Women, this might be more for you. Men, I am not trying to exclude you, but generally speaking... the topic of "toning muscle" seems to capture the attention of females more so than males. Why is that, anyway? Guys- you like the BULK and the muscle gain, right? Ladies generally like to trim and define their bodies. Don't be fooled, though! These exercises can and SHOULD be used by all!
Here are some EASY, but effective ways to tone your body and tighten up! The major target areas, as far as extra skin or "flub" is concerned, are
the upper arms (biceps and triceps),
the core (abdominal, obliques, and lower back),
the glutes, and
the upper leg (quadriceps and hamstrings).
For fear of content overload, let's just start with the upper arms! We will get to the rest, no worries :)
UPPER ARMS:
- triceps dips- find a flat, waist-high surface that is stable enough to hold your body weight. stand with your back to said surface, placing your hands on the edge of the surface with your fingers towards your back. Scoot your feet about 2 and half feet (3 small steps) away from the base of the surface. Your arms should be straight at this point. While keeping feet firmly planted on the ground about shoulder-width apart, bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle. Your behind should drop, and your knees should also bend along with your elbows. Extend your arms back to the starting position, locking your elbows. Do twelve dips, and repeat three to five times.
- bicep curls- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart on a flat, stable surface. Choose a household item (cans of soup, water bottles, etc) that weighs around 3-5 pounds. Let your arms drop to your sides, with the end of the object pointed out, in front of your body (if it is a water bottle, the cap should be facing the same direction as your knee-caps!). Keeping your elbows tucked in next to your hip bones, slowly lift the objects until you've reached the maximum flexion possible (the cap of the water bottle should be almost touching your shoulders). Slowly extend your arms to the starting position. Do this 20 times, and repeat three to five times. Once you feel like you've mastered this weight, switch to a heavier object!
- diamond push-ups- Find a flat surface with enough room for you to easily stretch out on the floor. Once you have set yourself in the push-up position- laying on your stomach with your feet flexed and about 6 inches apart, toes "gripping" the floor- make a diamond with both of your hands, touching both thumbs and both index fingers while hands are flat to the floor. When ready and stable, push up and extend arms until your body is lifted off the ground. Once you have reached the limit of extension, slowly lower your body back to the ground by gradually bending your arms until your nose is about 6-10 inches off the ground. Do this eight times, and repeat 3-5 times.*if you cannot do these in the conventional push-up form, try modifying this and do the push-ups against a wall! You will still get a nice arm workout.*You can also make your "starting position" for the push-up on your knees instead of your feet. Same exact motion, and still a great workout!
By doing these three simple exercises three times a week, you should notice a more defined upper-arm! Definition is a GREAT product of hard work and an increase in strength. Try it out!
