How to strengthen and tone up your arms

Disclaimer: Please consult your physician before attempting any exercise.

We will center the workout around 2 primary exercises, the Push Up and The Pull Up. These exercises cover all the muscles in the arms. Then we can add a few more isolated exercises for good measure.

First is the Push Up

After the Push Up lets do a Bicep Curl on the Suspension Trainer.

When doing a Bicep Curl it is important to keep your elbows up and in place, other wise you change integrity of the movement.

Now lets do a Tricep Press on the Suspension Trainer. Start at an angle that is suitable to your fitness level.

Next lets do a Dumbbell Reverse Fly. It is important to bend at your waist, other wise you will turn this exercise into shoulder raise.

On to the Pull Up. Before we get into a full Pull Up you need to get familiar with what is called Scaption. Being able to perform Scaption will ensure that you are doing a pull up properly.

Scaption allows you to activate the big back muscles to allow you to pull up. Practice your pull up by doing Scaption first and then proceeding into a full Pull Up.

If performing a complete pull up is too difficult you can use a chair to assist you.

Next lets do a dumbbell Shoulder Press. Standing tall bring your dumbbells to shoulder height. I like to hold them with what is called a neutral grip. With the bottom of your fist facing forward.

Last we can do a dumbbell Hammer Curl. A Hammer Curl is also performed with a neutral grip with thumbs facing up.

Perform this work out in the following fashion. Circuit 1: Push up, Bicep Curl, Tricep Press, and Reverse Fly. Circuit 2: Pull Up, Shoulder Press, Hammer Curl.

Perform 3-4 rounds moving from 1 exercise to the next within each circuit. After you complete Circuit 1 move onto Circuit 2. Number of reps is determined by you fitness level.

When deciding how many reps to do, perform as many as you can until TECHNICAL FAILURE, not MUSCULAR FAILURE. Technical failure is when your form breaks.