Getting Shapely Arms

Question: I had been gradually losing weight all year and have finally reached the weight I felt I needed to be. I'm still not satisfied with how my arms look but I don't want to lose more weight which would make me look drawn in the face. How can I get more shape in my arms while maintaining the weight I am?

Answer: Arms with a little shape and muscle seem to be the look that is in style now. Since you have been training with weights throughout your transformation you probably need to change your approach to your biceps, triceps and shoulder training. Usually weight loss routines include training for these areas but now it's time to place more emphasis on them since you have reached a low enough body fat level to see more muscle and recognize that you want more shape to them.

Once every two weeks add this to your arm training. Use a tri-set for biceps consisting of incline dumbbell curls for ten reps with a weight that is not quite your maximum for those reps but close. You should feel a burn on the eighth rep and do two more. Move directly to a standing barbell curl with a curl bar using the outside grip on the bar. Do ten reps using a weight that is not quite your max for those ten reps. By this time you should be feeling a serious burn in your biceps. Now finish with a set of ten reps using a curl bar attached to a cable weight stack and use the inside grip on these. Finish with another ten reps. The first time you do this routine do two rounds of the three exercises. After that do three rounds of them.

For your triceps again you'll do three exercises in a sequence consisting of double dumbbell kickbacks, curl grip triceps pulldowns and regular triceps pressdowns. Take two dumbbells of a moderate weight and bend over until your upper torso is about parallel to the floor. Pull your elbows up to your sides until your upper arms are also parallel to the floor. Keeping your arms in that position extend your arm until it is straight back and fully extended contracting your triceps in both arms. Do ten reps. Move to the triceps pulldowns and grip a curl bar on the outside grip of the bar like you would if you were curling it. Pull the bar down to your sides and extend your arm until it is straight. These are like triceps pressdowns except you are pulling the bar with your triceps instead of pushing it. Do ten reps. Without changing anything but your hand position place your hands on the inside grip on top of the bar and do a set of ten triceps pressdowns. The first day you do these, do two sets each and after that do three sets of each.

For shoulders do a set of ten side laterals followed by ten seated dumbbell shoulders presses and ten dumbbell upright rows. Do two rounds of these on the first day you do them and three each time after. What these routines do is to focus on a specific muscle group and fatigue them, push them to change. If they are done well it creates an uncomfortable burn from the lactic acid during the sets but the rewards are in changes that can occur.

God bless and keep training,
Daryl

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Posted by Fred Black on December 15, 2009 | Printer-Friendly

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