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Arms?

#1

aimeebell , 03-31-2011 07:47 PM

I have been running 2 miles four or five times a week, +walking about 5 miles a week for cardio. A couple weeks ago I added in sit-ups, and girly push-ups, along with my favorite pilates and Taebo moves for about 15 minutes daily. Almost all my exercise involves my lower body, and I would like to add some arm excises for toning, but I have no clue what to do. So, do you have a short arm routine that you follow that you can share? I keep looking at hand weights, but I don't know how much they should weigh.

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#2

hatethesweatpants , 04-01-2011 07:50 AM

You could start out with 8lb dumb bells and move up from there. Bicep curls, tricep curls, shoulder press, rows - all are the basics of arm exercises. If you're using machines with cables, you can increase the weight. In my opinion, keep it heavy enough to do about 10-12, with the 10-12 ones being pretty tough. Push ups are awesome - give yourself time and keep challenging yourself to do the full plank push up. I was never able to do them until this year.

Also, if you're not already, working on your back and core (stabilizers) is so important.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/38...cise-routines/

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#3

kmac1196 , 04-01-2011 07:51 AM

Push ups and dips are the best without equipment.

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#4

runningfromfat , 04-01-2011 09:49 AM

Ditto to what PP's said. Also if you want an extra challenge while you run you could bring along some hand weights.

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#5

Ilene , 04-01-2011 10:21 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by runningfromfat
Ditto to what PP's said. Also if you want an extra challenge while you run you could bring along some hand weights.
Running with hand weights is not good for your joints. Here is an exerpt from an article :

Quote:
It is important to keep in mind that when you use running hand weights or ankle weights, you exert a large amount of pressure on the shoulders and hips. This pressure can be too much for your strength level and may prove to be injurious. The arms swing as you run or walk and there is a high level of resistance at the end of the swinging movements due to the weights. The muscles must put in a great deal of extra effort to bring the motion to a stop before you can switch directions. This leads to muscle fatigue and after some time, they are unable to stop the movement safely. This contributes to excessive stress and injuries are bound to occur. Instead of using running weights, it is better to run or walk faster. This makes your arms and legs also move faster, therefore giving you the same benefit as using weights. It is essential to practice the correct technique of walking or running so that you can the maximum benefit from the exercise. Runners should learn the proper way to swing the arms as this strengthens the upper body muscles and enables the individual to move more easily. It also loosens up the neck and shoulder muscles. At the end of a walk, runners can perform an upper body workout with dumbbells or a resistance cord.

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#6

aimeebell , 04-01-2011 12:46 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by hatethesweatpants
You could start out with 8lb dumb bells and move up from there. Bicep curls, tricep curls, shoulder press, rows - all are the basics of arm exercises. If you're using machines with cables, you can increase the weight. In my opinion, keep it heavy enough to do about 10-12, with the 10-12 ones being pretty tough. Push ups are awesome - give yourself time and keep challenging yourself to do the full plank push up. I was never able to do them until this year.

Also, if you're not already, working on your back and core (stabilizers) is so important.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/38...cise-routines/
Thank you! That was very helpful! Gonna buy a set of hand weights this weekend. I cannot even do one real push-up, but I keep trying every few days to see if I can. One of these days, I will.

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#7

aimeebell , 04-01-2011 12:46 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ilene
Running with hand weights is not good for your joints. Here is an exerpt from an article :
No worries, running takes every bit of strength and energy I have, there will be no added weight! LOL

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