How to begin
Start with one set and choose weight that fatigues the muscle at the end of 15 repetitions. Focus on the biceps, triceps and deltoids (the three major muscles of the arm) with progressive weight training. After a few weeks, progress to weight that exhausts the muscle in 12 reps. Soon you'll be able to pick up weight that moves the muscle to failure in eight reps. Once you add sets, try to take minimal breaks between them. And remember, the last few should always be difficult (not painful) but hard as heck to do.
'Oh, no! I'll look like a man'
Think again. You won't unless you're taking steroids and lifting massive weights for hours. And while we're on the subject of fitness myths, let's tackle this one:
'Strength training adds weight'
No, it doesn't. Muscle is denser than fat so it will weigh more, but it will also take up less space. Think of this concept by comparing a softball (fat) to a baseball (lean muscle). Both weigh the same, but the baseball will fit into a size 6 and the softball will need a size 12. And, when good nutrition is factored in, there is absolutely no reason anyone should gain weight.
In fact, the secret to managing weight is in building lean muscle tissue. Most of us have great arms waiting to be discovered beneath layers of fat. The more lean muscles you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you will burn even while you're sleeping!
Flabby or strong
Women who focus solely on cardio will find that as they age, their skin will sag -- not a good look. On the other hand, women who spend some time lifting weights fill out their skin the best and most healthy way. Thirty to 60 minutes of metabolic strength training three days a week will build fabulous arms. To have a hard body, you've got to train your body hard.
Cindy Boggs, fitness presenter, author and YMCA Activate America director, has been an ACE-certified coordinator/instructor since 1989. Send your questions about fitness, training or health to YMCA of Kanawha Valley, 100 YMCA Drive, Charleston, WV 25311, or email cindys...@aol.com. Look for her award-winning fitness advice book, "CindySays ... 'You Can Find Health in Your Hectic World'" at www.cindysays.com or contact the YMCA at 340-3527.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Dear Cindy,
How can I slim down my arms and feel good about wearing sleeveless tops this summer? I don't consider myself overweight, but I do have lots of extra skin on my mushy arms. I want the arms I had a few years ago when I weighed the same and looked completely different. Help please. -- Jenny
Dear Jenny,
Isn't it interesting that it's not our weight that dictates the way we look, but rather the amount of muscle we've got going for us? It's true. Being thin won't necessarily get you second looks, but a strong body will turn heads and give you all the confidence you desire.
Just know you're not alone. It feels like a cruel joke when we start to age and our once muscular frame starts feeling like a wet sponge. Soft and jiggly arms make us cover up even on the hottest days of summer. What once was lean and mean becomes flabby and saggy.
If that is a look you want to avoid, follow the advice below. Yes, it takes a little effort, but the rewards are self-esteem and an enviable upper body. Want the real truth? Check out a woman's shoulders and biceps; it gives you a fairly clear picture as to what the rest of her body looks like.
I want beautiful arms
Having great arms means you have to stop buying into old myths. Women tend to erroneously buy into the idea they should do tons of cardio and lift light weights. This won't get you great arms! If you want lean, sexy arms, you need to strength train like a man. No, that doesn't mean lifting the same amount of weight as a man, but it does mean lifting heavy enough to create the same challenge to the muscle as a man.
Light weights and lots of reps will get you right where are right now. Consider this: You lift children who weigh 30-plus pounds, so why do you think lifting 3- to 5-pound weights is going to change your body? It won't, not even if you lift it 100 times. To build lean mass, you must challenge the muscle -- not do endless reps with light weights.
How to begin
Start with one set and choose weight that fatigues the muscle at the end of 15 repetitions. Focus on the biceps, triceps and deltoids (the three major muscles of the arm) with progressive weight training. After a few weeks, progress to weight that exhausts the muscle in 12 reps. Soon you'll be able to pick up weight that moves the muscle to failure in eight reps. Once you add sets, try to take minimal breaks between them. And remember, the last few should always be difficult (not painful) but hard as heck to do.
'Oh, no! I'll look like a man'
Think again. You won't unless you're taking steroids and lifting massive weights for hours. And while we're on the subject of fitness myths, let's tackle this one:
'Strength training adds weight'
No, it doesn't. Muscle is denser than fat so it will weigh more, but it will also take up less space. Think of this concept by comparing a softball (fat) to a baseball (lean muscle). Both weigh the same, but the baseball will fit into a size 6 and the softball will need a size 12. And, when good nutrition is factored in, there is absolutely no reason anyone should gain weight.
In fact, the secret to managing weight is in building lean muscle tissue. Most of us have great arms waiting to be discovered beneath layers of fat. The more lean muscles you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you will burn even while you're sleeping!
Flabby or strong
Women who focus solely on cardio will find that as they age, their skin will sag -- not a good look. On the other hand, women who spend some time lifting weights fill out their skin the best and most healthy way. Thirty to 60 minutes of metabolic strength training three days a week will build fabulous arms. To have a hard body, you've got to train your body hard.
Cindy Boggs, fitness presenter, author and YMCA Activate America director, has been an ACE-certified coordinator/instructor since 1989. Send your questions about fitness, training or health to YMCA of Kanawha Valley, 100 YMCA Drive, Charleston, WV 25311, or email cindys...@aol.com. Look for her award-winning fitness advice book, "CindySays ... 'You Can Find Health in Your Hectic World'" at www.cindysays.com or contact the YMCA at 340-3527.
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