FitWorkz
02-13-2007, 06:35 PM
We get questions from clients all the time about looking great in a particularly article of clothing. The biggest is from women looking to wear a sleeveless dress or gown for a particular event. This includes wedding dresses.
We put our tips, tricks, and a sample of one of our arm toning programs into the post below.
You found the perfect dress. The one you always wanted. It is sleeveless and beyond perfect. You try it on and notice your bare arms and shoulders. A moments delight turns to panic. Do my arms look too big or fat in this dress? This is a legitimate concern. It is doubtful any bride would wear a dress that is nothing short of flattering. You are no different. Fortunately you can do something about it.
Before we get into building a great set of toned arms let’s dispel a few myths.
Myth 1:
Fat weighs more than muscle
False
A pound is a pound the world over. Muscle is denser than fat. This means that one pound of muscle is physically smaller than one pound of fat. Here is an over-exaggerated analogy. A pound of fat is like a basketball. A pound of muscle like a baseball. You could lose three pounds of fat and gain three pounds of muscle, weight the same, and end up smaller and more toned.
Myth 2:
Doing lots reps of arms exercises will tone them
False
You can not tone a muscle by doing more and more reps. If you want to have toned arms you have to build muscle and lose fat, everywhere!
Myth 3:
I am just going to do cardio to lose weight and tone my arms.
False
Without weight training to build muscle there will be nothing to tone. Without an intelligent approach to nutrition you will never pare the fat on your arms (or anywhere else for that matter) to show your toned muscles.
Myth 4:
Lifting weights will make my already big arms even bigger.
False
In Myth 1 we covered that a pound of muscle is physically smaller than a pound of fat. In addition, fat cannot be toned. So by gaining a slight bit of muscle and losing fat you will be physically SMALLER and toned.
Myth 5:
If I eat right, weight train, and do some High Intensity Interval Cardio a few days a week I will have toned, sculpted and slim arms for my wedding day.
True
The plan.
Lift weights four times per week. Perform the arm workout below twice per week. The other two days pick the simple whole body exercises. Add to that the arm and shoulder combo that follows.
Here are the 5 Armed and Sleeveless Exercises
Dumbell Curls
Pushups
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Front Raises
Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
Here is the program*:
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
A
Dumbbell Curls
3
8
0
A
Pushups
3
8
60
B
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises
3
8
0
B
Dumbbell Front Raises
3
8
0
B
Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
3
8
60
Example1
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
A
Dumbbell Curls
3
8
0
A
Pushups
3
8
60
You will perform 8 curls, 0 seconds rest, 8 pushups (you can do them on your knees), rest 60 seconds and repeat two more times for three sets.
Example 2
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
B
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises
3
8
0
B
Dumbbell Front Raises
3
8
0
B
Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
3
8
60
8 side lateral raises, 0 seconds rest, 8 front raises, 0 seconds rest, 8 should presses, rest 60 seconds and repeat two more times for three sets.
*simple dumbbells are all you need to do this workout at home. The arm workout can be done in less than 20 minutes.
Add three to four days of cardio (High Intensity Interval Cardio is best) and you are all set. By exercising a few hours a week you are sure to look great in your sleeveless wedding dress.
We put our tips, tricks, and a sample of one of our arm toning programs into the post below.
You found the perfect dress. The one you always wanted. It is sleeveless and beyond perfect. You try it on and notice your bare arms and shoulders. A moments delight turns to panic. Do my arms look too big or fat in this dress? This is a legitimate concern. It is doubtful any bride would wear a dress that is nothing short of flattering. You are no different. Fortunately you can do something about it.
Before we get into building a great set of toned arms let’s dispel a few myths.
Myth 1:
Fat weighs more than muscle
False
A pound is a pound the world over. Muscle is denser than fat. This means that one pound of muscle is physically smaller than one pound of fat. Here is an over-exaggerated analogy. A pound of fat is like a basketball. A pound of muscle like a baseball. You could lose three pounds of fat and gain three pounds of muscle, weight the same, and end up smaller and more toned.
Myth 2:
Doing lots reps of arms exercises will tone them
False
You can not tone a muscle by doing more and more reps. If you want to have toned arms you have to build muscle and lose fat, everywhere!
Myth 3:
I am just going to do cardio to lose weight and tone my arms.
False
Without weight training to build muscle there will be nothing to tone. Without an intelligent approach to nutrition you will never pare the fat on your arms (or anywhere else for that matter) to show your toned muscles.
Myth 4:
Lifting weights will make my already big arms even bigger.
False
In Myth 1 we covered that a pound of muscle is physically smaller than a pound of fat. In addition, fat cannot be toned. So by gaining a slight bit of muscle and losing fat you will be physically SMALLER and toned.
Myth 5:
If I eat right, weight train, and do some High Intensity Interval Cardio a few days a week I will have toned, sculpted and slim arms for my wedding day.
True
The plan.
Lift weights four times per week. Perform the arm workout below twice per week. The other two days pick the simple whole body exercises. Add to that the arm and shoulder combo that follows.
Here are the 5 Armed and Sleeveless Exercises
Dumbell Curls
Pushups
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Front Raises
Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
Here is the program*:
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
A
Dumbbell Curls
3
8
0
A
Pushups
3
8
60
B
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises
3
8
0
B
Dumbbell Front Raises
3
8
0
B
Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
3
8
60
Example1
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
A
Dumbbell Curls
3
8
0
A
Pushups
3
8
60
You will perform 8 curls, 0 seconds rest, 8 pushups (you can do them on your knees), rest 60 seconds and repeat two more times for three sets.
Example 2
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
B
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises
3
8
0
B
Dumbbell Front Raises
3
8
0
B
Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
3
8
60
8 side lateral raises, 0 seconds rest, 8 front raises, 0 seconds rest, 8 should presses, rest 60 seconds and repeat two more times for three sets.
*simple dumbbells are all you need to do this workout at home. The arm workout can be done in less than 20 minutes.
Add three to four days of cardio (High Intensity Interval Cardio is best) and you are all set. By exercising a few hours a week you are sure to look great in your sleeveless wedding dress.