How to Tighten the Upper Arms
Tighten your arms by performing a combination of strength exercises to increase muscular definition and active mobility exercises to improve their range of motion. Since your upper arms, which are made up of your biceps, triceps, and several other minor muscles, are connected to your shoulder girdle and your lower arms, you should perform a combination of isolation exercises that focuses on your arms and integration exercises that integrates movement for both your arms and the rest of your body, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine. These exercises can help you improve total-body function and tighten your arms and your body together.
Instructions
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Standing Curl and Press
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1
Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart. Hold a 20-lb. dumbbell in each hand by your sides with your hands facing forward.
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2
Exhale and curl your arms up to your shoulders. Press the weights smoothly over your head with your knuckles facing to the sides of your body. Tighten your buttocks to maintain your posture and do not arch your lower back.
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3
Lower the weights to your shoulders and back to the starting position in one smooth movement pattern. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Pull-ups
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4
Stand beneath a pull-up bar or a similar parallel bar that is about 2 feet above your head. Jump up and grab the bar with both hands about shoulder-width apart with your hands facing you or away from you.
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5
Exhale and pull yourself up until your head clears over the bar. Do not stick your neck forward.
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6
Inhale and lower your body down until your arms are fully extended. Perform three sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Push-ups
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7
Put your hands on the ground about shoulder-width apart and your legs together on your toes.
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8
Tighten your buttocks and lower your body down until your hip and chest almost touch the ground.
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9
Exhale and push yourself up while keeping your head in alignment with your spine and hip. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Stretch your arms and shoulders together after your workout to maintain shoulder mobility and to avoid joint stiffness. Physical therapist Chris Frederick recommends that you perform active stretching as part of your cool-down, which is moving your joints in different directions repetitively. A sample exercise is the arm swing, where you stand and swing your arms back and forth at the same time or in an alternating pattern. You can also swing your arms to your sides and cross them in front of you.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
