Fitness Education

Perform specific muscular strength and endurance arm exercises. Muscular endurance is the muscle’s ability to continuously contract against resistance. Generally, a toned look is associated with endurance rather than muscular strength which is the muscle’s ability to exert maximal force only once. To build endurance, you must do more repetitions with less resistance. Instead of doing six to eight bicep curls using a 10 lb. weight, use 40 percent of this total weight and curl a 4 lb. weight 12 to 20 times. For more strength, do fewer repetitions with higher weight. Use free weights, barbells or weight machines to perform specific exercises. Exercise your biceps, triceps and forearms to get completely toned arms. Effective exercises include regular bicep curls, triceps press downs, overhead triceps extension and wrist curls.

Perform push-ups. A push-up is an excellent total body exercise that also strengthens arms when done with proper form. For beginners, do a push-up against a wall or perform a modified push-up on your knees. Tuck your hips and buttocks under, so when you lower your body toward the floor your head, shoulders, back and buttocks are in a straight line. A regular push-up is performed with your hands and toes on the ground with the entire body in a straight line as you lower yourself. There are more challenging push-ups such as one-handed, incline, knuckle or on a stability ball. Start by doing as many push-ups as you can perform while maintaining good form. Gradually add more repetitions as you become stronger.

Do chin-ups or pull-ups — both are effective arm strengthening exercise that will lead to toned arms. A chin-up is with palms facing you and is easier to perform than a pull-up. A pull-up is when the palms face away from you. For beginners, if you cannot perform one chin-up, have someone assist pushing you up for the last part of the chin-up. Do as many chin-ups as you can and gradually add more repetitions. When chin-ups become easier, try adding a few pull-ups into your routine. Do more advanced pull-ups with weighted belts or hanging weights when you are ready.