While interacting by waving at a friend or associate, if our triceps (the muscle on the back of the upper arm) could sing, I think they would be singing in the tune of the vocalist Adele, “HELLO…it’s me. I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet me”. As we continue to wave at that individual, I think that flabby triceps would continue with the tune singing, “Hello from the underside. I must have called a thousand times…” Ladies, how many times have you waved at a neighbor, a co-worker, a church member and when your hand ceases to move, the underside of your upper arm continues to jiggle its “hello”? That triceps muscle moves as if it’s trying to get your attention or something. One of the most rewarding things in the world is to hold your hand in the air with this HUGE smile on your face, waving at a friend, just to be humiliated by the flab that just keeps on moving. Can I get an “Amen?”
The fortunate news is that the parts of our bodies that like to hoard fat are also the parts that more than willingly give up fat sooner. Busy ladies, this means that although you are running in different directions all at once, you can still see results in your troubled areas faster. Shrinking fat requires a combination of burning more calories and consuming fewer of them.
Let’s look at ways we can burn that flab on the back of our upper arm.
- Exercise #1: Use a large exercise ball to rest your toes on while placing your hands on the floor. Straighten your knees and make sure your hands are a little closer than shoulder-width apart. Bend your arms slowly until your elbow reaches a 90-degree angle then press back up to straighten. It’s the same motion used when performing a push-up. Repeat 12 times.
- Exercise #2: Lay on the floor face down. Place your hands directly under your shoulders, keeping the elbows close to your side. Lower your body while contracting your abs (tummy muscles) and gluts (butt muscles). Return to the start position and repeat 12 times.
- Exercise #3: Stand straight up with your knees slightly bent. With dumbbells in hand, hold your arms straight up with your elbows next to your ears. Bend your elbows with your hands going down toward your back. Squeeze your triceps to straighten your arms, pressing the dumbbell up. Slowly lower to the start position and repeat 12 times.
- Exercise #4: Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or a chair that is stable. Slide your butt off the front of the bench/chair with your legs extended out in front of you. Straighten your arms, keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tension in your triceps and off your elbow joint. Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. This completes one rep. Continue until you have completed 12 reps.
Ladies, never become too busy to have sexy, toned arms. They are always in season. Try each of these triceps-toning exercises and watch them combat that notorious back-of-the arm jiggle.