Victoria,
I love to wear fun sundresses but I have embarrassingly flabby arms. I just bought the most adorable tube dress and I am too self-conscious to wear it yet.

I like the idea that you were actually overweight yourself and you have been able to tone and firm your arms. I feel more comfortable trusting your suggestions.

What are your favorite exercises to tone and sculpt my arms so that I won’t feel like I have chicken wings when I wear it?
- Alena



Alena, How hilarious…”chicken wings”. I suppose that you mean that the skin and flabby muscles on the backside of your arms are loose and flop when you move your arm. UUGGGHHH!! I can totally understand what you mean.

I love training my arms. Whenever I am having a fat day, I like to put on some comfortable slacks and then immediately do some arm toning exercises. It makes me feel sleek and firm.

I train them with multiple different exercises. I keep the exercises close together and I use short rest periods, about 30 seconds between sets.

When I am preparing for a photo shoot, I supersets my exercises—performs two exercises back to back without resting in between.

You should try it too: It's a great way to get through your workout more quickly and burn more calories in the process. You can pair bicep exercises with a triceps exercise.

Most weight training programs were designed by men for building bulky muscles, I have personally experienced that myself.

I had a male trainer when I first got into bodybuilding and I built some thick muscle that took me years to break down and sculpt. He was not a bad trainer, I just decided later on that I wanted to return to my slimmer dancer body.

That’s why I designed this perfect muscle sculpting for totally toned arms program for sculpting and firming. When you perform these tried and true exercises you will begin to see and experience:

• Improved overall tone
  
• Sleek lean long muscles
  
• Muscles become firm and Tight
  
• Increased endurance without added bulk
  
• Improved circulation
  
• Stronger mind and body awareness
  
• Improved self confidence and body awareness
  

Set Up To Win
Treat the time you invest into your body as sacred. It is the tabernacle of your Spirit, your mind and your soul.

Establish a set of habits and patterns that prepares your mind and signals your body that you are ready to train. Establish a set time and place. Get your tools such as weights tubes, chair, water, sweat towel, workout mat or other Remove distractions.

Turn off the TV unless you are following a video. Turn off or move your phone, cell phone, computer, or any other electronic device that rings, beeps or signals you for something. Get your music ready. Treat your workout time as a sacred experience

Toned Arms Program Tips

1. Get Centered
Start every move from your midsection also known as your Core or center of your body.

Your abs are to be pulled in tight. This helps to stabilize your low back and will help you move correctly throughout your routine. Your back is to be neutral and comfortable. Do not force your spine into any painful positions. Your posture is to be tall and strong, not scrunched over.

2. Conscious Breathing
Oxygen during exercise is vital. Through Deep breathing you oxygenate the blood when you exercise, you must consciously practice it when you exercise. It enhances circulation, stimulates fat burning, cleanses your metabolic system and eliminates toxins from your body. Inhale and take in a deep breath as you prepare to move, and then as you perform the move (the hardest part of the exercise) exhale completely. Do this throughout the entire series. Another way to think about breathing is:

Inhale on the easy part; exhale on the part that takes effort. I like to take a breath that is 2 seconds in and two seconds out. This basic allows you to develop a consistent breathing pattern.

3. Focused Energy
When you perform an exercise put your mental energy into the target muscle area or muscle group you are targeting to change. Practice putting your mind into the muscle during the motion. What that means is feel the muscle contract, see it getting firmer, more shapely and stronger. Perform the moves with purpose and outcome in mind. Put your mind into the muscle and see it shrink. Don’t just carelessly do the move; execute the move with commitment to see it improve.

Each exercise is simple but very effective. Practice, rehearse and perfect the move as your body becomes conditioned and the muscles get firmer. The principle is to strengthen and lengthen so that you can develop long and lean muscles pretty muscles. You want to build a tight and firm body not big and bulky. Flexible and fluid, confident and powerful.

Always warm up and prepare your body for the workout. This allows your mind and body time to prepare for what’s ahead.

Always move with care from exercise to exercise, no quick jerky motions.

CAUTION: if you ever feel sharp pains during exercise stop immediately and check with your physician. Never exercise through sharp pain.

Use Hand Weights and Dumbbells 3, 5, or 8 pounds

Do Sets and Reps for 20 minutes Total for the Toned Arms Program

Four days a week. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday

Beginners- 2 sets of 12-20 Repetitions per exercise with lightweights

Moderately Fit 3 Sets of 12-20 Repetitions with moderate weight


Toned Arms Exercises
Modified push-up:
Works shoulders, and arms –Very effective but it takes a lot of concentration and focus.

• Lie on your stomach, knees bent and ankles crossed. Elbows bent, place your palms on the floor a next to your chest, keep your head and neck in alignment, eyes facing the floor.

• Push yourself up and straighten your arms as you lift your body so you are balanced on your palms and knees, abdominals tight. Be careful not to lock your elbows.

• Bend your elbows again and lower your entire body at once back to towards the floor, lower until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up again.

Bicep curls:
Works biceps –Front of the arms

• Hold a lightweight or dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Let your arms hang down at your sides with your palms facing in toward your legs. Pull your abdominals in, stand tall, and keep your knees relaxed.

• Curl your right arm up, fist close to your shoulder, twisting your palm so that it faces the front of your shoulder at the top of the movement. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down, and then repeat with your left arm. Continue alternating until you've completed the set. One repetition consists of a complete curl with each arm

Kick-backs:
Works triceps (chicken wings) - Back of your arms

• Stand to the left of a chair. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, feet hip-width apart. Lean forward at the hips until your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Place your free hand on top of a chair or against a wall for support. Bend your right elbow so that your upper arm is parallel to the floor, your forearm perpendicular to it, and your palm facing in. Keep your elbow close to your waist. Pull your abdominals in and don't lock your knees.

• Keeping your upper arm still, straighten your arm behind you until the end of the dumbbell is pointing down while tightening the back of your arm. Slowly bend your arm to lower the weight back to the starting position for one rep. When you've completed the set, repeat with your left arm.
 Kick-backs: Works triceps
• Stand to the left of a chair. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, feet hip-width apart. Lean forward at the hips until your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Place your free hand on top of the chair for support. Bend your right elbow so that your upper arm is parallel to the floor, your forearm perpendicular to it, and your palm facing in. Keep your elbow close to your waist. Pull your abdominals in and don't lock your knees.
• Keeping your upper arm still, straighten your arm behind you until the end of the dumbbell is pointing down. Slowly bend your arm to lower the weight for one rep. When you've completed the set, repeat with your left arm.

Shoulder press:
Works shoulders, arms

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand and sit up tall on a chair that has firm back support. Place your feet on the floor, hip-width apart. Pull your abdominals in so there is a slight gap between the small of your back and the back of the chair.

• With palms forward, bend the elbows and raise the dumbbells up so they are level with your ears. Elbows should be at or just below shoulder height.

• Straighten arms up over your head, without locking elbows, then slowly lower to start.

DONE!
Repeat the entire sequence 2-4 times depending on your stamina.

There you are, four good basic, yet if done correctly, powerful re-shaping exercises for your arms and upper body. Start today, and you will be so happy that you did. It only takes few minutes four times a week. You can do it!

Make sure you increase your water uptake and cut out the simple carbs too. Your diet will help you see firmer more toned arms faster. You can start to visible results in one week if you follow a low glycemic-eating program along with this toned arms workout.

You can lose your chicken wings and have tighter arms in two weeks if you get to it today and start making your body a priority. You have an entire summer ahead, and you can start rocking that hot new tube dress by Independence Day.

God Bless and make it the Best Week Ever!


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