Whether you are a man or a woman, there is a chance that you want those Michelle Obama arms or those Randy Orton biceps. Having toned upper arms isn’t just vanity; it has more health benefits than you can imagine and one of them is, muscular and strong blood vessels. When you have strong, healthy and flexible blood vessels, it decreases your chances of developing random blood clots and if you were to suffer a heart attack, there is a higher probability of survival.
1. Sumo Squat with Bicep Curls
Talk about killing two birds with one stone. If you are vegan, sorry for the proverb. If you are like me—you enjoy watching a sumo match one in awhile—then you know that those men are quite strong and watching them squat is something else. The sumo squat in this exercise is meant to strengthen and tone the inner thighs which are a major problem area for most women, and tone the shins as well as the glutes.
To perform this move, take a very wide stance with feet pointed slightly outward; keep your knees forward with your arms loose by your sides armed with dumbbells.
TIP: Start with 10lb dumbbells then work your way up. This is because if you are not used to working your biceps, you will get too sore or even injure yourself.
As you take a deep squat, curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders then stand back up with the dumbbells back to your sides. That is one rep. Try doing 4 sets of 10.
2. Upward Row
What are chiseled biceps if there isn’t a pair of equally chiseled shoulders to go with them? The Upward Row is meant to define those shoulders . Come to a standing position with your feet, hip distance apart. Your shoulders should be over your pelvis, and a slight bend in your knees to prevent injury. Keep the dumbbells by your sides close to your body and lift them to your shoulders bending your elbows to the sides. Lower slowly back to initial position. Count this as one rep. Try doing 4 sets of 15 rep.
3. Overhead Triceps Extensions
This exercise is really great for those so-called wings.
Begin by standing with your feet hip distance apart. Hold one dumbbell with both hands, bending the elbows behind your head. Straighten both arms to lift the dumbbell into the air, then slowly bend the arms to lower. This is one rep. Try two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps.