Arm Toning Exercises

While many people focus their workouts on their legs, abdomen and butt, arm toning exercises are an important part of any fitness routine.

While arm toning exercises are not considered to be aerobic activity, increased lean muscle mass that comes from working your upper body can speed up your metabolic rate. This means that your body will be burning additional calories when at rest. Arm toning exercises can also enhance upper body strength and functionality. In addition to helping you in your every day tasks, this added strength will help you perform aerobic exercise with more power, thereby increasing the intensity of the workout.

As if these benefits were not enough, an upper body workout plan adds symmetry to your body. For example, if you tend to have a small upper body but wide hips, building some upper body muscle will make you look more symmetrical. Even if you do not choose to add extra muscle, the tone and definition created from arm toning exercises looks attractive in bathing suits, sleeveless blouses and dresses.

When people talk about toning their arms, they are usually referring to the biceps and triceps. The biceps, which are located in the front of the arm, are responsible for flexing the elbows. The triceps, which are located in the back of the arm are responsible for elbow extension. The biceps are often stronger than the triceps in most people. As such, many people perpetuate this muscular imbalance by performing more biceps exercises than triceps. However, in order to maintain or enhance muscle symmetry, it's important to spend equal time on each muscle group.

The biceps can be toned from different angles, using many different types of equipment. For example, the traditional biceps curl is performed with the palms facing straight ahead. It can be performed as a bilateral exercise, which uses both arms simultaneously, or as a unilateral exercise, which uses one arm at a time. A bilateral biceps exercise can be performed holding dumbbells or a barbell in a standing position. It can also be performed on cable machines, or other types of exercise equipment. Some bicep toning exercise machines have a pad that you can rest your elbows on while performing the exercise. If machines or weights are not available, biceps curls can be performed with resistance bands.

The concentration curl is an example of a unilateral biceps exercise. It is performed form a seated position, with the elbow resting on the inner thigh. You can also perform a unilateral biceps curl on a special bench, which allows you to rest your elbow on the pad.

While the traditional biceps curl and the hammer curl create the most muscular definition, the hammer curl is actually more functional. You perform this variation of the biceps curl with the palms facing each other. This is the type of movement you would use when carrying groceries. However, because of the angle of the elbows, free weights or resistance bands are necessary for performing the hammer curl.

Back in the 1950s, women were discouraged against weight training, for fear that it would build big, bulky muscles. However, if you are old enough to have been in grade school during this time frame, you probably remember and perhaps giggled inappropriately at the sight of the back of your teacher's arm flapping as she wrote on the blackboard. This image alone should illustrate the importance of triceps exercise.

Like the biceps, triceps exercises works with different types of equipment and uses different body positions. Additionally, the triceps dip is an effective body weight exercise. Sit at the edge of weight bench and place your feet on another bench. Your hands should be next to your hips, with your fingers facing directly ahead. Slowly bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle and then straighten your arms with control.

Although triceps extensions utilizes a special triceps machine, many people find that pressing their elbows into the pad is uncomfortable. If the gym has a cable rope device, this is often one of the most user friendly triceps exercises.

Both bicep curls and triceps extensions originate from the elbow joint. As such, the elbow should be in a stable position when performing these exercises. If you are doing a full upper body workout, work the larger muscle groups, such as the chest and back, before performing biceps and triceps exercises.

Consider adding toning exercises for the arms to your workout. Focused arm work can make all the difference between toned and flabby arms.

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