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Trim
Your Upper Arms
Summer is a month away, and if you
dare to bare - your arms, that is - its time you started working on getting
rid of that flab.
Upper arms are a storage site for
fat, and even the thinnest woman who doesn't seem to have an inch of spare
fat anywhere on her body and proudly declares "No matter how much I eat,
I just can't put on weight…" would in all probability have upper arms that
jiggle.
The reason that most of us have flabby
upper arms is because they don't get worked out at all during our regular
routine. Here's how you can get your upper arms in shape:
Start doing some form of aerobic
activity like walking or jogging. Just exercising your arms will not really
accomplish much, unless it is combined with aerobic activity. Aerobic activities
help you burn fat from all over, and at a much faster rate than spot reduction
exercises do. Thus, it's best to combine a spot reduction activity which
targets the muscles in your upper arm, with an aerobic exercise.
Weights
Invest in a pair of dumbbells. Alternatively
you could use an empty oil can filled with water. You could also use a
large coke bottle, but this may not be easy to hold on to. It's better
to stick to something with a handle.
Do you really need weights even if
you don't want to build large muscles? The answer is yes. Working with
light weights won't increase the size of your biceps and triceps. It will,
however, convert the fat into muscle. Muscle helps you lose fat even when
you are not working out, so you will be burning those calories while sleeping!
Isn't that great?
In addition, more muscle means more
strength, so you will be able to lift that chair - and table - without
calling for help. (We don't recommend it though. You don't want to strain
your back muscles.)
Hold a dumbbell in one arm and lift
your upper arm so it is against the side of your head, pressed against
your ear. Support it from the front with your other arm, and slowly raise
the arm so it is straight up above you. Lower it again, till the dumbbell
touches the back of your spinal cord. Do this ten times for each arm, rest,
and do two more reps.
Pulsing
Stretch your hands straight out on
your sides so they are shoulder level. With your palms facing down, pulse
them up and down 50 times. Then face your palms out, pulsing back and front,
up, pulsing up and down and back, pulsing back and front again. Pulse them
50 times each time.
Push-ups
Assume the regular push up pose,
with your legs out straight behind you and your arms below your chest on
the floor. Keep your arms as close together as possible, with fingers pointing
forward. Slowly lower your body till your elbows are bent at 90 degrees,
pause for a few seconds, and lift your body again. Start with around 2-3
push ups, and slowly keep increasing. Once this gets too easy, you could
keep lowering your body till your chin almost touches the floor, and then
lift it again.
Combine this routine with a jog around
the block thrice a week and you'll be set to bare-all this summer!
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