Training Your Arms
Strengthening and toning your arms provides endurance when you carry things, prevents injuries of the wrist and elbow, and gives a healthy, firm look to your muscles. You'll appreciate this extra endurance when you are rushing around shopping for your wedding and need to be able to carry multiple bags on your forearm, or when you're working long hours on your computer, organizing your reception checklists. From an aesthetic point of view, firm, toned arms are attractive and give off an aura of healthful living. Because many wedding gowns are sleeveless, you can enjoy the results of your hard work on your wedding day as you proudly bare your arms and walk down the aisle.
The muscles in your forearm control your wrist and hand actions and the strength of your forearms determines your grip strength. Strengthening these muscles is not likely to win beauty points as you walk down the aisle, but you will score big in the functional fitness column. With everything else you have on your plate at the moment, the last thing you need to have to cope with is sore, aching wrists.
When working your arms, be careful not to use jerky, uncontrolled motions. You'll need to move your arms comfortably to do many things during your wedding — like carry your bouquet, hug guests, and dance the night away with your groom. Those tasks won't be so easy if you pull muscles and can't raise your arms because of shoulder or back pain!
Like strengthening your shoulders, strengthening your forearms will not only help you to perform activities that use your hands but it will also help you do more exercises that require wrist stabilization. Strong wrists also help prevent injuries. Golfer's elbow or tennis elbow can be avoided by strengthening the forearm muscles, because strong muscles prevent excessive strain on joints. This is especially important if you're planning to take an active honeymoon or play recreational sports.
The main muscles in your arms are your biceps and triceps. Your biceps brachii actually works together with your brachialis. They are the primary muscles on the front of your upper arms. Your biceps is the bulging muscle in the upper arm that we most typically see in body building poses. The name biceps comes from the fact that the muscle has two heads. This means that it splits apart at the top of the muscle and attaches on the shoulder blade in two different locations. On the bottom of the muscle it attaches in one spot, on your forearm below your elbow joint.
The brachialis lies underneath your biceps. The brachialis is actually larger than your biceps, but because it is underneath, you can't really see it. It is also stronger than your biceps. One function of these muscles is to rotate your forearms. When you bend your elbow and turn your palms up or down, you are using your biceps and brachialis.
The triceps muscle is in the back of the upper arm located directly opposite your biceps and brachialis muscles. As you may have already guessed, the name triceps comes from the fact that the muscle has three heads. These heads all join in a shared tendon at the back of your elbow. The triceps heads include a lateral (outside of the arm) head, medial (inside of the arm) head, and long head.
The lateral head of the triceps runs from the back of the upper arm bone to the elbow. The medial head runs from the lower end of the arm bone to the elbow. The long head attaches on the shoulder blade, runs across the shoulder joint, and inserts at the elbow. For people who have a lot of muscle definition, you can actually see the contours from the different heads of the muscle.
If you're concerned about firming up the back of your arms, you want to be sure to include triceps exercises. You need to make an extra effort to exercise these muscles because most people do not challenge them a lot in their daily lives. One practical function of your triceps is to help you push yourself up and out of a chair with arms.
Your leg, thigh, and buttock muscles are probably the strongest in your body because you tend to use them more throughout the day. Daily activities don't generally require that you use your upper body a lot and, consequently, your arm and shoulder muscles are much smaller. Your weight level will be much lighter for these smaller, weaker muscles.
Always remember to train your triceps when you train your biceps. The synergistic work of the biceps and triceps is a perfect example of how our muscles work together. When your biceps contract, your elbow bends and your triceps muscles stretch. When you contract your triceps, your arm straightens out and your biceps muscles stretch. You can see how it is important to maintain balanced muscle development so one group of muscles does not overpower the other.
Figures 9-23 and 9-24 The biceps curl strengthens and tones the muscles in the front of your upper arm.
GET SET Stand on a band or tube with one foot. Hold the other end of band or tube with the hand on same side of the body. Stabilize your upper arm against your body. Begin with forearm parallel to floor, palm facing up. (
ACTION Lift your palm toward body against resistance. Keep wrist joint flat. Feel a strong contraction in your biceps muscle. Lower slowly. (
WEDDING WORKOUT POINTERS Inhale to prepare, exhale to lift. Inhale, return to start. Keep your upper arm stable. Do not rock your body or arch your back.
VARIATIONS
(EASIER) Perform exercise in a seated position.
(HARDER) Stand on band with both feet, one end in each hand. Anchor both upper arms against torso. Lift both arms at the same time. Lower slowly.
(DUMBELLS) Stand in split stance. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing away from your body. Stabilize your upper arms against your body. Maintain good alignment. Tighten your abdominals. Keep your wrist joints flat. Bend your elbows and raise the weights toward your chest. Lower slowly.
Figures 9-25 and 9-26 The reverse biceps curl strengthens and tones the muscles in the front of your upper arm and in your forearm.
GET SET Stand on a band or tube with one foot. Hold other end of band or tube with hand on same side of the body. Stabilize upper arm against the body. Begin with forearm parallel to floor, palm facing down. (
ACTION Lift arm toward body against resistance so that palm faces forward. Keep wrist joint flat. Feel a strong contraction in your biceps muscle and in the muscle on the top of your forearm. Lower slowly. (
WEDDING WORKOUT POINTERS Inhale to prepare, exhale to lift. Inhale, return to start. Keep your upper arm stable. Do not rock your body or arch your back.
VARIATIONS
(EASIER) Perform exercise in a seated position.
(HARDER) Stand on band with both feet, one end in each hand. Anchor both upper arms against torso. Lift both arms at the same time. Lower slowly.
(DUMBELLS) Stand in split stance. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing backward. Stabilize your upper arms against your body. Maintain good alignment. Tighten your abdominals. Keep your wrist joints flat. Bend your elbows and raise the weights toward your chest so palms face forward. Lower slowly.
Figure 9-27 and 9-28 The triceps pushup strengthens and tones the chest, shoulders, and arms. It firms and defines the muscles on the back of the upper arms.
GET SET Kneel on all fours on the floor. Walk your hands forward until your hands are shoulder-width apart, your fingers point straight ahead, your elbows point toward your hips, and your torso resembles a slanted board. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Maintain good alignment. (
ACTION Bend your elbows toward your hips, keeping your arms close to your torso, and lower your upper body. Straighten your arms and push your body up through your palms, feeling the muscles working in the back of your upper arms. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Maintain good alignment. (
WEDDING WORKOUT POINTERS Inhale to prepare, exhale as you push up. Inhale, return to start. Place a towel under your palms to elevate palms and reduce pressure on your wrists. Avoid dropping your head. Avoid locking your elbows when you lift. Lower as low as possible.
VARIATIONS
(EASIER) Stand in front of a wall. Place hands on wall straight under shoulders, fingers pointing upward, and elbows pointing toward hips. Bend elbows, keeping arms close to your torso, and lower body toward wall. Straighten arms as you push through hands.
(EASIER) On floor, instead of working from a slanting board position, kneel on all fours in a tabletop position. Lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows. Adjust the amount of load by shifting more or less weight from your knees into your hands.
(HARDER) On floor, instead of working from a slanting board position on your knees, extend your legs straight and rest on the balls of your feet, so your body resembles a plank.
(HARDER) with bands or tubing) Assume same body position. Place one end of the band under each of your hands and around your back. Push up against the increased resistance of the band. Lower with control.
Figures 9-29 and 9-30 The triceps dip strengthens and tones your arms and shoulders. It also firms and defines the back of the upper arms.
GET SET Sit on edge of chair or stable bench. Place hands on sides of chair seat. Slide your shoulder blades down and back. Walk feet out in front of your knees and rest on heels. Maintain good alignment. Slide your bottom off the chair seat. (
ACTION Make sure that your shoulders are stable. Slowly lower your hips as you bend your elbows to about ninety degrees. Push and lift hips up to starting position. (
WEDDING WORKOUT POINTERS Inhale to prepare, exhale and lower hips. Inhale, and return to start. Avoid allowing your shoulders to creep up to your ears. Tighten your abdominal muscles to stabilize lower back. If your wrists bother you, work on reverse biceps curls until your wrists become stronger.
VARIATIONS
(EASIER) Place your feet on floor closer to your body and bend your knees at a right angle. Perform exercise as described.
