happens. You are able direct movement of your muscle without guess work of what your body intends to accomplish as the end game.

    Routines can now be created based on themes. I named this bicep routine as: _Biceps Unbound 2.0_

    Bicep Cable curls --> [ E|S =25 ] [ F|T = :15sec ] [ A|R =:12sec ] [ S|S =12@?lbs ]

    Hammer curls --> [ P|T =15 ] [ I|H ] =:20sec] [ Vsc = 10ea @ 8lb, 10lb ,6lb ] [A|R = :12sec]

    Concentration curls--> [ S|S = 15@ ?lbs ] [ A|R = :20 ] [ S|S =12@?lbs ] , [ F|T = :20sec ]

    Reverse curls --> [ I|H = :20sec] [E|S =20@?lbs] [F|T =:15 sec] [I|H =:12sec] [ A|R = end]


    How above reads is as follows:

    Perform an endurance set for 25 reps, followed by a bicep stretch for 15 seconds , rest for 12 seconds
    then do hammer curls using a pumping transition followed by an isometric hold, to a vertical strength curve...using 8pounds, then 10lbs then 6lb pounds of weight. do not be intimidated by the name vertical strength curve all this is three weight amounts increasing and decreasing in strength difference utilized inside each set to each other.

    This exercise string ends with a 12 second active rest. Concentration curls follow and starts up with a standard set, active rest, standard set again and finishes the string with a stretch.

    reverse curls begins with an Isometric hold followed by an endurance set, then a stretch, another isometric hold with the completion of the routine ending with an active rest.


    On the back of the arm -Triceps your task is to braid and rebraid all three landmarks of this muscle. The two most effective motorskills for braiding and rebraiding the back of your arm is the isometric hold [ I|H ] and endurance sets.[ E|H ]

    simply use the above string and switch out bicep exercises for tricep exercises.. now you have a routine called TRICEPS UNBOUND 2.0

    If you do not know other back of the arm tricep exercises besides dips, friend me .. i have tricep exercises that does not require a gym or a bunch of equipment or depend on body weight alone.

    Will be happy to forward at least more exercises that will help fix, shape, and tone back of the arm sagging.

    best to you

    Dances with Wow
    2iiest1.jpg
  • erikarobles
    erikarobles Posts: 205 Member
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    I sit on my butt all day at work but try to do a few sets of chair dips every hour. I think it is finally starting to help!!!! Good luck!!! I know a LOT of women that have that problem in fact one of my friends had lipo on her arms!!! I was soooo jealous lol.
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
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    upper body compound exercises will help you create a balanced and strong upper body... push ups.. pull ups... dips... IN order to avoid putting your body out of balance by focusing on one area.. it is probably time for you to look at a lifting program like 5X5... it will help you to begin developing a strong and stable body... Best of luck