How do I tone my arms up?

mialsya
mialsya Posts: 188 Member
edited September 29 in Fitness and Exercise
I have HORRIBLE turkey neck arms. I have a lot of lose fat that dangles underneath my upper arms and I am so very self conscious about it. I have been hitting the gym a minimum of 3 times a week and doing some strength training and have been focusing on my arms probably more than I should. I have been trying to work my biceps and triceps evenly. I keep measurements and in the past week, I have GAINED a half an inch per arm. Is this normal? Is this muscle growth? How do I get rid of the turkey necks I'm smuggling under my arms? I haven't noticed any difference in the amount of fat there.

The upper-body machines I use at the gym are:
Seated Row - 30lbs 15 reps 5 sets
Pectoral Fly - 25lbs 10 reps 5 sets
Rear Deltoid - 25lbs 10 reps 5 sets
Lateral Raise - 15lbs 5 reps 4 sets
Pull Down - 40lbs 15 reps 5 sets
Biceps Curl - 30lbs 5 reps 5 sets
Triceps Press - 45lbs 15 reps 5 sets
Chest Press - 15lbs 10 reps 5 sets

Replies

  • HollieDoodles
    HollieDoodles Posts: 678 Member
    I don't know for sure, but I've been told time and time again that it takes time for things to shift and show the work u are doing. You're probably seeing the number increase because the muscle grew. Thats good because the more muscle thats there, the more it will burn the fat. Remember, muscle eats up the fat! Well...sort of! LOL
    I think you r on the right track!
  • Neiviv
    Neiviv Posts: 2
    This would definitely be muscle gain in your arms.

    You're doing a lot of good exercises that will continue to help - I think for now you just have to keep on with it. As your body determines your routine, it will realize that it will have to burn off that excess and it will start to do so. You didn't get your 'turkeys' overnight, so they won't go away right away.

    Good on you with those machines! I can't suggest anything else - unless your gym has a speedbag. A speedbag will also help big time. (Not all gyms have them though - mostly only hardcore type ones, 'normal' gyms may have a heavy bag.)
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
    Toning is not really an option. The only thing you can do is to reduce overall body fat levels via a caloric deficit and do resistance training on your arms to retain as much muscle mass as possible during your diet.
  • diblogs
    diblogs Posts: 2
    I do Yoga it tones what you have rather than bulking up. My bingo wings dont wiggle half as much and I am much more flexable than I was. Combining yoga and my fitness pal has changes my shape completely. Just need to lose my baby belly now.
  • c2sky
    c2sky Posts: 487 Member
    Change it up every 4-6 weeks, and change your reps weekly. Also add assisted pullups or lat pull downs. Be sure to lift your rib cage and engage the move from just below your shoulder blades and armpits, then follow through with your arms.

    Also, start doing pushups. you can start by holding your body in a perfect plank, and leaning against the kitchen counter, standing on your toes. Drop yourself down toward the counter and then come up. When you can do 20 reps of those, move to the edge of a couch, then closer and closer to doing regular pushups on the floor.

    The way you can do this at the gym, is to use the Smith machine (the bar inside a cage, that hooks onto pegs) Ask your gym, if they have one. Move the bar to a distance from the floor that you can do a push up with. Put your hands on the bar and drop your chest between your hands. And remember no excerise gets stuff off the top, but trains the muscles underneath. Keep following a sensible calorie management plan, and you'll get there. I'm still working to get back to where I was 7 years ago.

    good luck.
  • spiritcrusher
    spiritcrusher Posts: 326 Member
    A lot of those exercises you listed don't do anything to target your arms specifically.

    The number one muscle that you can train to grow that will reduce the loose skin more than anything is your tricep. It makes up 2/3rd of your arm. The bicep makes up the rest.

    Do some heavy weights and don't be afraid to get all super muscular, remember you're a female and you do not have the testosterone to maintain a large amount of muscle so you'll never get HUGE.
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
    Skullcrushers/French Press
    Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks
    Dips

    You can always check out bodybuilding.com/exercises

    I has a directory of different exercises for all of the muscles.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    First and foremost, toned-up anything comes from diet. You have to firm up your diet or you'll never see any muscle tone or fat loss.

    Regarding exercises: Make sure you doing some compound upper body exercises like overhead shoulder press and bench press (bp variants) Allows you to focus on big muscle groups and your triceps are highly involved in both movement patterns.

    My personal favorite direct tricep movements are:
    - Dips (also works chest and shoulders)
    - Decline Dumbell Extensions
    - Rope extensions (2 sec hold at the peak of the extensions
    - Skull Crushers are a good exercise, just be careful you don't turn it into a modified bench press.

    Kickbacks are okay but they really only work the long head of the tricep (inner).

    You don't need to do a ton of different exercises, but focus on two to three compound movements and a couple direct tricep exercises.
  • spiritcrusher
    spiritcrusher Posts: 326 Member


    Regarding exercises: Make sure you doing some compound upper body exercises like overhead shoulder press and bench press (bp variants) Allows you to focus on big muscle groups and your triceps are highly involved in both movement patterns.

    They only function as a secondary muscle and don't offer growth potential anywhere near as much as isolated movements.
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    For the weights - Try lower weight but more reps. If you are using 25 lbs and doing 5 sets of 10 reps. Try 10lbs but do 5 sets of 35 - 50 reps.

    In addition, push-ups. Start with 3 - 5 sets of standard push-ups, reps of 10 - 15 (less if too difficult). Once you get used to it start trying with your hands further apart and then close together (Triangle push-ups: Thumbs and forefinger of each hand touching to form a triangle)

    Last suggestion. Someone else mentioned Yoga. This is a great suggestion. Yoga tends to tone & strengthen more than build muscle mass. In conjunction with diet it will help re-sculpt your body.

    Good luck!
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member


    Regarding exercises: Make sure you doing some compound upper body exercises like overhead shoulder press and bench press (bp variants) Allows you to focus on big muscle groups and your triceps are highly involved in both movement patterns.

    They only function as a secondary muscle and don't offer growth potential anywhere near as much as isolated movements.

    First, in no way did I suggest that she should skip isolation work in favor of only performing compound pressing movements. For her needs she needs both.

    Secondly, if you do enough pressing movements and frequency you can actually provide a lot of stimulation to the triceps. We can start a whole new thread and discuss that one.
  • spiritcrusher
    spiritcrusher Posts: 326 Member


    Regarding exercises: Make sure you doing some compound upper body exercises like overhead shoulder press and bench press (bp variants) Allows you to focus on big muscle groups and your triceps are highly involved in both movement patterns.

    They only function as a secondary muscle and don't offer growth potential anywhere near as much as isolated movements.

    First, in no way did I suggest that she should skip isolation work in favor of only performing compound pressing movements. For her needs she needs both.

    Secondly, if you do enough pressing movements and frequency you can actually provide a lot of stimulation to the triceps. We can start a whole new thread and discuss that one.

    Stimulation is fine but I think she's trying to supplement the adiposity that was there with muscle. Isolation would still be the major thing we want to focus on.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member


    Regarding exercises: Make sure you doing some compound upper body exercises like overhead shoulder press and bench press (bp variants) Allows you to focus on big muscle groups and your triceps are highly involved in both movement patterns.

    They only function as a secondary muscle and don't offer growth potential anywhere near as much as isolated movements.

    First, in no way did I suggest that she should skip isolation work in favor of only performing compound pressing movements. For her needs she needs both.

    Secondly, if you do enough pressing movements and frequency you can actually provide a lot of stimulation to the triceps. We can start a whole new thread and discuss that one.

    Stimulation is fine but I think she's trying to supplement the adiposity that was there with muscle. Isolation would still be the major thing we want to focus on.

    That and diet. Adipose tissue wont' go away unless the diet is in order.
  • mialsya
    mialsya Posts: 188 Member
    Thank you so much for the suggestions and information. I am working on diet as well (my diary is open if you want to look - slowly transitioning to "real food"). I am trying to limit my calories to 1400-1500 (my doctor said to stick around 1500). The weight is coming off, slowly but surly. I tend to lose weight evenly, so I guess I'm lucky with that. However, I don't like seeing + signs on my measurements.
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