biceps

Michelle Obama made a fashionable entrance into the White House, and the first lady has been receiving attention on her style choices and toned arms since President Obama was sworn into office. While Michelle has been showing her commitment to promoting healthful eating across the country, Americans have been exhibiting their dedication to her toned arms on the Internet and in the gym.

There's a website dedicated to the first lady's enviable arms, appropriately named First Guns, where Michelle's arms have been endearingly nicknamed Thunder and Lightning. The Running Center in New York has developed a class called M.O.D.A (Michelle Obama Defined Arms) that focuses on the body part our first lady is known for, and I'd put money on more gyms offering similar classes.

Feeling a little Michelle-Obama-arm-envy yourself? Check out my collection of arm exercises: Work your biceps, triceps, and shoulders to get stronger and more defined arms.

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Here's a stretch for one of the biggest muscles in your arms, the biceps. Along with your biceps, you'll also feel a nice stretch in your pectoralis mucles (your chest).

• Sit on the floor with your legs bent in front of you.
• Lean back and place your hands flat on floor just behind your booty. Fingers should be pointing away from body and your hands should be relatively close together.
• Slowly walk your feet forward (away from your hands) until you feel the stretch in your biceps, but not so much that it hurts.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

Putting all the fancy machines and accessories aside, sometimes you just want to get in a good workout without having to decipher how to use the gadgets. The overhead press is a great way to work your deltoids, biceps and triceps using a set of dumbbells. Pick a dumbbell weight that tires your muscles by about 12 lifts, a good weight to start with is five pounds.

Here's how:

• Stand with your legs hip-width apart, knees soft. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise arms so that your biceps are parallel to the ground, arms at 90 angles, palms facing forward.
• Exhale as you slowly straighten arms until they are extended as you press your hands straight-up toward the ceiling.
• Inhale as you return your arms back to the starting position (biceps parallel to the group and at 90 degree angles).
• Repeat 12 times. Do three sets.

Fit's Tip: You can also do overhead presses while sitting on a bench. Or to challenge yourself a little more do them while sitting on an exercise ball.

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Guess who's got these toned and muscular arms?

Want to find out? Then read more

Looking to tone up those arms? The Hammer Curl is a great way to work your biceps as well as your forearms.

To learn how to do the alternating hammer curl, read more