Flabby Arms- the search for real answers

Give me a new moisturizer and with five minutes I can decode the ingredients and studies to determine if this  product has the mojo to deliver  promised results.  But when it comes to fitness, I’m still drilling down to  find the same  kind of cause and effect info that will help me choose the right exercises to firm up my arms.

For example, most  articles and books dismiss the fear of bulging muscles, implying that  women  just don’t have  the male hormones to bulk up.  But flipping through books and videos, I can see women  in workout clothes that certainly look chunky and muscle- bound.  Turns out that push-ups which are recommended  by so many trainers, builds up the deltoid muscles ( top of the arms) and the trapezius muscles at the top of the shoulder.  The results?  Bulges rather than a sleek smooth line.  I don’t want to look flabby, but I also don’t want to work so  hard and then look like Popeye.

While I search for  the science behind a beautifu shape, I’m road testing more exercise videos.  This week, I tried The Firm, Upper Body tape that I found for $1  at  the Columbus Avenue Flea Market.  Actually  its a little troubling that  thrift shops  and fleas have such an large selection of discarded exercise tapes and disks.

The Firm  promised  visible results in 10 sessions and I definately like something that has an endpoint.  The instructions were clear and given before the exercises so that they were easy to follow.  As with Winsor Pilates, the warm-up seemed endless.  Over 1o minutes long, by the time it ended, I was tired and my muscles were quivering.  The actual  arms exercises seemed to be textbook moves for upper arm fitness.  The alternating triceps and biceps lifts required  two sets of sixteen reps– pretty standard and good as  far as it went.  But the actual arm work-out lasts less than five  minutes, certainly not enough time  to get buff.  Next, I’m trying out a  totally different approach to fit,  firm arms.  The result  looks smooth and polished rather than lumpy, exactly  what  I want.  We’ll see.

Read Full Post »

Flabby Upper Arms– Starting Point

So here are my  baseline photos.  I’ve done a lot of before photos, but these are definately the worst.  In the top photo I’m wearring  my favorite red dress and with my arms flat on my sides, I look  pretty good.  No bulges or sags.  However  I tend to move my arms to pick up a glass, wave a cab or tie on a scarf and then you can see  where  attention needs to be paid.   In the second picture you can see the wrinkly bits under the arms and the  skin hangs lose where the triceps are invisable.  In the third photo  I am actually trying  to flex my biceps on top and you can see there are no biceps.  The best I can say is that there is much room for improvement.

There are literally hundreds of trainers, books, and videos  that  PROMISE to help you lose weight and  shape-up.  Reputable experts  admit that spot exercises that aim to mold specific areas do not  reduce weight but  build muscle  for a better line.  When I  carried an extra ten pounds I didn’t even try to include weight bearing exercies, since I felt the extra fat would make  spot exercises pretty useless.  Currently I’m a trim size eight so its a perfect time  to test out body shaping. 

In the past my exercise plans started with a shopping trip to buy the right clothes, sneakers and equipment.  Some of the  experts recommend  using a big ball while others  swear  by rubber bands with handles.  Rather than go out for more toys,  this time I’ve decided to  start simply with  the set of three pound weights I already own and   concentrate on my triceps and biceps.  And rather than buying another book or video, I went online and downloaded some free exercises.  Trying to read the exercises, follow the instructions and watching my form in the mirror I managed to clonk myself  on  my forehead or  neck   with almost every  move.  Each move called for 2-3 sets of 10 reps and I kept getting clobbered.  Clearly I needed more  help.  Next I’m going to try  a video so I can follow along.

Read Full Post »

Flabby Arms– What Lies Beneath?

A set of toned shapely arms is one of my biggest beauty goals for 2012. Michelle Obama looks beautiful   wearing bright little cardigans over  sleeveless dresses, but when I do  that, I  just look like I’m cold. Its time to feel good about my” guns”  And there is certainly no shortage of tools and experts on the subject.  Handweights, exercise  bands, push-ups, pilates, yoga and  the list  of solutions  just seems to go on and on.  So before going out and buying that Groupon coupon for a class on Kettlebell  Kickboxing ( I’m not  making that  up) I decided to  go fundamental  and find  out  why  my arms are crinkly and wrinkly.  Just  like  getting to the causes of  facial aging to choose the most effective solution, I needed to explore the anatomy  of the arm.

Aging of the arms is actually a   much simpler process than the aging of the face.  Basically the upper arm the strength and beauty of the upper arms is dependant on two muscles — the biceps on top and the triceps on the bottom.  Smooth shapely contours depend on three  factors– the amount of muscle, the amount of  fat and the basic elasticity of the skin.   As we get older  we naturally lose muscle mass and this decline  means  the skin  becomes looser– like a pillow that loses its stuffing.  However excess  fat creates a squishy filling that  creates a limp shape on the arm.  Elasticity of the skin   can be affected by  weight gain and loss, leading to stretched out crinkly skin.  And don’t forget that  sunexposure destroys the connective fibers in the skin, and if you’re spent a lot of time on a beach without  a sunblock, your arms are going to be extra flabby.

The solution seems remarkably simple.  You need to build up muscle mass in both the triceps and biceps to create a  better filling for the skin  on  your arm.  Spot exercise cannot  reduce fat, but it can change  the underlying contours  to create  a smoother and firmer appearance.   Most  women worry that building up arms muscles will lead to a  Popeye effect, but  we just don’t  have the  hormones for that. 

Next step will be to take a before shot of the problem and then find a plan that sounds reasonable and would work for me.  I’d  love to hear about what you’ve tried out for arm beauty. It would be amazing to know what has actually worked  for you.   If it didn’t work, it will save  me  wasting  time on something that  just does not deliver.

Read Full Post »