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Whether it’s the back of the arms, the midsection or the thighs, losing weight or reducing fat in a specific area is a desire I hear often from clients.
It’s important to note that spot reduction from one body part is really not possible. If you’re looking to lose fat in a specific area, like your arms, you need to focus on full-body workouts (not just arm exercises!) and a healthy diet. Reducing overall body fat will help you slim down desired areas. However, if you’re looking to tone the arms and build some upper body muscle, there are a lot of arm exercises you can do to help achieve that goal.
The arms are composed of several key muscles, including the biceps, triceps and shoulders. The biceps are located on the front of the upper arm and are responsible for flexing the elbow joint. The triceps, on the other hand, are found on the back of the upper arm and are responsible for extending the elbow joint. Lastly, the shoulder joint has the most extensive range of motion in the human body, enabling your arms to move up, down, forward and backward. By targeting and working these muscles, you can achieve stronger and more defined arms.
Aside from the aesthetic benefits, exercises that work the arms offer a range of functional advantages. Strengthening the arms can improve your overall upper-body strength, making daily activities like lifting, carrying and pushing easier. It can also enhance your athletic performance in sports that require arm strength, such as tennis or swimming.
If losing arm fat and toning the arms is one of your goals, here are 9 effective exercises to start with. For the strength-training moves, start with 3-5 pound dumbbells and increase the weight as you build strength.
Shoulders exercises
Arm circles
Stand tall and straighten your arms straight out to your sides. Begin rotating your arms forward in…
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