B's Easy, Beginner Arm Workout guide

Lockdown is slowly, but surely, coming to its end and because of all the stress endured during this time and the lack of exercise options, some of us may feel like we gained a kilogram or two. This is absolutely fine as well, in the same way we all went through a phase due to this epidemic, so did our bodies. Some of us may have gained some due to not being able to make use of the gym, due to excess hormonal excretion caused by stress or because we had a cupcake or three too many from our baking days. The wonderful thing about weight and its indefinite fluctuations is that we can both gain AND lose fat. I’ve mentioned in a previous article the wonders of a calorie deficit, but sometimes just losing fat is not enough, toning and being in shape can be just as desirable. The best way to do this is through strength training, therefore physically training your muscles to get into shape through using heavy objects (or weights).

I thought to start off with arms due to a lot of women neglecting this body part when venturing on a toning or weight loss journey. I would also just like to clarify that lifting weights WILL NOT bulk you up, it takes so much more than just lifting a 3kg dumbbell for that. It will result in a heavier calorie burn in comparison to just cardio or just calisthenics and it will make you stronger (so that you can carry all your shopping bags in a single trip). I thought to include some of my favourite exercises to help you out. The best way to ensure efficiency is to build on these exercises through either getting heavier weights or by increasing the number of reps (the number of times the exercise is done).

To go about this, I would recommend choosing a few of these examples and adding them to your own work-out sets or to do some of them after your workout is completed. If you are a complete beginner, start off with a warm-up session set (such as doing jumping jacks, high knees, butt-kicks, a jog, running on the spot, mountain climbers, side to side jumps, skipping rope, anything to get your heart rate up. Any two of these exercises repeated a certain amount of times in three sets would suffice). For example:

Warm-up:

- 60 Mountain Climbers

- 40 Jumping Jacks

Repeat three times

Arm exercises can have a bit of a burn, so depending on the number of reps, I would suggest keeping your sets to a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4. For example, if you are doing 20 reps, two sets would be fine, but if you are doing 8-10 reps, four sets would be a better option. Try to mix and match some of these exercises to your own liking. I’ll include my favourite arm-workout as an example at the bottom as well.

Arm workouts (Shoulders included):

- Push-ups. I know, I KNOW. I hate them myself and can only do three proper ones, but they don’t have to be the scary military-style ones you see on all the War films you’ve been watching lately. Push-ups have different forms and styles. If you can’t do a military push-up, go on your knees and try from that stance. If you struggle with this, as I did for months, lie completely flat on your stomach with your legs stretched out and push your upper body up from this stance in a Pilates swan push-up. You can build your strength until you are ready to do the push-up of your preference.

- Dumbbell raises. This can be done with both arms at once, with only one arm at the time, on the side and to the front to work different muscle groups. If you don’t have dumbbells, use filled water bottles, bottles filled with rice or sand, canned food, your cat, or any other heavy object.

- Bicep curls

- Ball throws. Yes, simply throwing and catching a ball. You can even do this lying on your back. A Pilates ball works best due to its size, but your neighbours soccer ball that they kicked over the fence last week also works!

- Around the world. This is taking that same ball and moving it in circular motions from below your torso to above your head in a round shape, repeated in the various directions.

- Dumbbell rows. Just pretend your rowing a boat, but with heavier paddles.

- Shoulder press

- Reverse fly

- Fly lying down. Like the reverse fly, keep your weights in front of you, which in this case would be above you and bring them down in a 90-degree angle forming from your elbow which is flat on the ground.

- Tricep dips.

- Overhead tricep extensions

- Arm twirls. Yes, just twirling your arms in small circles, this works even better with weights

- Upright dumbbell rows

- Shoulder ups. This exercise has different names, but it entails being in a plank position and lifting yourself up in a push-up position, then tapping your shoulders individually on each side and going back into the plank position.

If you are unsure about any of these, please don’t hesitate to ask me! Now as promised, here is an example of my own arm workout (my favourite one). It starts off with a cardio warm-up and a quick calisthenics exercise and then leads into the arm workout.

Warm-up:

Jog (I usually do 2km) OR

- 100 Mountain Climbers

- 50 High knees

Repeat 3 times

Set 1:

- 35 Squats

- 30-second plank

- 20 Crunches

- 25 Jumping jacks

- 15 Lunges on each side

- 60-second wall squat

- 40 Sit-ups

- 35 Butt kicks each side

- 20 Push-ups on knees

Repeat 2 times

Set 2:

- 15 Pilates Swan Push-ups

- 15 bicep curls

- 15 Upright rows

- 15 Reverse fly’s

Repeat 2 times

Set 3:

- 15 Side raises (each side)

- 15 Overhead triceps extensions

- 20 triceps dips

- 20 Arm twirls with weights (10 in each direction)

Repeat 2 times

Finisher set:

- 5 Army push-ups

- 8 Burpees

- 30 High knees

Repeat 2 times

Please keep in mind that I started off with very few reps in both my warm-up and first set of exercises and that I’m currently training towards a current goal, this is just an example. You might not be able to do this yet or only do half of it or you might be much stronger and fitter than I am and would find this too easy. Everyone is on an individual journey. Don’t hate, motivate, and inspire each other for better health and stronger bodies.

Keep going, keep glowing, and keep growing. You’re doing amazing.

• B x