Easy Exercises to Tone Your Arms

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Hi everyone. Today, we will be going through some work out routines to help firm up the arms. You know you need them when you wave at your friend and seconds after you're done waving, your triceps are still jiggling away. This is most common to women due to fats and hormonal changes that occur with age. It is so common that it has been given nicknames such as "Christian mother", and for the northern Nigerians "Matan zumunta arms". It could get very embarrassing but not to worry, you can start some routines to help you firm up those excited muscles and give you the freedom and confidence to rock your sleeveless wears again.

We'll be going through basic routines everyone can do at home so you can get rid of the no gym/gym equipment excuses.

The Arm Lift: Get two dumbbells for both arms, stand shoulder length apart with your knees slightly bent while you stretch out both arms forward with your palms facing upward, hang your arms in the air for a while then drop and repeat. Switch the direction of your  lifts (palms facing up and palms facing down, arms stretched forward and arms stretched sideways) while you repeat the routine. You can use two filled water bottles in place of the dumbbells.

Arm Circle: Stand  shoulder length apart with your arms stretched to the sides at shoulder height then roll your arms forward 15 times and then backwards another 15 times. Repeat after short breaks.

Arm Flex: Get two dumbbells for both arms, stand shoulder length apart with arms relaxed down by the sides at start position. Lift dumbbells straight overhead then bend elbows while taking the dumbbells down behind the shoulders, repeat 20 times. 

Push Back:  Stand shoulder length apart holding two dumbbells in each palm by the sides with palm facing backwards. Stretch arms backwards without bending your elbows while lifting to the highest position you can get to,  then return to the sides, repeat 20 times.

Chair Lift: Sit up on a balanced chair with your arms stretched while your palms are flat by your sides on the chair. Your knees should be bent while your feet are flat on the floor. Gently raise your butt off the chair while your palms remain steady on the chair, stretch your feet by taking a few steps forward and let your weight hang on your arms. Now lift yourself up with your arms and go back down continuously, ensuring that your butt never touches the floor. This is sort of like a frontal push up.

Shadow boxing: Throw punches in the air, not sissy punches, throw real hard and quick punches like your life depends on it, Keep punching hard and fast, soon you will start to miss the jiggles that follow your punches.

Push Ups: The regular push ups also help in toning the arms. Do a few push ups daily to help firm up your biceps.

There are many more simple routines that could help you tone your biceps and triceps. Choose the ones you feel work for you and get on with it. Play around with the dumbbells and feel how it works on your arm muscles. You should also know that general cardio exercises will help you lose weight and in turn burn fats around your arms too. I personally don't like obvious built up muscles on me as I consider it less feminine so I try not to overdo this work out when I get in the zone. Hey, I just thought about yam pounding - that could be very effective here too and if you like the muscles then pound away.

Always remember to clear with your physician especially when you have an ailment or history of one. Try them out and let us know how you progress, okay? Lots of love.