FitSugar

Skip It: Triceps Kickback

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:30:00 -0700

Sometimes referred to as "bingo arms," the back of the upper arm can be toned and tightened by working the triceps. Unfortunately, most of us chose to do kickbacks to work the muscle group, and this might not be the most effective way to work your triceps. The body position required for the exercise - leaned over with elbow pinned to your side - not only makes it hard to overload the muscle to really work it, but you are only really working the muscle for the last quarter of the motion. Plus, you're just working one muscle when you could be saving time by challenging multiple muscles at once while working the triceps more effectively. See some alternative exercises, when you read more.

Triceps dips: This move is simple and as a full body exercise you will be working more than just one muscle. If you do this exercise on the floor, try alternating it with crab walks, by staying in table top position and walking 10 steps forward and then ten backward.
Push-ups: When you place your hands directly under your shoulders and keep your elbows in, you will effectively work your tris.
Triceps Presses: This exercise is not a full body exercise, but because of the arm position you work your triceps as you press the weights up, as well as when you lower them back to starting position due to your relationship to gravity. To make this exercise a full body move, make a tabletop position with your head and upper back on a physio ball.

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Multitasking Move: Balancing Tricep Kickback

FitSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Many women complain about their bums and the backs of their arms being a little jiggly, so here's an exercise that will tone both of those areas. Since you're working hard to stay balanced, you'll also be targeting your core.

To learn how to do this challenging move, grab a mat and a dumbbell and read more.

Come onto your hands and knees. Place a dumbbell in your left hand. Bend your elbow and pull it up so it's in line with your shoulder.
Straighten your left leg behind you so your heel is in line with your bum. Pull your navel toward your spine to engage your abs, which will help you stay balanced.
Holding your left leg in the air, exhale as you do a tricep kickback by extending your left hand behind you. Inhale to bend your elbow. This counts as one rep.
Complete 10 to 12 reps on each side.

Michelle Obama Arm Envy Reaching New Heights

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:30:00 -0700

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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Get Strapless Dress Ready: 5 Tricep Exercises

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0700

It's that time of year when the temperature increases and the amount of clothes we wear decreases. If you're looking to get the backs of your upper arms ready to bare while wearing bathing suits, tanks, and strapless dresses, then add these five tricep-toning exercises to your strength training routine.
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Four Ways to Work Your Triceps

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:30:00 -0800

Often neglected in workouts, the triceps actually make up more of your arm than the biceps. If tricep kickbacks bore you to tears, there are many other ways to strengthen the backs of your arms. Women's Health has created an upper-arm workout to pump you up. To see the highlights, just start the slideshow.

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Get Lifted: Tricep Presses on Your Back

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

When I'm at the gym, I'm always looking for ways to work out lying down. Just kidding! I like to find new ways to target the back of my upper arms. Tank top season is fast approaching, check out this tricep exercise.

You'll need a set of dumbbells for this move (three to eight pounders).

Grab a set of weights and lie on a bench or on the floor.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and bring your hands by your ears so your elbows are pointing straight up at the ceiling.
Inhale and straighten your arms by lifting your hands up.
As you exhale, slowly lower the dumbbells back down towards your ears, but be sure to keep your elbows directly above your shoulders in order to target your triceps.
Repeat this move for 12 to 15 reps.

Now, this may not be a compound exercise, but you can easily fit this exercise into an "in front of the TV' workout.

Back to Basics: Triceps Dips

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:45:00 -0800

Toning your triceps - the muscles that run on the backside of your upper arm from your shoulder to your elbow - is one way to really help prep your arms for tank tops. Triceps Dips are a great, basic exercise for working your triceps. What's more? They're pretty easy to do and don't require much equipment.

Here's how you do them:

Position your hands shoulder width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
Move your booty in front of the bench with your legs bent and feet placed about hip width apart on the floor.
Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
Now slowly bend at your elbows and lower your upper body down towards the floor until your arms are at about a 90 degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press off with your hands, and push yourself straight back up to the starting position.

Fit's Tip: Don't allow your neck to sink and your ears to fall close to your shoulders. Also, straighten your legs as you get stronger, this will make the exercise harder.

How To: Bent Over Row

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Bikini season is approaching so many of us are focusing on getting our upper bodies toned. One exercise that is great for working your upper back, mid-back and triceps is the Bent Over Row. For this exercise, you'll need a workout bench (or chair) and a dumbbell.

Here's how to do it:

Grab a dumbbell - weight depends on your level but it should exhaust your muscles by the 12th rep.
Position your right knee and right hand on the bench so your back is parallel to the floor. Your left leg should be on the ground and your left hand should be hanging straight down - perpendicular to your body - holding the dumbbell.
Using your left arm, lift the dumbbell straight up to torso level. Be sure to keep your elbow in and pointed upwards.
Then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position (#1) to complete one rep.
Do three sets of 12 reps on each side.

Fit's Tip: Don't arch or round your back, keep a neutral spine.

Back to Basics: Overhead Press

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:00:00 -0800

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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Multitasking Move: Boxing

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 07:00:00 -0700

Ever since I read about couples getting into the ring together I have been a bit obsessed with boxing. Well here's a great Pilates move using hand weights to help you add power to your punch. Yep, this exercise is called Boxing.

**This move works your triceps, lats and deltoids while challenging your core.**
A.) Starting Position Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Bend your elbows back, keeping your upper arm even with your back and bring weights to your upper waist. Then bend your knees to come into a half squat. Then bend forward creasing at your hips so your spine is almost parallel to the floor.	Do: Engage your deep abs by pulling your belly away from the floor. Feel your abs and back "sandwiching" your spine. Don't: Tuck your pelvis under! Your spine, pelvis and head should form one long line.
B.) Move Simultaneously extend your left arm straight out in front of you and the right arm straight behind you. Rotate both wrists so your front palm is down and your back palm is up. Exhale while you do this move and deepen your abdominal engagement. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side -- This completes one rep.	Do: Control the motion of both arms in a slow and controlled manner. Do: Keep your wrist straight, so your knuckles are in line with your shoulder. Don't: Throw your arms haphazardly about.

Fit's tip: Choose an appropriate weight for your strength level between 3 and 5 pounds. Try doing 8 to 10 reps three times, with 30 second rests in between each set.