Exercise Equipment

Neoprene Dumbbell

3 Advanced Strategies for Women to Shape and Develop Sexy Arms

In my experience training women, the arms are almost always a common focus area.  Specifically, women tend to store fat in the triceps area, often leading to the dreaded “bat wings”. Four sets of triceps kickbacks for 30 reps with 5 lb. neoprene weights don’t cut the mustard.  Yet, it seems to be the program that most women are on in commercial gyms today.  I guess lack of knowledge along with the “herd” mentality probably has a lot to do with this ineffective choice of programming.  In order to get great definition and shape to the arms, you have to train them intensely.  This means using compound movements, heavy weights, and short rest periods.  Note: These programs are for women who have been training for at least 3 months…and not for the faint of heart!

Program #1

Strength

Strength programs are excellent for building definition in the arms.  The best results will be achieved by utilizing a full-body routine three times a week.  A general strength program will include compound movements for the entire body, while utilizing rest periods of 60 to 90 seconds.  You should only be able to do one or two more reps at the end of each set.  The last set should be continued to muscular failure (with a spotter of course!).

Here’s a sample workout:

3 sets; 4-12 reps with 60 seconds rest between sets

(Do exercise A1 into A2, etc.  Repeat circuit A 3 times.  Move to circuit B.)

A1 Barbell bench press

A2 Barbell squat

B1 Assisted pull up – use different grips every set, i.e. overhand, underhand, and neutral

B2 Barbell straight leg deadlift

C1 Dumbbell overhead press

C2 Machine row

D3 Dumbbell skull crusher

D4 Dumbbell biceps curl

This is a pretty tough workout.  After 6-8 weeks, it’s time to move on to hypertrophy.

Program #2

Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy literally means increasing the size of the muscle fibers.  “Oh no, I don’t want to get big…just defined!” might be your response to doing a hypertrophy program.  Well, even lifting to increase muscular size won’t get you that big.  Please read my article on women and heavy weights to dispel this myth (http://tinyurl.com/ylpp2kz).  The truth is, hypertrophy programs are excellent for reducing body fat directly under the skin as well as creating definition.  This program is more intense than strength because of the shortened rest periods.  Again, you should have a rep or two in the tank at the end of a set.

Here’s a sample workout:

2 sets; 8-12 reps with 15-30 seconds rest between sets

Drop sets on bicep curl and skull crusher – Choose a weight you can complete 8-12 reps.  Do a set and drop the weight 10%, do 3-6 reps, drop the weight 10% again, and do 2-4 reps…intense!

(Do exercise A1 into A2, etc.  Repeat circuit A twice.  Move to circuit B.)

A1 Dumbbell lunge

A2 Cable fly

A3 Dumbbell bench press

B1 Swiss ball hamstring curl

B2 Lat pull down

B3 Inverted body-weight row

C1 Barbell lateral lunge

C2 Dumbbell lateral raise

C3 Dumbbell overhead press

D3 Dumbbell bicep curl

D4 Dumbbell skull crusher

This workout is incredibly tough…but I know you can do it.  After 6-8 weeks, it’s time to move on to tabatas.

Program #3

Tabata Training

Tabata training is an intense 4-minute interval protocol utilizing 20 seconds of

work with 10 seconds of rest.  This is a very high rep routine with short rest periods.  Your arms will be burning by the end…trust me.

This type of training is named after Dr. Izumi Tabata, who studied this protocol at the National Institute for Sport and Fitness in Tokyo, Japan.  What he found was amazing: After just 6 weeks of testing, subjects increased their anaerobic threshold 28%, and also increased their VO2 Max 14%.  On top of that, the EPOC (look at my article on cardiovascular exercise an intensity for details on EPOC) created from this workout substantially increased the number of fat calories burned after exercise.

Tabatas are not for the faint of heart.  They are extremely difficult and trainees should have a base of at least eight weeks of resistance training under their belt before trying tabatas.  Here’s a sample program:

A1 Dumbbell bench press for 20 seconds

Rest 10 seconds

Repeat 7 times for a total of 4 minutes of work

B1 Cable squat and row

C1 Swiss ball hamstring curl

D1 Barbell bicep curl

E1 Bench dip

These programs are all excellent for developing the arms.  Remember these general rules: Utilize periods where you lift heavy, shorten your rest periods, and switch up your program often.  As long as you do this, your arms should continue to develop.  You could go back to a strength program after tabatas to switch it up again.  Or, if you’re working out three days a week, you could do each of these programs one day a week.  Have fun, and let me know what you think of these workouts!

About the Author

Kurt Rawlins is a fitness professional, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and author. He specializes in helping professional women in Chicago shape and tone their muscles into fat-burning machines so they can wear whatever they want, and feel healthy and confident doing it. Visit his website at www.kurtrawlinsfitness.com to sign up for his free e-newsletter with valuable fitness and nutrition tips.